[DeTomaso] water pump , thermostat question

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

In a message dated 6/19/12 11:43:00 AM, boyd411 at gmail.com writes:

> Will a bad thermostat keep all the coolant trapped in the motor?
> 

Yes. For whatever reason. the most common failure mode for wax-motor 
thermostats is to fail- closed. I've had the same problem with 351-Cs, big-block 
Fords and 289 small blocks   as well as a couple of SBCs, in a whole variety 
of cars. Also for whatever reason, I get about 12 months out of ANY 
thermostat I install in our modified 351-C engine in a Pantera. Fortunately, with an 
aftermarket waterpump that does not use the 351-C bypass system, I can use 
virtually ANY thermostat. 
I have used 351-C, 351-W, 289 Ford and even a 350 Chevy, in a whole variety 
of temperature ratings; they all work in our 351-C if the bypass channel is 
blocked off in the water pump. Note also that in my testing, a 160, a 180 
or a 192 F thermostat did NOT significantly change the fully warmed up engine 
temp; that seems to be a function of the coolant routing built into the 
engine block assembly. Even changing cylinder heads from OEM iron to 
aftermarket aluminum (SVO A-3s) didn't lower our fully warmed up cruising engine temp. 
  Using a larger capacity Fluidyne radiator did control the 
previously-uncontrolled temp climb at very high speeds, though. Good luck- J Deryke