1936 case cc thermostat

Swarty1973

New User
Does a 1936 case cc have a thermostat? I assumed it did when I saw them available by year/make/model from various tractor prts companies. The parts manual lists a thermostat part number and lists only 1937 model year, the service manual says it may have one. The thermostat does not fit where it's supposed to go. I think when it was new, the radiator curtain was used as a thermostat. I would think it would benefit from one and I could machine the cast iron elbow to fit one especially since the curtains are long gone. It should allow it to burn fuel more efficiently and keep sludge down. Am I right or wrong?
 
No thermostat, they had a curtain in front of the radiator that you raised and lowered to control the temprataure. Mike
 
In line thermostats work just fine.... very common in the 30s. Ford used them on their V-8s from '32
thru the war
 
You need to maintain your engine temp as close to 180 as possible. Anything less gives you severe oil contamination and excess carbon buildup. Carbon builds very quickly behind the rings, in the groove, and prevents proper sealing. Rings seal with combustion gas pressure from behind the ring forcing it out against the cylinder. Excess blowby is the result of carbon filled piston ring grooves. Fuel mixtures have to be richer to combust in cold engines. I've an early SC I use to run a a pto wood splitter in the winter. It originally was a multifuel engine and has the rad shutter. I'm constantly adjusting that bugger, depending on the work it's doing, and if you stray for a moment you're either under or over temp. Driving thru the woods when it's -20, chains on, dragging logs or pulling the trailer full of wood, the work conditions vary. If you can maintain your temp with a curtain, use it but nothing beats a thermostat. Do not work a cold running engine.
 
That's what I figured. So I really need to either figure out where to install a thermostat on a tractor that never had one or install curtains and a temp. gauge/motometer.
 
I did a test. Stuck my digital meat thermometer in the radiator and started the tractor with cardboard over the radiator screen. Took 25 minutes to get to 180. Removed the cardboard and this is what happened:
180 to 170 - 1 minute 20 seconds
180 to 160 - 3 minutes 12 seconds
180 to 150 - 6 minutes 20 seconds
180 to 140 - 11 minutes 10 seconds
Was still dropping when I shut it off. This is with an 80 year old crusty radiator, this was probably a cooling fool when it was new.
 
I'd use an in line thermostat, in the upper hose, just held in place with a couple of hose clamps. They are sized by the hose diameter and will have a bypass or relief hole in them to allow some coolant to circulate.
 
install a 180 or 192 degree automotive thermostat (I have used one for a sb chevy) on top of the upper neck with a 1/8" hole drilled in the outer edge to let out trapped air
 

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