460 temperature?

This winter I did some trading ened up with a nice running 460 gas I was hesitant to make the trade of a 464 gas at first but the more I run it the happier I am with it. I believe someone did a engine overhaul and started to restore it being it starts and runs so good has great oil pressure no smoke I changed oil when I got it home been doing small jobs plowing snow gathering sap and oil still nice and clean.
All gauges had been changed aftermarket ones but they work I was thinking the temp guage did not work beening I never noticed it to move but i only been running when it's been cool out and not running it to hard Sunday we had 75 degrees out and snow and mud mostly gone so I dropped the tire chains and took it on a little road trip to see how well it traveled and pulls some of our hills seems really good but I did see after my last hill temperature guage moved up to about 140 degrees once home I let it idle for a bit and guage dropped right off.
Was thinking maybe there is not a thermostat in it does this make sense? What temperature should this run? I will try my temp probe in radiator this week end when I have time.
If there is not a thermostat in it is there any reason to put one in?
Thanks dan
 
The thermostat bypass port is about the cross section of a quarter. The tractor thinking at the time was faulty in that the engineers believed they ran best cool. We now know different It is so over-cooled that that small bypass chills the entire engine below premium operating temp.
If you want the thermostat to operate, I recommend putting a stainless steel partition in the t-stat housing. Use thin SS and copy a gasket except for the bypass. At the bypass put a 5/16 hole. instead of the passage shape. Two gaskets, a bit of Permatex #2 and the SS plate ant it will warm up. Jim
 
Exactly what Jim says, except I prefer a bit smaller hole for the bypass - about 3/16".

If you find your tractor does not have a t'stat you DEFINITELY want to install one. Otherwise the engine will always be running cold, except in hot weather with a full load. And a cold engine burns more fuel and wears out much more quickly.
 
(quoted from post at 17:51:55 04/15/14) The thermostat bypass port is about the cross section of a quarter. The tractor thinking at the time was faulty in that the engineers believed they ran best cool. We now know different It is so over-cooled that that small bypass chills the entire engine below premium operating temp.
If you want the thermostat to operate, I recommend putting a stainless steel partition in the t-stat housing. Use thin SS and copy a gasket except for the bypass. At the bypass put a 5/16 hole. instead of the passage shape. Two gaskets, a bit of Permatex #2 and the SS plate ant it will warm up. Jim

Good information for the older tractors but the 460 does not have a bypass port to the radiator. On these tractors the coolant is ported back to the inlet side of the water pump when the thermostat is closed. The coolant is circulated from the water pump through the block, up through the head and then to the thermostat housing. If the thermostat is closed the coolant goes through the bypass hose to the inlet side of the pump. If the thermostat is open the coolant can return to the top of the radiator.
 
From looking at the parts diagram, I see your point. I assume the T-Stat has a bleed port to allow air burping of the block.
As such his tractor needs a thermostat. Jim
 

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