te 20 1948 thermostat

I just pulled my raditor hoses off & did not see thermostat inside either hose?
do you think I should add a thermostat to upper hose or just leave out...
btw no temperature gauge on tractor

Kind of a hard call...

Is this still a working tractor?

Are there any problems, like fouling plugs?

Is the oil milky, watery froth at the breather tube or under the oil cap?

If no, it might be happier leaving it run without a thermostat.

But if you think bringing the temp up will help, and it will need to have some running time up to temperature to have any benefits, as in some extended time working under a load, then try it.

Just keep an eye on the temperature and coolant level. Sometimes if the radiator is clogged they will want to overheat with a thermostat in. Won't know till you try.

yea I think ur right........I am putting new radiator, hoses, water pump, while i have this torn apart. I think I will just watch fluid levels like you are saying.
I have had this tractor for about 4 years no problems really.
But the governor went crazy so I am replacing that.....otherwise good old tractor.
Thanks for the advice,.

Got to thinking, did those come with a thermostat from the factory?

I suspect they didn't. Seems the object was to not have anything to go wrong once the tractor left the factory. Simple and serviceable.

Ford and Ferguson followed each other on the basic 9N,2N, T0-20 TO-30 nearly identically. A few years ago I picked up a 9n(?) and it had the factory stat held in place with a clamp around the outside of the upper rad hose. The design was a let different from today's stats and thankfully was blown open.
The basic function of a stat is to slow the water speed as it flows through the engine allowing it time to absorb the heat of the engine block before taking it to the radiator where it is dispersed. Lack of a stat can also lead to an overheat situation as well as the engine not coming up to a normal operating temp to heat up the oil and vent off pollutants such as condensation. This in turn can shorten engine life.
Of a note is that newer stats have a vent hole in them to allow any trapped air behind them to escape while the engine comes up to temp as the stat opens. I have also noted that the small hole is also effective to minimize temp fluctuations of the stat opening. It opens and closes more evenly dampening out temp surges.
Do you need a stat? It's your engine. Have fun.
Bulb goes towards the engine block. You can also drill a small hole in it about 1/16 inch in case it doesn't have a hole in it already.

I got to thinking also & looking around tractor.......what I think they have have done previous owner has converted over to 12 volt system....they put a plug in the thermostat housing where I believe the thermostat sensor would have been......although that still wouldnt explain lack of temp gauge....lol
a mystery for sure to me.

well no worries we are going to run it without one & give her a try......putting in fluids today & new battery, going to hopefully get her back in the field. I am having a problem with the frontend the drag link (the smaller arm that goes from middle of tractor to the front) it was compressed on spindle arm. do you have any tricks for getting this to go back on, i had to use pry bar to pop it up & out (it is a tapperd looking bolt) but i can only get nut started on the thing.....it doesnt seat proper in the spindle arm? still working on that....
I appreciate ur help

I will post this ? on the forum

I am doing some looking around & have noticed on upper water neck housing there is a plug where I figure there was a temp sending unit at one time. I just have never added a thermostat into a hose per say like the manual actually calls for......but without some kind of wiired up sensor how do you know.....another project for sure it seems.

Thanks for your time & replying..very helpful