Which thermostat for '73 3000 diesel?

Laneman · Aug 5, 2013

I noticed 3 thermostat temperatures for 3000 diesel tractors. Which would be best for operating in Texas, 168 deg, 172 deg, 188 deg? I use tractor mostly for mowing, general ranch work, no plowing.

Rustytractorguy · Aug 5, 2013

I'd go with the 168 myself. That's what I'm going to put in mine.

Texasmark1 · Aug 5, 2013

Diesels run cool. Diesel fuel atomizes better at the higher temps. What you are doing isn't that hard work. Assume your radiator and all are clean, pressure cap and 50-50 antifreeze.

I don't know what's in my '65. Must be the 168 as the needle stays on the cool side. I'm not going to change it for the sake of doing it but if in there I would probably go with the 188; buttttttttt:

My choice could be any of them as that diesel forgets where the fuel drum is located since is sees it so seldom.

Your call.
Mark

Bern · Aug 5, 2013

The hotter the better, yes, even in Texas. Keep in mind that a 188 t-stat is open just as wide at 200-plus degrees as a 168 t-stat, so therefore a 168 should have no advantage when it comes to preventing overheating. Also, with non-sleeved Fords (i.e. no liners with o-rings), you don't really need to get worried until the coolant temps approach 250 degrees.

Engines run better when they're warm, use less fuel, and boil water/condensation out of the oil easier also.

RodinNS · Aug 5, 2013

188. ALWAYS. They don't get warm enough to pull worth a damn with a 168. As Bern already noted, the thermostat is open by the same amount at 200 degrees anyway which is pretty close to where they should be under load.
You might notice that more modern engines last longer... one reason is that they run hotter.

Rod

Texasmark1 · Aug 6, 2013

As I learned as a kid, the only advantage to the lower temp stat is that it opens sooner before the engine overheats....gives you a little more margin.

Mark

Bern · Aug 6, 2013

Technically, you are correct, and that may be helpful in a car or truck that sees the occasional small hill on a hot day. However, in an off-road application, I don't see that as an advantage for an engine that works hard all day long.

Texasmark1 · Aug 7, 2013

Agree. Just reminiscing about days gone by when a teen. We weren't mechanically inclined and always broke. Overheating our cars happened often. Sometimes we would run without a stat but then you had to put it back in in the winter so the heater would work. So we went with the 160ish degree stats. I didn't get all that cold in S. TX. so it didn't take much stat to make the heater comfy.

Mark

flyingace · Aug 7, 2013

188 is recommended by the owners manual and the shop manual. It's what I used when I replaced mine and I agree the tractor runs better when it is allowed a little warmer temp.

Which thermostat for '73 3000 diesel?

Laneman

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Rustytractorguy

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Texasmark1

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Bern

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RodinNS

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Texasmark1

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Bern

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Texasmark1

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flyingace

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