thermostat
 

have a 5.7l chevy V8 GM Goodwrench 350 engine and just done its first sea trial. engine runs stone cold although we havent really opened her up yet as running it in and weather wasnt great either.
the temp gauge hardly moves at all and is really at zero, the engine doesnt feel even warm. she is a bit choked so i am thinking that maybe the auto choke is on as the engine is cold.
anyone have a clue what thermostat should be in there ??
russell

Carbed motors have mostly used the Merc 140°F thermostat. Few, the one 160°F. Just get the 140°F. Autoparts stores will only have the marine thermostat if they carry marine parts.

ok great thanks for that

mmmm just done the calculation and the 62 degrees one we bought is actually a 140. might have to look elsewhere as to the temp issue i have.
might be the gauge of course.
do they run very cold on tickover ? what sort of reading should i have when ran for about half an hour

Also merc uses a special t-stat gasket with two rivets in it. Purpose for the rivets is to ground the tstat housing to the intake. If you use a normal t stat gasket, or silicone over the rivets or etc, the ground won't complete and thus your coolant temp sensor won't work.

See here to microfiche pics of your model...if MERCRUSIER:
http://www.mercruiserparts.com/selec....asp?type_id=8

actually hadnt thought of that, i have just taken the sender wire and using the ground from the engine but of course if it isnt attached to that i wont get anything.
thanks i will have a look at that before i change anything and make sure it is grounded.

ok been there the weekend with her. had no temp in it at all checked everything over and electrically i think i am ok so i took a spare thermostat with me. took off the housing and looked at the stat. immediately realised they had put it in without the rubber surround. i replaced the stat fitted with the surround ring and bolted her back up.
still wouldnt get warm. took her on a big run for half an hour and finally got the gauge to move but only off the stop and up to 100 degrees. i still think i am running too cold as to me i should have quickly hit 140 or is that not the case. my gauge basically starts at 100 so i am not hot at all and the engine feels too cold.
is it possible to have put it in upside down or something stupid as i am at loss now

are you running a circ pump or the crossover? with the crossover i never built temp. The temp to really watch is your oil temp!!

All OEM stock Black Mercruisers ran / use a 160 degree T stat starting in 1997 to current including carb marine applications. Some of the closed cooled marine engines run a 170 degree t stat.

Nothing stock OEM marine engines use a 140 degree t stat since the LATE 1990's

Some OEM marine racing engines use a 140 degree t stat but very few. .

this was based on the volvo penta and im in the 1970's era of engine and 100% they say the 140 is the right one but i cant get the thing anywhere near that and am sure i am running with the choke on all the time as the engine is so cold

chaos sorry i dont actually know what you mean as i am not a mechanic, although pretty mechanical if you get me
you can see the top of the stat housing to the right of the carb if that is any use ??

this is old school stuff

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps9ylykvzb.jpg