i have an older skidder with a perkins diesel. the temp gauge never gets over 160 even in the summer. these days the needle never moves. i am starting to think that it may not have a thermostat in it. any body know what a non-turbo motor should have in it for a thermostat. i know my sawmill is a 195.
It usually depends on what the engine manufacturer recommends. Generally the higher the temperature, the better the engine efficiency. But you have to take into consideration the pressure in the radiator, atmospheric pressure, and flow thru the cooling system. Some engines will actually run at 240 deg F which will boil the fluid in the system if it weren't for the pressurized cooling system and the higher boiling point of anti freeze solution. So some manufacturers will recommend different temp ratings for summer or winter to keep the engine at max temperature.
A non turbo diesel engine should have a 210 degree thermostat in it
My perkins runs 180. It is a 6 354 in a 1100 tractor.
Stonebroke
Our non turbo diesel engines all run at 180-190:
JD 4-219 (440B)=190
6v53N Detroit(GMC truck)=180
6.354.4 Perkins(MF399)=180
3-201 Ford(4600)=180
Does the engine run consistently at 160 or is that as hot as it gets? First things first, find out if you even have a thermostat. If not, there is probably a reason why someone left it out, like overheating. If you have a stat, check it with the pot of water and thermometer process. If there is no stat it would be hard to go wrong with a 180 to see what happens(overheating from some other problem).
Oh yeah, I meant to ask if you are sure the temp gauge is right.
8) 8) i have looked up all the info i could find on operating temp for diesel engines and i found out they were originally designed to operate at 160 degrees i also know thanks to epa and their exhaust requirments some of the new engines are running around 240 degrees or hotter which i suppose is all right if you like replacing engines and external components this can get very expensive as i have found out my personal openion the cooler the better and the longer every thing will last i ave gone through over 20 trucks over a peroid of 40 years :D :D