1941 Ford 9N dumb water pump questions

The thin steel plate comes with the new water pump; if that is what you are doing... replacing the water pump.

The old thermostats pictured in the manuals used a bimetallic "spring" as the heat-sensitive element whereas the ones now on the market use a copper bulb with a heat-sensitive "wax pellet" inside.

What is important is that the heat-sensitive element; the copper bulb; faces the cylinder head.

(Sorry; my keyboard is all out of commas!)

How do you use your tractor?

As far as the engine is concerned it will almost certainly operate longer; cleaner; and more efficiently at 200 degrees than at 160 degrees.

Of course; the ambient temperatures in your area have something to do with thermostat selection; too.

There's a lot of difference between a tractor plowing snow @ zero degrees and a tractor plowing all day long in 110-degree heat!

In the COLD weather snow plowing scenario; you'd be better of with a HOT thermostat to get the engine as warm as possible to for cleaner combustion and to help evaporate sludge-causing moisture out of the oil.

In the HOT weather plowing scenario; you'd be better of with a cool thermostat that will be fully open LONG before the engine begins to overheat.

Gary

The thermostat design that is sold now is different from what was used when the manual was printed. The new-style thermostat should be placed with the pointy side towards the radiator.

The thermostat tends to slide in the hose. Some use a hose clamp in front of it (toward the rad.) to keep it from sliding. I was too cheap to pony up the 50 cents for a hose clamp, so I used a cable tie. So far, so good.

I've used all sorts of oddball, goofy stuff to keep from having to drive to town!

Bill