Anyone using a 195 thermostat in their first gen truck?
If so any part numbers?
I was hoping to have better heat this coming winter.

 

I've done it, cant recall the PN i used.
Even though it had a a 195, it would only to get up to 180 or so anyway.
I had to block off 50% of the rad with cardboard to start getting a temp rise above that.

 

I've heard the 195 does no better. In fact, because it is higher temp, it takes even longer to open up, meaning longer before heat. Fuel moving through the engine is what warms it. An exhaust brake would warm the engine up quicker. However, so will cardboard as stated. Plus, it's cheaper. Just don't tow heavy with it in place.

 

Heater water is taken off the head before the t-stat, so it doesn't make any difference if it's open or not.

The reason that a hotter t-stat doesn't seem to make any difference is because water temp (within reason) isn't the problem. The problems are
1. Restricted water flow through the heater core.
2. Restricted air flow through the heater core.
3. Leakage around the bypass door used to regulate the heater temp.

To sort out 1 and 2, check the incoming and outgoing temperature. You can ir gun the fittings if they are not copper. copper doesn't radiate ir the same way that iron does. The readings are wacky. I digress, if their is a good difference between them, the water side is plugged. If both are hot, the air side is plugged.

These trucks do a wonderful job of collecting leaves, needles, and butterfly wings and piling them up against the heater core.

On another point, if you block off part of the radiator, either do it with a grill winter cover, or cut a round hole centered over the fan in the cardboard block. If you block part of the radiator, say the bottom half, the fan does come terrible flexing coming from the restricted area into the open. It can literally break the blades off the engine fan over time.

 

How do you know this?

 

Put a 1953 Chevy propeller through the hood.