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I'm back and with a ford situation

812 views 6 replies 3 participants last post by  brianradomski 
#1 ·
WOW I own (for honey and I) a "1970" mini motorhome camper we call it a 69 built in 69 for model year 1970. It has a 302 with a c-4??? transmission it looks like a glorified van it is 18 feet in length. the only thing it does not have is air conditioning! I just hate driving it to a campsite getting plugged in but if we drive off disconnect everything and reconnect upon return. We have a vaca trip drive to make from central NJ to FLORIDA and ohhh how I'd LOVE to tow our 93 dodge shadow behind the camper!

The shadow can be though of as bordeline too heavy SO to compensate the extra heat build up of the ford engine and trans................I have driven vehicles with NO thermostat in the engine and watched the temperature gauge .............................well I have seen gauges not even register! SO all kinds of variables here: an engine requires some kind of heat for full horsepower and with NO thermostat "no engine heat no power??? BUT in the heat w ave and a car in tow wont the engine accumulate just enough heat but the gauge might still not register and with very little engine heat there is very little transmission heat for the trans to be destroyed. Hopefully I'm making sense: to avoid over heateing the engine and trans of this old Ford what about if I remove the thermostat?!
 
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#2 ·
Sometimes it will work and then sometimes it don't IMHO. You will just have to remove it and test drive it for a bit to know for sure JMO But you better have some tools and coolant/water for the road trip just in case. I would leave it in if it was me but that's just me but i have ran them both way's. :thumbup:



Cole
 
#3 ·
I'd leave the thermostat in as long as it's working correctly, but that's just me.
With that drive train, in that camper, towing a car will really be working it hard. I can hardly believe Ford put a C4 in that truck. :confused:
 
#4 ·
eloc431962 said:
Sometimes it will work and then sometimes it don't IMHO. You will just have to remove it and test drive it for a bit to know for sure JMO But you better have some tools and coolant/water for the road trip just in case. I would leave it in if it was me but that's just me but i have ran them both way's. :thumbup:



Cole
Oh so grateful for your words I have been to another "forum" where all the knowledged folks got snobby and impatient with me: "of course it wont work"! You are quite agreeing with me that at least: "I'm thinking" I dont want to do anything foolish like just GO, I'm researching and studying. theorising: since I can give the dodge shadow a little heave and its rolling the camper has to be able to pull it on straight road with out feeling it it is mountains and hills are what concern me.....I got to learn what IMHO means what is JMO? for now again REAL grateful!
 
#6 ·
mike 96 ws6 said:
I'd leave the thermostat in as long as it's working correctly, but that's just me.
With that drive train, in that camper, towing a car will really be working it hard. I can hardly believe Ford put a C4 in that truck. :confused:[/QUOTE
INTERESTING here what do you know about the c-4 trans??? it could be a c-6 another mechanic advised me to look at the houseing of the trans one type houseing will be c4 another type of housien will be c6.
Well you counsel to leave the thermostat in: what a catch: if I remove the thermostat to keep the engine cool/cold then I'm not develpong the full horse power I'll suck gas worse??? If I leave the thermostat IN I can cause overheating and at least delay our trip! OR I can r emove the thermostat and get really lucky wa HA HA HA HA HA!!!! Grateful to ya for your patience and time!!
 
#7 ·
eloc431962 said:
IMHO = in my honest opinion and JMO = just my opinion. :D :thumbup:




Cole
ahhhhhhhhhhh there ya go! THANKS I sure am terrable with those "letter things" there is a name for that techique.......yeah "name": with my luck "lettering in English"! I did get advised to replace the radiator with a LARGER radiator and a trans cooler and keep the thermostat, but thats still acumulating heat. Gee an engineering issue!
 
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