I just installed a set of gauges to check, oil, water and volts in my 1956 Ford Fairlane 292 ci. engine. Can someone tell me what the normal operating temperature is for this engine? My gauge show it is about 160 degrees after warming up and driving around for a while. Kind of seems a little low and I don't know if this is normal or my gauge is defective. Thanks

What thermostat is in it? If it's a 160° then it's going to be 160°

Durham Missouri

A little more correctly your engines thermostat is fully open at 160 degrees if it is rated at 160 degrees. Your engine would not be cooler than that, but it could be warmer.

If your gauge is constantly (give or take a little bit) reading 160 after warm up at this time of year in Kansas then it probably is a 160 and you're fine. That is to say there is nothing wrong. Your gauge would likely read higher in the heat of summer. 

Personally I would run a 180 degree thermostat minimum. My understanding is that 160 degrees is the lower limit for the oil to be working correctly, and to drive off moisture, etc.

I live in Florida and run 180s in all my old stuff. Never a problem.

If the sender is in the stock location and the gauge is accurate, then the indicated temperature will be about 15 degrees cooler than it is at the thermostat.  This is because the coolant still has to pass over 3 combustion chambers and absorb more heat.

Get an infrared thermometer to check the temperature at various points on the engine.  It should be coolest at the water pump inlet, and get progressively warmer from the front of the block to the back of the block and then from the back of the head to the front of the head and finally in the intake where it should be at least the thermostat's rated temperature.


Lawrenceville, GA

Forgot I switched my y-blocks to read at the thermostat.

The stock location is better than nothing, about the best that can be said for it.

Thank you for the replies. Everything is correct on the gauge and when it gets to about 160 it stays there. Being in the last part of winter here in Kansas or the beginning of spring for the rest of the United States I figure it will run a little warmer in the summer. Thanks again for all the info.