Edelbrock Intake Issue
I only use Robertshaw-made, all-brass NOS Mopar thermostats now. They can still be found less expensively than the Stewart/EMP version, but either way is preferable to nickel-plated Mr. Gasket unit. Though the Mr. Gasket and Stewart parts are advertised as "high flow", they really flow at the rate around which Chrysler originally designed their cooling systems. Every Mopar V8 built through at least '79 had a "high flow" thermostat installed at the factory. The cheaper style of 'stat everyone sells now doesn't flow enough. Chrysler felt it was important enough to use this decal on motorhome air cleaners, with part numbers and a diagram showing what the thermostat should look like:
The verbiage is important: WILL cause overheating, not MAY.
They're not all faulty, but with a high failure rate, why take the chance? The last time I tried one was in 2004, and it never opened. The car tried to overheat sitting in the driveway on first start with the new intake (also a 2176, on an '84 Fifth Avenue). I put the original thermostat back in it and never had a problem.
I only use Robertshaw-made, all-brass NOS Mopar thermostats now. They can still be found less expensively than the Stewart/EMP version, but either way is preferable to nickel-plated Mr. Gasket unit. Though the Mr. Gasket and Stewart parts are advertised as "high flow", they really flow at the rate around which Chrysler originally designed their cooling systems. Every Mopar V8 built through at least '79 had a "high flow" thermostat installed at the factory. The cheaper style of 'stat everyone sells now doesn't flow enough. Chrysler felt it was important enough to use this decal on motorhome air cleaners, with part numbers and a diagram showing what the thermostat should look like:
The verbiage is important: WILL cause overheating, not MAY.