Quote:
Originally Posted by P@blo
If a thermostat is rated to start opening at 180*, are we suggesting that the cooling maintain that temperature even when the valve is not fully open? I'll put my helmet on for this one as this makes no sense. It seems nornal to have the operating temperatures 15-20* above the thermostat rated opening point.
Some guys have probably over engineered their cooling system and can maintain coolant temperatures when the thermostat valve is only partially open and is what I think is actually going on here. And maybe to a lessor degree, guys with more modest cooling systems but with cooler air temperatures (less demand on system) see the same situation occuring. Seems to be a bit of stretch to say a cooling system has "lost control" not maintaining the thermostat rated starting opening temperature but never overheats the engine. My cars run 180* thermostats and typically run 195-200* no matter what I throw at them, driving style wise, and see almost zero ROI chasing something like this down.
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Here is my experience with 160* thermostat in both vehicles. The 160* thermostat starts to open at 160* and it only takes a less than say 15 sec to be fully open. Having said that the cooling system in both cars maintains the 160 degrees give or take a few degrees. If the coolant system is design/ working properly there is no 15/20* swing in temperature. As the coolant temperature increases or decreases that is when the thermostat modulates to accommodate the coolant system.
I can run my car with the 160 * thermostat in any outside temperture and it never goes above 160*.
The Firebird with the IA2 at 789 hp is a different animal, only runs at the track.On the street in really hot, 85-90* F weather it cannot get enough air through the radiator when driving slow with the electric water pump and dual fans. At the track if only hits around 170-175* in same hot temperature outside. So it has a 160* thermostat and the system cannot keep up when the vehicle is driven slowly in very hot weather. At the track with heat it up to 160* and do the 1/4 mile run with it reaching 170-175* when back at our pit.
Morel of all this, if you have a 160,165,180,190 degree Stat the coolant system should maintain that temperature.