> From: lupienj@wal.hp.com (John Lupien)
> Date: Fri, 16 Oct 92 10:46:14 EDT
> To: sabbott@NMSU.Edu, british-cars@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: Thermostat
>
> > Dennis Wilson was staying with me a few weeks ago and
> > he said his spitfire racing book recommends leaving the
> > thermostat on but welding it open. The car is supposed to
> > run cooler because it stays in the radiator longer.
> > I am ever concerned about the TR7 running hot(although the seasons
> > are changing it is still pretty hot here in Las Cruces). Do you
> > all agree with this??
>
[Comments (with which I agree) about running within the temperature
range the tolerances in the engine were designed to delete]
Another reason for the thermostat is to minimize the temperature
gradient in the engine. If the front of the engine is substantially
cooler than the back then uneven wear occurs.
Under racing condition the engine is operating within a limited
range- flat out all the time. Running with an open thermostat
under these conditions may make sense since the cooling system is
probably being pushed to the limit but I would put in a working
thermostat for ordinary street driving.
>
> To summarize, normal running should occur at rated operating temperature.
> Screwing around with the thermostat will NOT improve your cooling. If you
> overheat, get a better radiator.
>
>
Sometimes even this doesn't help. It may be necessary to thoroughly
clean all of the crud out of internal water passages within the engine
itself. Unfortunately this may require disassembling the engine.
If a new or thicker core radiator doesn't do the trick, an oil cooler
might be the next best step.
|