The manual calls for thermostat setting of 83 C for Mk 2 and Mk 3's.
I have used both 160F and 180F thermostat, currently a 180F, for
precisely what Bob Spidell commented on yesterday. My experience
and observation over the last three years: less contaminants
in the sump, better gasoline mileage. In the 30-40C weather here in the summer
the temperature gauge reads 180-183. Mind you I have a Texas Kooler
which works exceedingly well, and it has begin installed for the last
six years.
Regards
Ed
AHCUSA Historian
Saskatoon
BN1, BJ8, Morgan 4/4
BJ8Healeys wrote:
> Hi, Alan -
>
> Although I have never had the pleasure of driving my BJ8 in China like you,
> Ann and Peter Hunt, and the owner of HBJ8L/31818, it's hard to believe that
> Hong Kong could be any hotter or more humid in the summer than the coast of
> North Carolina, so I checked on that.
>
> http://www3.oag.com/Cities/Guide?city=86&cat=8&guideID=8 says the average
> summer temperature in Hong Kong is 83 F.
> http://weather.msn.com/local.aspx?&wealocations=wc%3AUSNC0302&setunit=F
> gives Havelock's average summer temp as 87 F.
>
> My experience here on the steamy Crystal Coast has been that the 160
> thermostat did nothing for cooling in summer, since ambient temps and engine
> heat load easily put the coolant temperature above 160, out of the control
> range of the thermostat; but it did prevent the engine from warming up to
> 190 when ambient temps were cool (night, early morning, or winter: Hong
> Kong 62, Havelock 57). Compare this to a 195, which would remain partially
> closed up to about normal engine operating temperature in the winter. Above
> 195 (easily achievable in summer), both the 160 and the 195 are fully open
> and neither one controls the coolant temperature, which then is determined
> by rate of coolant flow, rate of air flow through the radiator, engine heat
> load, and the differential temperature between the ambient air and the
> coolant.
>
> However, I am always willing to learn more and would like to consider your
> explanation for why a 160 thermostat cools the engine better in hot weather
> than a 195.
>
> Cheers!
> Steve Byers
> HBJ8L/36666
> BJ8 Registry
> Havelock, NC USA
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