thermostat
August 5th, 2007, 10:54 AM
#2
Seasoned beater pilot.
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Chicago
Posts: 5,468
The thermostat's job is to block the flow of coolant to the radiator until the engine has warmed up. When the engine is cold, no coolant flows through the engine. Once the engine reaches its operating temperature (generally about 200 degrees F, 95 degrees C), the thermostat opens. By letting the engine warm up as quickly as possible, the thermostat reduces engine wear, deposits and emissions.
If you ever have the chance to test one, you can put one in a pot of boiling water on the stove. As it heats up, its valve opens about an inch
The secret of the thermostat lies in the small cylinder located on the engine-side of the device. This cylinder is filled with a wax that begins to melt at perhaps 180 degrees F (different thermostats open at different temperatures, but 180 F/82 C is a common temperature). A rod connected to the valve presses into this wax. When the wax melts, it expands significantly and pushes the rod out of the cylinder, opening the valve.
I would not run without one. The Engine (inside cylinders, valvetrain etc) will run hotter because the coolant isn’t around long enough to absorb the heat from the engine.
Also ideal Air/Fuel ratio is 14.7 and until the engine warms up, excessive fuel is pumped in this will result in excess carbon buildup in the cylinders, and hotter cylinders etc - Rebuild eventually.
I was told that race cars and others use restrictor plates in place of the thermostat, this will slow down the coolant flow enough to remove the heat.
For example stationary or slow moving air will not cool faster than fast moving air.
Simple fact, as coolant moves through the engine it gets hot. The slower it moves, the hotter it gets, as it gets hotter it removes less heat from the engine, until it gets to the point it and the engine are the same temp, and it no longer removes heat from it.
the faster the coolant moves, the more heat it removes from a given point within the engine.
Take a big piece of metal, get it really hot, then slowly dribble water over it until its cool. Then do the same thing but then spray it with a hose until it's cool. Hose= cool faster. Also the coolant may not sit in the radiator long enough to be cooled by the wind.
It's definitely worth the 5 bucks you spend on it, even though you CAN run without it.
If you ever have the chance to test one, you can put one in a pot of boiling water on the stove. As it heats up, its valve opens about an inch
The secret of the thermostat lies in the small cylinder located on the engine-side of the device. This cylinder is filled with a wax that begins to melt at perhaps 180 degrees F (different thermostats open at different temperatures, but 180 F/82 C is a common temperature). A rod connected to the valve presses into this wax. When the wax melts, it expands significantly and pushes the rod out of the cylinder, opening the valve.
I would not run without one. The Engine (inside cylinders, valvetrain etc) will run hotter because the coolant isn’t around long enough to absorb the heat from the engine.
Also ideal Air/Fuel ratio is 14.7 and until the engine warms up, excessive fuel is pumped in this will result in excess carbon buildup in the cylinders, and hotter cylinders etc - Rebuild eventually.
I was told that race cars and others use restrictor plates in place of the thermostat, this will slow down the coolant flow enough to remove the heat.
For example stationary or slow moving air will not cool faster than fast moving air.
Simple fact, as coolant moves through the engine it gets hot. The slower it moves, the hotter it gets, as it gets hotter it removes less heat from the engine, until it gets to the point it and the engine are the same temp, and it no longer removes heat from it.
the faster the coolant moves, the more heat it removes from a given point within the engine.
Take a big piece of metal, get it really hot, then slowly dribble water over it until its cool. Then do the same thing but then spray it with a hose until it's cool. Hose= cool faster. Also the coolant may not sit in the radiator long enough to be cooled by the wind.
It's definitely worth the 5 bucks you spend on it, even though you CAN run without it.
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