Minimum Operating Temperature
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Aug 5, 2020, 08:13 AM
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2012
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From: Western Massachusetts
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You should drive off at a normal pace just as soon as engine starts and idle is stable so that it is unlikely to stall. Best not to put a hard load on it until it comes to temp, a few minutes on the road at speed. Thats it. Dont overthink it. The engines are tough. Idling with the choke on in belief this is happiness for the engine is wrong. They don't like slow warmups with rich mixtures. Start it and drive normally.
Dan
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,206
Likes: 4,191
From: Kannapolis NC
They'll operate below zero, but after the thermostat opens the minimum would be the thermostat rating. I never run below 180 degree thermostats because once any lower rated thermo opens you'll get the cooling efficiency of the system no matter if it's a 160 or 180. If you're car normally runs at 195, it will still do that with either thermostat. The 160 would open a little sooner and under the right circumstances with outside temp and cooling efficiency could make it run cooler for a short time than the 180.
If your car normally runs at 170, a 180 would raise that, but 160 is too cool for long term operation in my opinion. There are plenty of guys on here that will tell you how much greater their car runs and cools with a 160 thermo, so take your pick.
If your car normally runs at 170, a 180 would raise that, but 160 is too cool for long term operation in my opinion. There are plenty of guys on here that will tell you how much greater their car runs and cools with a 160 thermo, so take your pick.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 5,375
Likes: 2,887
From: Western Massachusetts
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C2 of Year Finalist (stock)
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They'll operate below zero, but after the thermostat opens the minimum would be the thermostat rating. I never run below 180 degree thermostats because once any lower rated thermo opens you'll get the cooling efficiency of the system no matter if it's a 160 or 180. If you're car normally runs at 195, it will still do that with either thermostat. The 160 would open a little sooner and under the right circumstances with outside temp and cooling efficiency could make it run cooler for a short time than the 180.
If your car normally runs at 170, a 180 would raise that, but 160 is too cool for long term operation in my opinion. There are plenty of guys on here that will tell you how much greater their car runs and cools with a 160 thermo, so take your pick.
If your car normally runs at 170, a 180 would raise that, but 160 is too cool for long term operation in my opinion. There are plenty of guys on here that will tell you how much greater their car runs and cools with a 160 thermo, so take your pick.
Dan
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 17,571
Likes: 3,461
From: Fresno California
What Dan says is 100% correct as it applies to our older pre-smog era cars. Many (falsely) believe that running at 150 or 160 is optimal....it is not. Engines are more efficient at higher temps and need to burn the condensation out of their internals. I've torn down lots of old engines that ran really cool that ran non-pressurized cooling systems, and the gunk and sludge was truly impressive. The newer engines run at 220-240 degrees for 300,000 miles without a hiccup. I get a kick out of guys who post on every forum who think their car is overheating because it is running 200-210 on a 100 degree day. No worries.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 5,375
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From: Western Massachusetts
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You should drive off at a normal pace just as soon as engine starts and idle is stable so that it is unlikely to stall. Best not to put a hard load on it until it comes to temp, a few minutes on the road at speed. Thats it. Dont overthink it. The engines are tough. Idling with the choke on in belief this is happiness for the engine is wrong. They don't like slow warmups with rich mixtures. Start it and drive normally.
Dan
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 5,375
Likes: 2,887
From: Western Massachusetts
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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From: Greenville, Indiana
They were designed to run around 180-185 and that's where they should run in my opinion.
Doesn't matter what new cars/engines do. That's irrelevant.