Motor Running To Cold????
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 313
Likes: 0
From: Fairfield PA
Motor Running To Cold????
I have an 80 Vette with a new 385hp crate motor I installed. This weekend I will put a timing gun on and get it tuned in. Right now I got it pretty close that it is running pretty strong and burning pretty clean. During the short drives (3 too 4 miles) to get the bugs worked out it runs a temp around 165 - 170. During ideal the temp is around 175 - 180. I have a 165 thermostat installed. I few motor head friends say it is running to cold to burn sufficiently for peak performance, that it should be around 180 - 185 during driving and 190 - 195 at ideal. I have new gauges and sending units so I know the temp is accurate.
Is it running to cold to get the peak power/performance out of the engine?
Is it running to cold to get the peak power/performance out of the engine?
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,711
Likes: 43
From: San Antonio TX
It really depends on the engine and you can't apply a one size fits all to the question. But generally, your friends are correct. Hydrocarbons like to hide in the cooler parts of the combustion chamber, like the cylinder wall. The hotter the walls are, the less likely they'll hide and the more likely they'll homoginize with the mixture and burn and contribute to combustion.
But if the coolant is too hot you can have issues with detonation and pre-ignition. The ideal would be the hottest coolant temperature you can run short of pinging. Where that works out to be for your engine is what you have to discover through tuning. Just step up the thermostat in five degree incriments until you find that point.
Also, make sure your cooling system is up to snuff. The thermostat only maintain the lowest temperature your engine can operate at. The radiator (and other cooling parts) determine the maximum temp your engine can operatate. If you have sufficient capacity (or over-capacity), the engine will never operate more than slightly above thermostat opening point.
But if the coolant is too hot you can have issues with detonation and pre-ignition. The ideal would be the hottest coolant temperature you can run short of pinging. Where that works out to be for your engine is what you have to discover through tuning. Just step up the thermostat in five degree incriments until you find that point.
Also, make sure your cooling system is up to snuff. The thermostat only maintain the lowest temperature your engine can operate at. The radiator (and other cooling parts) determine the maximum temp your engine can operatate. If you have sufficient capacity (or over-capacity), the engine will never operate more than slightly above thermostat opening point.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 313
Likes: 0
From: Fairfield PA
It really depends on the engine and you can't apply a one size fits all to the question. But generally, your friends are correct. Hydrocarbons like to hide in the cooler parts of the combustion chamber, like the cylinder wall. The hotter the walls are, the less likely they'll hide and the more likely they'll homoginize with the mixture and burn and contribute to combustion.
But if the coolant is too hot you can have issues with detonation and pre-ignition. The ideal would be the hottest coolant temperature you can run short of pinging. Where that works out to be for your engine is what you have to discover through tuning. Just step up the thermostat in five degree incriments until you find that point.
Also, make sure your cooling system is up to snuff. The thermostat only maintain the lowest temperature your engine can operate at. The radiator (and other cooling parts) determine the maximum temp your engine can operatate. If you have sufficient capacity (or over-capacity), the engine will never operate more than slightly above thermostat opening point.
But if the coolant is too hot you can have issues with detonation and pre-ignition. The ideal would be the hottest coolant temperature you can run short of pinging. Where that works out to be for your engine is what you have to discover through tuning. Just step up the thermostat in five degree incriments until you find that point.
Also, make sure your cooling system is up to snuff. The thermostat only maintain the lowest temperature your engine can operate at. The radiator (and other cooling parts) determine the maximum temp your engine can operatate. If you have sufficient capacity (or over-capacity), the engine will never operate more than slightly above thermostat opening point.
Thanks
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 2,897
Likes: 0
From: Moon Township PA
It has always been my understanding that the tempertures that you see advertised on thermostats is the temp at which they START to open, not a temp that they are going to maintain. I would suggest that you might be happier with a 180 degree thermostat since it will open at 180 and should maintain the 185-195 range.
Gary
Gary
