No thermostat = Problem?
02-16-2005, 04:47 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 5,744
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The thermostat allows your coolant to cool off as it keeps it from flowing out of the radiator, when your car reaches a ceratin temperature, it opens up allowing the coolant to flow out. If you don't have a thermostat, the coolant flows constantly and will actually cause your car to run at a higher temperature.
02-16-2005, 05:16 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SOUTH Jersey
Posts: 9,041
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
you were good until the end, Cyber...
Without a thermostat, you car will run too cool. Most cars have a reserve of cooling built into their radiators.. meaning they can cool far more than just the usual heat your engine puts out. This is done to take into consideration racing across the mojave desert at 120 in the middle of summer at high noon with the air on...
In more normal usage, your car does not need that extra reserve, so the thermostat will actually limit the amount of coolant that flows through your engine, keeping it running at the most efficent tempeture. Without it, your engine will be sucking all the water from the radiator at a faster rate and it will actually make the car run cool.
Running cool is detrimental to the engine as it makes the car work harder for the power it can make. It limits combustion chamber tempetures so you loose efficency, and it allows combustion contaiminants to lay in the oil rather than get burned off. It is not as bad as running too hot, but it is not good either.
Plus in the winter, it runs even colder.. I would put a thermostat in.
Without a thermostat, you car will run too cool. Most cars have a reserve of cooling built into their radiators.. meaning they can cool far more than just the usual heat your engine puts out. This is done to take into consideration racing across the mojave desert at 120 in the middle of summer at high noon with the air on...
In more normal usage, your car does not need that extra reserve, so the thermostat will actually limit the amount of coolant that flows through your engine, keeping it running at the most efficent tempeture. Without it, your engine will be sucking all the water from the radiator at a faster rate and it will actually make the car run cool.
Running cool is detrimental to the engine as it makes the car work harder for the power it can make. It limits combustion chamber tempetures so you loose efficency, and it allows combustion contaiminants to lay in the oil rather than get burned off. It is not as bad as running too hot, but it is not good either.
Plus in the winter, it runs even colder.. I would put a thermostat in.
02-16-2005, 05:23 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: fairfax, virginia
Posts: 276
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
the antifreeze is also what makes the heat in the winter for your car. if you have no theromostat. im sure you have very little heat or none at all in the winter. which must suck
02-16-2005, 05:39 PM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,394
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
please dont yell if im wrong but if the engine is overheating isnt it good to turn on the heat in the car? like what i mean is if its goin realy high turning on the heat to full will actualy cool it down? working as a heat sink?
02-16-2005, 06:29 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 367
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This is an area unknow to me.
The radiator cap opens and closes in order to maitain a certain pressure that is generates as the collant heats up. Doesn't that regulate the temperature at the same time or is just to release pressure?
My oem rad cap is 0.9kg/cm, after market are 1.1-1.3kg/cm. So getting an after market rad cap will actually raise temp?
Can someone explain the role of the thermostat and rad cap? It's blurry to me.
The radiator cap opens and closes in order to maitain a certain pressure that is generates as the collant heats up. Doesn't that regulate the temperature at the same time or is just to release pressure?
My oem rad cap is 0.9kg/cm, after market are 1.1-1.3kg/cm. So getting an after market rad cap will actually raise temp?
Can someone explain the role of the thermostat and rad cap? It's blurry to me.
02-16-2005, 07:12 PM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,061
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Vehicle: 2001 Hyundai Tiburon
Rad Cap:
Pressurizing the coolant in the radiator creates a higher boiling point. If this was not the case, when you reach 212 degrees, your coolant would be boiling. Boiling creates air bubbles which causes expansion (and blowoff). The higher pressure that the cap is, the higher the boiling point and it creates a higher blowoff temperature.
Higher rated caps are usually used in race cars and are not necessary for every day vechiles, for they usually say around 180 degrees (thermostat open temp).
Thermostat:
The purpose of the thermostat is to allow your engine to reach optimum operating temperature before coolant is circulated through the engine. This provides a faster warm up time. Also, the thermostat is used to keep the engine at that temperature, by opening up when the engine reaches a certian temperature (usually 180), thus removing some of the heat until the thermostat closes. It continues this cycle as long as the car is running / producing heat.
Pressurizing the coolant in the radiator creates a higher boiling point. If this was not the case, when you reach 212 degrees, your coolant would be boiling. Boiling creates air bubbles which causes expansion (and blowoff). The higher pressure that the cap is, the higher the boiling point and it creates a higher blowoff temperature.
Higher rated caps are usually used in race cars and are not necessary for every day vechiles, for they usually say around 180 degrees (thermostat open temp).
Thermostat:
The purpose of the thermostat is to allow your engine to reach optimum operating temperature before coolant is circulated through the engine. This provides a faster warm up time. Also, the thermostat is used to keep the engine at that temperature, by opening up when the engine reaches a certian temperature (usually 180), thus removing some of the heat until the thermostat closes. It continues this cycle as long as the car is running / producing heat.
02-16-2005, 08:13 PM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Riverton, WY
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
^^ Well said. Basically, having no thermostat isn't going to destroy your car, however you're not helping it out.
In cold weather, the thermostat keeps coolant from circulating thus warming your engine faster. If you had no thermostat, the circulating coolant would steal heat from the engine, requiring a longer warm up time. I doubt most of you warm up your car everyday, even in cold weather, although you should. With no thermostat you're more likely to drive your car when it's not at it's peak operating temperature, which shortens the life of your engine.
I recommend using a thermostat, I especially recommend getting one that sticks open when it dies, versus a standard one which stays closed when it craps out. No thermostat is bad, but one stuck closed is worse.
In cold weather, the thermostat keeps coolant from circulating thus warming your engine faster. If you had no thermostat, the circulating coolant would steal heat from the engine, requiring a longer warm up time. I doubt most of you warm up your car everyday, even in cold weather, although you should. With no thermostat you're more likely to drive your car when it's not at it's peak operating temperature, which shortens the life of your engine.
I recommend using a thermostat, I especially recommend getting one that sticks open when it dies, versus a standard one which stays closed when it craps out. No thermostat is bad, but one stuck closed is worse.
02-16-2005, 08:27 PM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SOUTH Jersey
Posts: 9,041
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
that is how I learned about no thermostats... My spider has an external unit similar to a 3 series BMW.. it is a compleat unit at a three way junction between the head, the water pump, and the radator. A cool design because it allows coolant to constantly circulate. wether into the radiator or back into the head according to temp needs...
however, when it dies, it sticks in such a way that the coolant will ONLY flow through the head. The trick is to turn it around so it will force the coolant throught he radiator... unfortunatly your car never heats up when you do that.
however, when it dies, it sticks in such a way that the coolant will ONLY flow through the head. The trick is to turn it around so it will force the coolant throught he radiator... unfortunatly your car never heats up when you do that.