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04-06-2003, 03:42 PM | #1 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 13190
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: 294whp
Vehicle:02 Vishnu Stage 2 |
Any side effects from running a colder thermostat?
I was thinking of buying the zerosports thermostat to install in my car. Is there any side effect to this? I have a FMIC and was worried about the airflow to the radiator now. It doesnt run hot now, but summer's around the corner and it's going to get hot! I might even upgrade the radiator too. Will the car run too cold, and not be effecient? Thanks in advance for your knowledge!
john
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04-06-2003, 03:53 PM | #2 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 25905
Join Date: Oct 2002
Chapter/Region:
SCIC
Location: San Diego, CA
Vehicle:2003 Silver Wagon Tuned with Enginuity |
Generally, lower temp thermostats are a bad idea. If you need more cooling, get a bigger/more efficient radiator.
The problem with cooler thermostats is that the ECU may never think that the engine is fully warmed up and always run rich. Hot engines are also generally more efficient (power and fuel economy) than a cooler engine. |
04-06-2003, 05:30 PM | #3 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 32177
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Oklahoma
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Unless you are producing WAY more power than stock, it isn't necessary and you won't see any benefit from it. Some people have had problems with low temp thermostats and ring seating, even at 15,000-20,000 miles.
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04-06-2003, 05:34 PM | #4 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 27787
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Mansfield, Texas, USA
Vehicle:'02 WRX Sedan Black |
I use 180* thermostats in most of my rides in lieu of the factory 195*'s. I haven't lost any performance or fuel economy with those. Besides just a bit cooler allows for a tad more timing.
160* is way too low, as your car will stay in open-loop (I think) where the computer believes the motor is still cold and dumps in more fuel to warm it up. If you do one, a 180* is plenty low. |
04-06-2003, 05:40 PM | #5 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 13379
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Los Angeles
Vehicle:2002 WRX I am Oz |
I believe the ECU considers the engine warmed up at 70 degrees C. The Zerosports thermostat doesn't open until 71C (160F), so there won't be a problem with the ECU. The stock thermostat opens at 78C (172 degrees F). The problems people have had with with colder thermostats are probably with the ones that open at a lower temp than this.
Necessary? no. Useful? hard to say for sure, but the engine will spend less time operating at 80+ degrees with it. |
04-06-2003, 05:52 PM | #6 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 27787
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Mansfield, Texas, USA
Vehicle:'02 WRX Sedan Black |
I didn't know the stock WRX thermo was 172*F. That is way lower than any other vehicle I currently own, I would assume do to the increased heat created from the boost...?
I have seen many "hot-air" supercharged trucks that require a 160* thermo to resist detonation, so unless you have a significantly modified vehicle that is specifically tuned for a lower temp thermo, just skip it and save your cash for something else. |
04-06-2003, 06:15 PM | #7 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 12455
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: CA
Vehicle:02 WRX |
I monitored the engine coolant temp with the ODBII scanner. On the high way with normal cruising, the temp is around 176ºF. If I run the engine hard, the temp will goes to 186ºF. But if the car is idle in the traffic, the temp will be 204ºF. The problem is the engine fan will not comes on untill over 200ºF. On my other car, I installed a lower temp stat and modify the temp sensor with a resistor to full the ECU thinking that the engine already reached full temp and make the fan comes on sooner.
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04-07-2003, 02:08 PM | #8 | |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 25905
Join Date: Oct 2002
Chapter/Region:
SCIC
Location: San Diego, CA
Vehicle:2003 Silver Wagon Tuned with Enginuity |
Quote:
At what temp does the engine fan kick off after having been on? |
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04-07-2003, 06:29 PM | #9 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 13190
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: 294whp
Vehicle:02 Vishnu Stage 2 |
so basically, what i gather from all this info is that the thermostat is not a good idea, having to do with engine warm up and open/closed loop operation. And if i need the extra cooling, to go with an aftermarket radiator, such as the PWR or Fluidyne.
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