Re: Engine Temp?

Posted by BH On 2009/8/28 8:27:38

Engines DO normally run hotter than the engine coolant thermostat rating.

IMHO, the coolant thermostat is more of a floor than a ceiling. That is, this thermostat is intended to get the engine up to the designed operating temperature as quickly as possible. Cold engines waste fuel.

The thermostat opens fully at its specified threshold, but it cannot regulate how hot the coolant gets. A lower rated thermostat, in good working order, will NOT lower the ultimate operating temperature. How hot the coolant gets is a function of how much heat the engine generates vs. cooling system capacity to remove it.

A sticking thermostat, however, can cause overheating.