Do you?
Ill be getting mine back sometimes reasonably soon, and even though its such a small thing, ive been told it is important, in getting oil up to temp and so on, reducing engine wear.

But, when i was at the mini shows and having massive overheating trouble, so many of the old blokes with their immaculate minis, probably had them since brand new, told me to just throw the thermostat away, ya dont need one, they dont ever use one.

I asked if i needed a thermostat on another forum (about other cars) and got 'bagged out', as it is, basically for being a shithead, cause i told them i was going to throw it away.

So do you? Do I?
If so are they all the same, or what is a better one

_________________
Sir Namibian CAMEL of MONGOLIA !!!
Vrilen Snyson Racing: Finding us all a Vrilen
Asparagus: Experience the versatility

I always use one, except for my Mini K years ago that had a sus cooling system.... since then I've never needed not to - I bet they used thermostats on the bathurst race cars in the 60's

if you don't use one, you need a big washer siliconed in place with a 5cm ish hole to slow down the flow of water, otherwise the water just goes too fast to take any heat out of the motor, or to cool in the radiator - they actually sell a special blanking plate for the job

If everything is perfect in the engine & surrounding systems, then an engine should run quite cold without a thermostat

not good at all,,,& much engine wear occurs & also the state of tune would be yuk & require much more fuel to be added into the air stream for it to run fair,,,not the way to do things really

Heaps of race guys do use restrictor plates, but the original intention here was to help lessen any chances of failure, as "IF" a thermostat stuck open or shut during a race, then the car would obviously not work that well , yeah??? easy to understand hey?

so with a blanking plate, with a certain hole size to suit the engines cooling needs on full noise at race meetings, then no dramas with stuck thermostats, simple

Blanking plates are not recomended for road cars tho, the thermostat is a cooling regulator, so as to help keep the engine running at a certain temp througout a whole range of differing circumstances, & not just at full noise at a race meeting, it needs to creat a consistant temp through road idling, cruising & fast hi-way use as well

if you have overheating issues, then find the problem/cause & don`t just try to cover up the symptom by throwing the thermostat away,,,that is of course as long as the thermostat is not the cause

hope that helps explain things & gives good background to the original intention for the blanking plate idea

_________________
No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

You're in Tasmania for Fs sake - you will need a thermostat.

Just test it first (even a new one) by putting it in a pot on the stove & bringing it to boil.

_________________
Too many cars, and too little time.

Yes

74 degree Thermostat

_________________
Stop Licking the Dog...I Don't Care Who Started It

For Tassie I would go an 82C, even an 88C maybe. U might like the heater to actually heat...

_________________
DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

i always have, and always will use a thermostat.

my 2c

The first clubby I had ran no thermostat. When i took the engine and radiator out i was surprised to find it didnt have one in there. There was no issues with it over heating, but i put a new one in there and it still ran cool after wards (get the radiator cleaned out or in your case a new one). Second clubby was much the same and got one put in and still no problems. Go the thermostat mate.

On a stinking hot day the thermostat in a Mini is near wide open anyway, regardless of its temp rating..
Worth having for 2 reasons alone:
1. Warms up motor MUCH faster to minimise wear,
2. Makes water hot enough to run a heater....

_________________
DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

I would always run a thermostat in ANY car.

Esp in Tasmania!

If you are overheating in Tasmania then you've got more problems that cannot be simply solved by removing the thermostat...

_________________
Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

It was just strange when the experienced mini blokes, i suppose like the Dr's of Tassie, they told me to just chuck it away cause they dont even use one.

I dont actually have a running mini yet, still being put together (7 weeks its been off the road now), i just want to make sure i tell my mechanincs the right info
Thankyou people

_________________
Sir Namibian CAMEL of MONGOLIA !!!
Vrilen Snyson Racing: Finding us all a Vrilen
Asparagus: Experience the versatility

In Tasmania during winter, YES.

Where abouts does everybodys needle point on the gauge at normal opertating tenp?
On my clubby its on 1/4
On the K its on 3/4

Head Gasket / radiator, hoses on the K ?