Hey guys,

I am after an idea on what you think is a good average range for a car to run at temperature wise. I have done a search but can't seem to find anything.

I think I might have sorted my over heating problems out. It doesn't boil over anymore or pump out fluids but it seems to sit at about 90 or 100 once warmed up. Is this normal or should it be running cooler? I know its a dumb question but I must be dumb as I don't know the answer.

cheers
David

That doesn't sound too bad. Mine sits at about 80 I think.

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Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
[email protected]
www.minisinthegong.com.au

What temp thermostat you running?

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http://www.youtube.com/user/Hanras

Your thermostat is supposed to set the running temperature of your engine. If your radiator is flushed and cleaned out (about 80 dollars) and the engine block is flushed and cleaned out (either chemically or by changing the water regularly for a few weeks in mild cases) then the engine will operate around the temperature of the thermostat. You can get thermostats in many different temperature settings from 70 degrees C through to the mid 90s.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

For street use, 82 deg thermostat is pretty good IMO.

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I do plenty of short trips at the moment, so I'm running an 88º (I think, might even be a 92º) thermostat so that the oil has chance to get hot and burn off the impurities. As mentioned, if your cooling system is in good shape this is fine - mine doesn't get anywhere near overheating, even in HOT stop/start Melbourne traffic.

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Simon

The adventures of an owner builder in the Tallarook Ranges

heres a question, what are the pitfalls in running no thermostat? or is that taking too big of a risk?

Hey Guys,

I have the 82 degree thermostat in at the moment. might drop to a 79 to see what difference it makes.

I have replaced the hoses, thermostat, water pump, had the rad de soldered and cleaned and ran a rad cleaner through the block.

I think the heater was causing my over heating issues as I have removed this from the equation and it seems to be working ok now. either I had an airlock of some sort in here or it was blocked up... not sure.

At what temp do you pull over in a mini? I read 110, is that to much?

Sorry, I am a bity cautious and don't want to break anything.
David

With all that work, it might be worth spending a half hour to test the accuracy of your gauge. Boil some water and with the sender wired into the gauge drop it into the water as close to boiling point as you can get it and compare against a thermometer, or the boiling point of the water to get a result.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

hi Mick,

Sorry I should have mentioned that. Tested the gauge as well. Gauge is fine. Replaced the sensor though as that was out by about 20 degree's. Used a pot of boiling water and a laser thermometer that my girlfriends dad has. cool piece of kit.

The engine will run too cold without a thermostat -- the radiator will be cooling at Max Power, since the thermostat's job is to close off flow to the radiator when the coolant temperature drops below a set point.

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Simon

The adventures of an owner builder in the Tallarook Ranges

Then with hall that work done, it should be running cool as a cucumber.

If you have a 90+ degree thermostat, then it is not unusual to run that high. If the thermostat is lower then that, then the radiator isn't keeping up. With everything else ruled out it might be time to check the timing and mixtures.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

If you mean just simply remove the thermostat, then there is actually a risk of overheating the engine without even getting the coolant hot usually under fast running conditions or as sgc points out (at slow running) the risk of the engine not warming up. The opening in the thermosatat is a restrictor plate. So if you were to remove it (say it siezed close), you would cut the thermostat out of the plate and refit just the plate, or you can get blanking sleaves, however the 'modified' thermostat works better.

Very bad idea infact. What is more important that the actual specific running temperature is stability of temperature. I used to even run a thermostat in the race car.

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thanks for the input guys.

I have driven it to work today and it got to about95 - 98 at its hottest.
I am running a thermo fan and ( as advised by Ian49) will set this a little lower as it was coming on a bit late. hopefully that will help it drop a bit lower in temp.

My local mechanic near work is away so i popped into another place that a friend recommended. I asked to get him to look at the mix and timing and when I told him it was a mini he couldn't get away from me fast enough. He started talking about SU carbs and how hard they are to tune and blah blah blah. When I said I have a weber he told me that I couldn't afford to have him look at it as he will need to jet it and tune it and replace this and replace that. I backed away slowly and left.

I have worked in sales and I don't think I have ever talked a customer out of simple work like that before. Strange tactic for a business owner indeed.


David

He might have once been an apprentice at a Kmart service shop..

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.