How bad could it be?
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From: Nawf Carolina
Re: How bad could it be? You have to understand how antifreeze/coolant works. If you just let it flow continuously (spelling) it will continue to heat up, and will not cool the engine at all until it overheats. If you have ever had a thermostat fail while open you would understand what I'm talking about. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />
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From: AZ
Re: How bad could it be? I don't think that's right. The purpose of the thermostat is so that the engine will get hot faster by not allowing the coolant to circulate until the motor is at operating temp. Once it opens I think it pretty much stays open.
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From: Nawf Carolina
Re: How bad could it be? No, you can watch your temp gauge, it goes up and down... when it's going down, the thermo is open, when it's goin up the thermo is closed. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> That's just the way it works. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />
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From: AZ
Re: How bad could it be? Yeah, now that I think about it I was wrong that it opens and stays open.
But, if you don't have a thermostat it won't just heat up and continue to heat up. It just will stay at a cooler temp all the time and will take a long time to warm up.
I've removed my thermostat on other cars and driven for months w/o one and the only problem was that it took forever for the heater to get warm.
But, if you don't have a thermostat it won't just heat up and continue to heat up. It just will stay at a cooler temp all the time and will take a long time to warm up.
I've removed my thermostat on other cars and driven for months w/o one and the only problem was that it took forever for the heater to get warm.
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From: Nawf Carolina
Re: How bad could it be? Maybe if you're running pure coolant and you have a HUGE radiator. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> I had a thermostat fail open one time, and while it didn't get super hot real fast, it did creep up real high, I had to get moving to get some air through the radiator <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> If it were me, I believe I'd leave my thermo in my LS1 <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />
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Re: How bad could it be? I think a few of you are confused. A t-stat failing and running no t-stat are two very different situations. If a t-stat fails and remains closed, the coolant will not circulate; the engine will overheat. If you're not running a t-stat at all, the coolant will be circulating as soon as you start the engine, no matter what the coolant temp is. I'd personally keep the t-stat in. Running too cool could hurt performance, and your engine may never reach full operating temp on the highway.
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From: Eastern MA
Re: How bad could it be? There are some thermostats that fail in the open position. This is an added safety feature, in that your care won't overheat.
zZAndrusZz:
LS1's use dexcool for coolant. There is no water involved.
--VIP1
<small>[ June 18, 2002, 11:07 PM: Message edited by: VIP1 ]</small>
zZAndrusZz:
LS1's use dexcool for coolant. There is no water involved.
--VIP1
<small>[ June 18, 2002, 11:07 PM: Message edited by: VIP1 ]</small>
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From: Eastern MA
Re: How bad could it be? I am going to check my manual. But from what I read about the design of Dexcool, I was lead to beleive that water was not to be mixed with it.
--- Edit ---
RTCamaroSS:
You are right. I just checked my manual and it recommended a 50/50 mix of Dexcool and clean drinking water. The coolant I was thinking of may be a different brand/type.
Anyone heard of this other waterless coolant?
--VIP1
<small>[ June 19, 2002, 10:38 PM: Message edited by: VIP1 ]</small>
--- Edit ---
RTCamaroSS:
You are right. I just checked my manual and it recommended a 50/50 mix of Dexcool and clean drinking water. The coolant I was thinking of may be a different brand/type.
Anyone heard of this other waterless coolant?
--VIP1
<small>[ June 19, 2002, 10:38 PM: Message edited by: VIP1 ]</small>
Re: How bad could it be? You need to keep a thermostat in for at least a couple of reasons.
The first, obvious one is that the engine will not reach operating temperature quickly enough if at all - even in 80 degree heat. As a result, optimum clearances are not achieved and oil remains too thick. There is some discussion on the board as to whether even a 160 T-stat that results in about a 170 degree operating temperature is too low (personally, I run a 160).
Second, and I don't know if this is specifically applicable to the LS1, the thermostat acts as a kind of flow orifice that meters the coolant. This helps keep the block completely full of coolant without air pockets that can cause hot spots - especially bad in an aluminum engine.
<img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" /> Steve
The first, obvious one is that the engine will not reach operating temperature quickly enough if at all - even in 80 degree heat. As a result, optimum clearances are not achieved and oil remains too thick. There is some discussion on the board as to whether even a 160 T-stat that results in about a 170 degree operating temperature is too low (personally, I run a 160).
Second, and I don't know if this is specifically applicable to the LS1, the thermostat acts as a kind of flow orifice that meters the coolant. This helps keep the block completely full of coolant without air pockets that can cause hot spots - especially bad in an aluminum engine.
<img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" /> Steve
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From: San Diego, Ca / Tucson,AZ
Re: How bad could it be? I have never noticed my temp gauge going up and down. Is it a small change in temp that I just havent noticed or should be be very noticeable? MY car warms up pretty quick and then the gauge stays around 210. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="images/icons/confused.gif" />
Re: How bad could it be? </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Trans Am WS6 RGS:
<strong>I have never noticed my temp gauge going up and down. Is it a small change in temp that I just havent noticed or should be be very noticeable? MY car warms up pretty quick and then the gauge stays around 210. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="images/icons/confused.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Don't bother trying to get a reading off of the stock temp guage. '98 was the only year that they were halfway accurate. The one in my '98 T/A would actually move, and it dropped quite a bit after adding a 160 t-stat. With my SS, I've seen a recorded water temp of 180 degrees with AutoTap, and the needle still sits on 210*.
<strong>I have never noticed my temp gauge going up and down. Is it a small change in temp that I just havent noticed or should be be very noticeable? MY car warms up pretty quick and then the gauge stays around 210. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="images/icons/confused.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Don't bother trying to get a reading off of the stock temp guage. '98 was the only year that they were halfway accurate. The one in my '98 T/A would actually move, and it dropped quite a bit after adding a 160 t-stat. With my SS, I've seen a recorded water temp of 180 degrees with AutoTap, and the needle still sits on 210*.
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