Running without Thermostat 
Running without Thermostat
Yeah it might run cooler. I would advise against it for sure though. You will end up losing power because it will not be in the correct operating temperature. An engine has to be pretty warm to operate correctly, well to it's full potential. Why no stat?
Well i know that the purpose of it was to let water and coolant into the engine when it reached a certain temperature. I thought it would work better if more fluid was running through the engine at all tims instead of waiting for it to reach a certain temperature before letting more fluid in. Instead of buying a 160 thermo i thought y just not remove it. Only since i know that cooler is usually better.
But that is just it....Cooler isnt better when it comes to engine temp. Cooler air....YES! You don't want your car running like it is trying to warm up after a cold start do you?
The engine was engineered to run at a certain temperature; at that temperature the engine performs its best. The engine would eventually reach the operating temperature, but will just take a lot longer. With out a thermostat, coolant will always be able to flow thru the radiator. The engine will just take much longer to reach its desired operating temperature for best performance.
The thermostat is there to block the coolant from being able to flow thru the radiator, until the coolant reaches a temperature at which the thermostat is designed to open at. This allows the engine to heat up quicker for better performance. A colder engine also doesn't vaporize fuel as well, which leaves liquid fuel on the cylinder walls to wash off oil.
It's all in a way for emision. On a cold engine it runs richer to heat up faster, which increases HC and CO.
The thermostat is there to block the coolant from being able to flow thru the radiator, until the coolant reaches a temperature at which the thermostat is designed to open at. This allows the engine to heat up quicker for better performance. A colder engine also doesn't vaporize fuel as well, which leaves liquid fuel on the cylinder walls to wash off oil.
It's all in a way for emision. On a cold engine it runs richer to heat up faster, which increases HC and CO.
Last edited by 2002 SS #476; Sep 20, 2006 at 08:53 PM.
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I run my electric water pump w/o a t-stat. I just wired it up to a switch and once the engine reaches around 180-190, I flip it on and the temp drops and stays right around 170-180. Even in hot and humid Chicago summers while stuck in traffic.
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On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 144
Likes: 0
From: Elmhurst,IL
T-stats are there for a reason. If you take it out, the coolant flows through nicely but doesn't stay in one spot long enough to pull the heat from the block and heads. The gauge on the dash might say the coolant temp is ok, when in reality the engine is way too hot. Keep it in and go with a lower temp if you want.
i must say i would never do it in my ls1, but i did it for a while in my 2.2l 626 engine, it actually ran a little better, stats kept getting stuck for some reason so i finally said screw it
TECH Addict
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,660
Likes: 14
From: England
Originally Posted by C_Rules
Well i know that the purpose of it was to let water and coolant into the engine when it reached a certain temperature. I thought it would work better if more fluid was running through the engine at all tims instead of waiting for it to reach a certain temperature before letting more fluid in. Instead of buying a 160 thermo i thought y just not remove it. Only since i know that cooler is usually better.
I wonder why ALL car manufactuers go to the bother of using a thermostat then if this works better. Guess they have no idea
Originally Posted by 300bhp/ton
Yeah bright idea
I wonder why ALL car manufactuers go to the bother of using a thermostat then if this works better. Guess they have no idea
I wonder why ALL car manufactuers go to the bother of using a thermostat then if this works better. Guess they have no idea
Last edited by C_Rules; Sep 22, 2006 at 11:44 AM.
TECH Addict
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,660
Likes: 14
From: England
Nursie: Ointment. That's what you need when your head's been cut off. That's what I gave your sister Mary when they done her. 'There, there,' I said. 'You'll soon grow an new one.'
King: St Juniper once said; 'By his loins shall ye know him, and by the length of his rod shall he be measured.'
Blackadder: "Something is always wrong, Balders. The fact that I am not a millionaire aristocrat with the sexual capacity of a rutting rhino is a constant niggle.
BTW - The TB by-pass mod doesn't make your car any faster either.
King: St Juniper once said; 'By his loins shall ye know him, and by the length of his rod shall he be measured.'
Blackadder: "Something is always wrong, Balders. The fact that I am not a millionaire aristocrat with the sexual capacity of a rutting rhino is a constant niggle.
BTW - The TB by-pass mod doesn't make your car any faster either.
TECH Veteran
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 4,117
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From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA
You will overheat pretty fast. The coolant needs time in the radiator to cool off before it goes back into the engine (T-Stats job) to carry away more heat. If it continously runs in and out of the engine it'll keep getting hotter and hotter ,specially during city driving when you don't have as much ram air cooling from the front air dam. I did this once with my 1985 Trans Am and IIRC the engine started overheating in about 15 minutes. I shut it off and let it cool down, went home and put the T-Stat back in and it was normal again.