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Motor never gets hot?


p_trice

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  • 4 months later...

About the ONLY thing that can make an engine never warm up is a thermostat that doesn't close. Don't test 'em, replace 'em. Put in a new Stant and be done with it. Wear on the shaft, deposits, all kinds of #hit can make 'em stick open.

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  • 4 years later...

also, wanted to jump into this thread with a similar question.

my 280Z (stock engine with headers / performance exhaust) has an aftermarket aluminum racing radiatior with two fans. been driving it recently in 60 degree weather (for over an hour around town), and the temp is just barely above 120 deg.  i'd say max is 130. 

I have a kill switch on the fans and if they're not running, it warms up to 160 ish (i don't drive it for long periods i just wanted to see how it warms up).  So looks like my thermostat is working correctly.

Does the aftermarket radiator and fans make that much of a difference to keep it that cool?

Is ~130 degrees too cool for this engine?  or am I an idiot?

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1 hour ago, FunkytownZ said:

also, wanted to jump into this thread with a similar question.

my 280Z (stock engine with headers / performance exhaust) has an aftermarket aluminum racing radiatior with two fans. been driving it recently in 60 degree weather (for over an hour around town), and the temp is just barely above 120 deg.  i'd say max is 130. 

I have a kill switch on the fans and if they're not running, it warms up to 160 ish (i don't drive it for long periods i just wanted to see how it warms up).  So looks like my thermostat is working correctly.

Does the aftermarket radiator and fans make that much of a difference to keep it that cool?

Is ~130 degrees too cool for this engine?  or am I an idiot?

Is 160 right in the middle on your stock gauge? I would wait until summer comes and see if it moves up. With the fans off are you constantly driving or sitting at idle? Also you have no stock fan? If you have a stock fan and the electrics both it may be too much. 60 degrees is rather cool. 

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Is 160 right in the middle on your stock gauge? I would wait until summer comes and see if it moves up. With the fans off are you constantly driving or sitting at idle? Also you have no stock fan? If you have a stock fan and the electrics both it may be too much. 60 degrees is rather cool. 


I have the stock gauge, so bottom is 120 and high is 250. At idle with no fans on it will be close to the middle, so I'm guessing 160-180? With fans on and driving I'd say around 130-140. Havent driven with the fans turned off.

No stock fan attached to the motor, just two electric fans on the radiator.


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2 hours ago, FunkytownZ said:

I have a kill switch on the fans and if they're not running, it warms up to 160 ish (i don't drive it for long periods i just wanted to see how it warms up).  So looks like my thermostat is working correctly.

Actually, that's a sign that the thermostat is not working correctly.  You might not even have one.  The thermostat is designed to stop coolant flow until the engine heats it up.  Normal temperature is about 180 degrees F.

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Yeah you might want to swap it or check first if it is there. Just be careful when removing the bolts. Sometimes they can be finicky. If it starts to get hard to remove add a little lube and then tighten them back down.  Then loosen them again. Nothing worse then a broken thermostat housing and even worse a broke bolt going into the head! (You don't have to remove the housing from the head,just the cover. That's just an FYI. )

Edited by JSM
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11 hours ago, FunkytownZ said:

i'm guessing i should go for the 160 degree thermostat since i live in Texas? i don't plan on driving it in the blistering heat, but you never know.

I had the same thought after my resto project - stock 2.4 with a 3-row radiator, stock fan & clutch, new 160 thermostat.  The car would not get up to a proper operating temp so I swapped out to a 180 and all is well.  No A/C on the car, limited summer driving but it handled the heat and downtown driving at Memphis ZCON with no issues.

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2 hours ago, jfa.series1 said:

I had the same thought after my resto project - stock 2.4 with a 3-row radiator, stock fan & clutch, new 160 thermostat.  The car would not get up to a proper operating temp so I swapped out to a 180 and all is well.  No A/C on the car, limited summer driving but it handled the heat and downtown driving at Memphis ZCON with no issues.

perfect timing, thank you sir! on the phone with MSA right now trying to update my last order and get a 180 degree thermostat thrown in there before it ships.

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  • 2 weeks later...

you guys called it... damn kid i bought it from didn't even have a thermostat installed... it's an $8 part!  i know AZ gets hot, but that hot?!

installed the 180 degree + gasket, took it out for a cruise and held steady around 180 degrees with the electric fans on.  ran much better, heated up quicker.  no leaks

thanks for your help!

 

 

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