Electric Fan Upgrade for Early Cars
07-02-2003, 03:48 AM
#17
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It has always been a mystery to me why people switch their thermostat to a "lower temperature" one. I was always under the impression that there is an optimal temperature for an engine to run, and the thermostat regulates the water temperature accordingly.
Now, if you run a lower temp thermostat, that would mean the engine never reaches that optimum temperature (unless it's so hot outside that the cooling system could not hold the lowered temperature anymore). This would mean the engine would pretty much always run as if it had not warmed up completely, resulting in more wear, higher fuel consumption, more emissions, lesser heating capability, and - very important to most 928 owners - less power.
So, tell me, what's "cool" about a cooler-than-normal running engine? I don't get it...
Now, if you run a lower temp thermostat, that would mean the engine never reaches that optimum temperature (unless it's so hot outside that the cooling system could not hold the lowered temperature anymore). This would mean the engine would pretty much always run as if it had not warmed up completely, resulting in more wear, higher fuel consumption, more emissions, lesser heating capability, and - very important to most 928 owners - less power.
So, tell me, what's "cool" about a cooler-than-normal running engine? I don't get it...
07-02-2003, 06:18 AM
#18
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</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Nicole:
<strong>It has always been a mystery to me why people switch their thermostat to a "lower temperature" one. ...</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Great point Nicole. Years ago I'd run lower temp thermostats all the time. They keep temps down and efficiency down too. Now if my old bugger was detonating, and i'd tried EVERYTHING else, as a LAST resort, I'd lower the thermostat temp.
<strong>It has always been a mystery to me why people switch their thermostat to a "lower temperature" one. ...</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Great point Nicole. Years ago I'd run lower temp thermostats all the time. They keep temps down and efficiency down too. Now if my old bugger was detonating, and i'd tried EVERYTHING else, as a LAST resort, I'd lower the thermostat temp.
07-02-2003, 02:24 PM
#19
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Think of it akin to a pot of boiling water, it doesn't take much heat energy to boil it if it's already at 210 degrees, but it takes quite a bit more if it's at 180 degrees. I like having that reserve heatsoak capacity "Just In Case". The oil lasts longer and lubricates better at a lower temp. I don't think that the water temp damages the engine in any way as the combustion temp's are the same, the fuel mixture remains the same. If anything, a cooler intake charge makes an engine perform better. (probably not enough to be measurable on a dyno) As far as efficiency goes, my 86.5 gets 22/23 on the highway if I keep my foot out of it.
An old tuning trick on 5.0 Mustangs is to put in a 160 degree thermostat and one range colder plugs, was worth a few horses. Did it hurt engine longevity? Who cared? It was a Mustang!
Dave
An old tuning trick on 5.0 Mustangs is to put in a 160 degree thermostat and one range colder plugs, was worth a few horses. Did it hurt engine longevity? Who cared? It was a Mustang!
Dave
07-03-2003, 01:40 AM
#21
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I updated the fog-light grill pics above. <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />
07-03-2003, 02:14 AM
#22
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PorKen: Your car reminds me of an unmarked 928 turbo that the Autobahn Police in our area used to own. I don't remember all details, but there was a mesh grill in place of some of the lights, and two extra horns mounted where your driving lights are. Unless you knew what to look for, there was no chance you'd find out!
It was beige, non-metallic, had a flip-up video camera between the seats, and when they wanted to pull someone over, they'd pass the other car, roll down the passenger window, and hold their "Stop - Police" thingie with the red light out of the window.
Not sure, if they had the blue police lights hidden somewhere. Of course, they were always wearing their uniforms to identify themselves (German police must wear their hat in oder to have "authority" - so I've been told).
Later unmarked cars had an electric rollo in the rear window, that would say something like "Police - please follow me". That works in Germany, as they would not have to fear getting shot at... ;-)
It was beige, non-metallic, had a flip-up video camera between the seats, and when they wanted to pull someone over, they'd pass the other car, roll down the passenger window, and hold their "Stop - Police" thingie with the red light out of the window.
Not sure, if they had the blue police lights hidden somewhere. Of course, they were always wearing their uniforms to identify themselves (German police must wear their hat in oder to have "authority" - so I've been told).
Later unmarked cars had an electric rollo in the rear window, that would say something like "Police - please follow me". That works in Germany, as they would not have to fear getting shot at... ;-)
