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Is it safe to run with no thermostat? [Merged 8-7] No, no, no, no.

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GstRacer

20+ Year Contributor
409
3
May 6, 2003
BooneDocks, Connecticut
ya i was wondering if it's good or bad to run no thermostat i know it will run cold witch is good but is there a thing as too clod i also have a blitz 1.3 radiator cap
 
Oh.. so the thermostat actually helps determine the temp of the engine? Wow hes an idiot then haha. Ok well I didnt know that.. I thought there was something else that measured the engine temp which is what causes it to open the thermo. Ok well youre right if thats the case, I just wanted to know why it hurts the engine if no thermo kept the car that cool, but since he is running no thermo the car IS getting hot but isnt measuring anything so it stays on C.. correct? Thats crazy.. I think I will let him know tomorrow.... LOL this is why I dont try stuff before I at least know about it first.. Thanks though
 
Oh.. so the thermostat actually helps determine the temp of the engine? Wow hes an idiot then haha. Ok well I didnt know that.. I thought there was something else that measured the engine temp which is what causes it to open the thermo. Ok well youre right if thats the case, I just wanted to know why it hurts the engine if no thermo kept the car that cool, but since he is running no thermo the car IS getting hot but isnt measuring anything so it stays on C.. correct? Thats crazy.. I think I will let him know tomorrow.... LOL this is why I dont try stuff before I at least know about it first.. Thanks though

In all honesty, that is just my outlook on it. It sounds like it would be correct but I could be wrong. It makes sense though that's for sure.

And yeah I would definitely not consider taking the Thermostat out of a DSM.. just cause even more problems then what they already have LOL.
 
The thermo opens and closes with temp. Tell Mr. Honda that staying at C is bad because then nothing in his engine is up to operating temperature. You should only run without a thermo if where you live is really hot and causing your car to constantly overheat. If it occasionally overheats due to weather, just get a lower temp thermostat or drill a small hole in it to keep the car cooler. The thermo has nothing to do with what the gauge says. A 180 degree thermo will open at 180 degrees. what this does is help your car get up to operating temperature and then once there opens to keep it cool.
 
Lmfao.. Dont worry I will.. The funny thing is.. is this guy is a certified mechanic, and has a degree from KATS.. MountainDew you probably know that school since you live close-by. Kaw Area Technical School. Anyways Thanks both of you..
 
BTW
I thought there was something else that measured the engine temp which is what causes it to open the thermo.

You can test thermo in a pot of hot water. When it is cold, it will be closed but as soon as that water hits what ever the thermo is rated at, it will pop open. great way to check and see if you need a new one.
 
If you remove the thermostat your engine will take longer to reach the correct operating temperature, it needs to reach 180 for the ecu to go into normal operating mode. If you are in a warm climate it might reach normal operating temps without a thermostat but in a colder climate the engine might not ever reach the correct temperature and it will not run correctly.
 
The thermostat has nothing to do with measuring the tempature. It will not change how the guage works. The coolant tempature sensor measures the temp for the ecu and the guage.
The thermostat stays closed and prevents coolant from circulating so the engine can warm up. when the temp reaches the operating temp it pops open and circulates coolant. when it goes below that temp it closes.
When the car is below operating temp the ecu causes a rich condition to warm up the motor(like choke on a carburator) If your buddies honda never reaches operating temp then his car will run too rich and get poor fuel milage.
 
I stand corrected.

I just thought that was maybe what his problem was with it being stock on "C".

Oh and Shadow I actually have no idea where that place is LOL. But my car was actually from Topeka. ;)
 
Alright for some reason my buddy has it in his head that some high hp dsms might run without thermostats and he thinks I should not run one in mine. I say its a bad idea but I decided to get some second opinions on it.
So, in order to get some lower temps, do any of you guys run with out your thermostats?
 
No, you want your engine warm. Not hot, but warm. All removing the thermostat will do is make your engine take longer to get to operating temperature and in the process cause excess wear and tear as well as increased fuel consumption. Put in a 180* if you want things a little cooler.
 
Some people think it's a good idea to vent the stock CBV to the atmosphere.:toobad:

Go with a 180 degree t-stat. I don't think it's a good idea to run without one. I agree with xveganxcowboyx.

I use a Stant 180 degree t-stat; You can get them at Advance. They are the closest to OEM in design, that I have found.

Note: This has been argued on these forums, many times before.
 
Your buddy comes from the fantasy world of "performance" Chevy engines and back issues of Car Craft magazines.

Run DSMs with 190°F thermostats. The ECU wants a hot engine.

Yet again, a thermostat does not cool an engine. It warms it up, and keeps it at a stable, warm running temperature.
Cooling is done by the radiator, and the air flowing through it.
 
Is the 160 to cold of stat to run?

Like Defiant stated above, these cars like to run warm. With the stock radiator/fans, 50/50 mix, and a Stat 180 degree t-stat, my temps were running 213-216 degrees. Temps will range between the 190's to 220's, depending on your set-up.
 
The heater core has nothing to do with the thermostat. The thermostat is still needed to keep the engine at a safe operating temperature. All you're doing by removing the heater core is depriving yourself of heat in the winter time while saving a few pounds.
 
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