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160 or 180 thermostat

SnowFlake said:
This is a very intelligent sounding post, but when you break it down and see it for what it really is... the whole idea seems a bit over stated.

Combustion temps can easily exceed 3000* F, and they vary greatly depending on just about everything. To say that a 15* temp difference is adding stress to the head is pretty far off base. You're talking about a piece of the engine that is just a piece of cast iron with some valves opening and shutting and how many valves have failed because of a colder thermostat? How many heads have cracked because of coolant that's 15* colder than stock?

You're talking about a temperature gradient difference of about .005%.

I like the big words though, Mech ;)



Like I said before, the temp of the oil will barely, if at all notice a 15* change in coolant temp.
Click to expand...

Are you sure thats the temperature of combustion?

Are you sure coolant has that little affect on oil temp?
 




SnowFlake said:
This is a very intelligent sounding post, but when you break it down and see it for what it really is... the whole idea seems a bit over stated.
Combustion temps can easily exceed 3000* F, and they vary greatly depending on just about everything. To say that a 15* temp difference is adding stress to the head is pretty far off base. You're talking about a piece of the engine that is just a piece of cast iron with some valves opening and shutting and how many valves have failed because of a colder thermostat? How many heads have cracked because of coolant that's 15* colder than stock?

You're talking about a temperature gradient difference of about .005%.

I like the big words though, Mech ;)



Like I said before, the temp of the oil will barely, if at all notice a 15* change in coolant temp.
Click to expand...



Maybe you need to ponder a little deeper. I like to hope that GM engineered critical tolerances according to their operating fit. Running a feeler gauge here and there on a room temperature component doesn't guarantee those tolerances are observed (designed) in operation. Ring clearances come to mind.

Ohh metals and their dissimilar expansion rates.

"3000 degree" is combustion temp, not iron temp.

Also, a cooler than stock engine usually translates into highly increased piston ring wear.



However, the most disturbing facet of your post is your quoted .005% temperature gradient difference. Lets continue with the 15* coolant temp difference.

15/3000*100% = 0.5% and not 0.005%

0.5% is something.
 


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