• Registered: 2010-08-10
  • Posts: 12

Topic: Chicago thermostat??

So I am sitting in the garage staring at my car , making a list of things I need to do/bring for the Chicago race which happens to be just over 6 weeks away . I started thinking about the thermostat....If it was July and 90 degrees out I would pull it and run without it, however it is end of October in Chicago which could mean 30 degrees HELL MAYBE EVEN SNOW! (Damn , now I have to add snow tires to my list!) or 70 degrees and sunny!
I am only running a small ford 4 cylinder engine, but it still needs to get up to temperature to run correctly. I am a newbie at this and was hoping some of you riper Lemons could give me some advice on whether I should run one or not.I think I should run with one , but I was looking for some input ..

  • From: Toronto, Ontario
  • Registered: 2009-05-03
  • Posts: 1,114

Re: Chicago thermostat??

"Gut" the tstat but leave the outer ring....you don't need it to reach operating temperature but the ring needs to be there as a flow restriction in some engines. Never had a problem with this system and we get some cold temps up here!

Jim "Endo" Anderton
30 years of racing and still not Brambilla.....
  • Registered: 2010-06-08
  • Posts: 55

Re: Chicago thermostat??

my road-going '71 MGB loves 30* temperatures, i still have a thermostat in it. alas, i now need to figure out why it doesn't like anything warmer than say 40* ambient temperature (the last time i was able to do a road trip and not have the temp gage climb all the way up)

  • JBgotM
  • Ripened Lemon
  • Offline
  • From: Cedar Falls, IA
  • Registered: 2010-07-26
  • Posts: 112

Re: Chicago thermostat??

We drilled 2 .090" holes in our t-stat on the firebird.

  • From: Choctaw, Oklahoma
  • Registered: 2009-11-12
  • Posts: 2,145

Re: Chicago thermostat??

"Gut" the tstat but leave the outer ring

+1

  • OMGuar
  • Ripened Lemon
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2010-09-01
  • Posts: 320

Re: Chicago thermostat??

Yes gut the thermostat unless it's an FI car and needs proper temps to function correctly. In which case you can still gut the stat but  you will need to bring cardboard and tape to the track to partially cover the radiator.. Personally I'd leave a properly operating one in place..

  • From: Toronto, Ontario
  • Registered: 2009-05-03
  • Posts: 1,114

Re: Chicago thermostat??

The only time I've ever seen the thermostat cycling to keep the engine at operating temperature was at -40C in Northern Ontario. The temp sensor was head mounted and you could see the temp gauge cycle back and forth. Then snow packed the grille and it overheated! No problem in Chicago, so feel free to gut it.

Jim "Endo" Anderton
30 years of racing and still not Brambilla.....
  • From: Hayward, CA
  • Registered: 2010-03-23
  • Posts: 1,762

Re: Chicago thermostat??

jimeditorial wrote:

"Gut" the tstat but leave the outer ring....you don't need it to reach operating temperature but the ring needs to be there as a flow restriction in some engines. Never had a problem with this system and we get some cold temps up here!

+1 works great even on street cars. Its the emergency thermostat if your fails.

The flow restriction is needed, not for the engine, but for the radiator. If the water flows through the radiator too fast it won't be cooled.

Dudes Ex Machina: https://www.facebook.com/dudesexmachina

?Everyone who has ever built anywhere a 'new heaven' first found the power thereto in his own hell- Frederick Nietzsche
  • From: Detroit, MI
  • Registered: 2009-05-16
  • Posts: 1,594

Re: Chicago thermostat??

+2

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