Just been reading through another thread:

http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23990

and actually have a rather different take on the subject...

What if one were to improve the magna cooling system to make the standard operating temperature somewhat less than what the standard system would otherwise provide for?

When I say this, I would assume that either a bigger radiator or cooling fan(s) be installed that would drop the standard running temp on a magna engine.

I am guessing we are probably getting into rather advanced engineering principles with this question, but ultimately what I am wondering is wether, a magna engine would benefit from an operating temperature decrease, wether it be in terms of performance or longevity??

Also wondering, given that metal expands under heat, what effect that would have on a engine if its permanent operating temperature was decreased??? In the case of a magna engine, could wear be avoided by running a lower temp or a thinner oil???

Obviously, there are a lot of questions surrounding such a proposal, does anyone have any qualified ideas which could prove/dissaprove such an idea???


Regards, Mark.

If an engine runs to cold or to hot it will be inefficient, ie: it wont properly burn fuel. This is why cars run thermostats, to maintain a specific temperature.

I have found some gains in other cars by using different sized thermostats. In my old Turbo Scorpion I used to change the thermostat depending on the temperature of the day for race meets because at a specific temperature the engine is most efficient. E.G: On a hot day I would run a bigger thermostat to hold the temp down and colder days required a smaller one to keep the heat up.

In that car the ideal temp was at about 91 deg c.

If an engine runs to cold or to hot it will be inefficient, ie: it wont properly burn fuel. This is why cars run thermostats, to maintain a specific temperature.


Well what this thread is about is challenging this idea.....you may well be right, but given that different cars run different operating temperatures, I am wondering wether a specific temperature is optimum.

In the other thread I referred to, the ford falcon was obviously running a lot cooler that the magna, now anyone who knows anything about cars knows that falcon engines are one of the most hardy engines out there (built like a brick s###house admittedly), wondering wether a decrease in operating temp helps prolong the life of the engine???

Challenge your heart out dude, physics are physics :nuts:

Well what this thread is about is challenging this idea.....you may well be right, but given that different cars run different operating temperatures, I am wondering wether a specific temperature is optimum.

In the other thread I referred to, the ford falcon was obviously running a lot cooler that the magna, now anyone who knows anything about cars knows that falcon engines are one of the most hardy engines out there (built like a brick s###house admittedly), wondering wether a decrease in operating temp helps prolong the life of the engine???


Cars of today run hotter for emissions purposes, to achieve a "cleaner burn" and to heat the catalytic converter up sufficiently for it to operate at optimum efficiency. The falcon engine is one of the most long lived engines out there for a few reasons($250 per piston and the fact that in an auto they never rev past 2300 unless you provoke them hard beng two of them) but it's definately not because of their operating temps, in fact their cooling system is their biggest downfall, the main problem they run into is cracked cylinder heads due to poor coolant maintenance.
You may be able to make some gains by dropping operating temps, but not with the a stock ecu, you'd just throw it into panic mode and for the money invested the gains if any would be insignificant.

Matthius

if it runs colder it will use more fuel too

Im going to have a look at my cousins Verada Xi '99 and see how hot it gets, might just be my model car. Even that runs on halfway at operating temp.

The ford has a massive Heat range, none of this halfway cr*p (It runs right under the bottem should see the gauge its massive and the cars dont even go up or down at all.

However this has got me thinking for my next car, the Mitsubishi Brand is on the line in this decision.

hate to say it

Been pondering this my self too.
Certain heat is required to vaporise the A/F mixture - but how much is too much etc.
I'd like to know if ppl with those plenum heat insulators have experienced significant changes in fuel economy. I'd try with less hot thermostat to open the circulation sooner, to keep everything tad cooler. Bonnet exhaust vents to cool down? Rice, if not turbo or S/C?

Im going to have a look at my cousins Verada Xi '99 and see how hot it gets, might just be my model car. Even that runs on halfway at operating temp.

The ford has a massive Heat range, none of this halfway cr*p (It runs right under the bottem should see the gauge its massive and the cars dont even go up or down at all.

However this has got me thinking for my next car, the Mitsubishi Brand is on the line in this decision.

hate to say it

Your car should run at halfway on the temp. guage. Having in run at half means the cooling system in your car is doing it's job!!! In the middle of the gauge, the coolant temp. should be around 94 degrees (I think from memory...I'll have to go home and look it up).

The Ford doesn't have a massive heat range. The guage is set up to read that way. It's a mentality thing. People see the gauge reading in the lower end of the scale and feel their car is running better and don't have to worry about it.

Your car should run at halfway on the temp. guage. Having in run at half means the cooling system in your car is doing it's job!!! In the middle of the gauge, the coolant temp. should be around 94 degrees (I think from memory...I'll have to go home and look it up).

The Ford doesn't have a massive heat range. The guage is set up to read that way. It's a mentality thing. People see the gauge reading in the lower end of the scale and feel their car is running better and don't have to worry about it.

Bingo :)

It's all about the gauge temperature range, if your magna was running at the bottom of the gauge it would be running inefficiently, sludging your oil and using excessive fuel. The falcon will be running damn near the same temperature(about 95 degrees), cars these days have to, to pass emissions tests, it's gauge just has a hugely different scale to the magnas temp gauge. Don't let this fool you, running cold in coolant temp is not necessarily a good thing, oil needs to run at a certain temp to be efficient - your coolant effects your oil temp.

If you want to talk about intake temps and dropping them, thats a completely different matter and one I'd agree with. But it has SFA to do with your coolant temperature which is what it is for a pretty damn good reason, you'd only change it with wholesale ECU changes and running different grade oils.

Matthius - Trying to dispel some of the BS