When do you need to use a thermostat, when do you not, and what are the benefits of using a restrictor for racing applications? Engine Power hosts, Mike and Pat will run through the answers.

To start, what doe s a thermostat do? When the engine is cold, the thermostat is designed to block the flow of coolant from the engine to the radiator until the coolant is up to the thermostat’s temperature rating. At that point, the thermostat slowly starts to open allowing hot coolant to enter the radiator to cool off.

Most engine wear occurs when the engine is cold. So a thermostat aids in getting the engine temperature up faster to prevent cold wear. Keep in mind that changing a thermostat out to a cooler rating isn’t going to make your engine run cooler but instead, the thermostat is going to be open all the time at temperature allowing a steady rise in temperature until the engine eventually overheats. The only way to fix that is a better radiator or other cooling system components.

This demonstration shows you just how a thermostat works. All you need is a propane camping stove, a pot of water, a gauge to measure temperature, and a 160-degree thermostat.

Start by lighting the burner, then put on the pot of water and place the thermostat in it. This represents a warm-up from a cold start. With the thermostat closed, it’s allowing the coolant and engine to heat up. Once the water hits the thermostat’s temp rating it will slowly open which will let coolant enter the radiator. After the engine is shut off and the coolant loses heat, the thermostat slowly returns to its closed position.

When the Engine Power team runs an engine on the dyno they never run a thermostat in the water neck for a specific reason. The dyno takes care of the temperature control by a thermostatically controlled switch on the bottom of the cooling tank. Running a thermostat in this situation would restrict water flow and lead to inaccurate control over the temperature. And of course, temperature control is very important.

Specific size restrictors are available to tailor to your engine’s operating range and cooling system capacity. It impedes flow at a very specific rate to get the proper temperature for what your engine was designed to operate in. Any time you suspect a faulty thermostat, you can always test it by heating it in water until it reaches operating temperature.

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29 thoughts on “When You Do And Do Not Need A Thermostat”
  1. In an engine used for road racing use, you spend a lot of time in the paddock and pits, then a pace lap and then all out racing and then more pit and paddock driving. Would you want to use the thermostat designed for that engine or go without one to make sure the engine never overheats?

  2. This is the dumbest thing I've ever heard they wouldn't sell lower temp thermostats if they were going to eventually over heat you car. They are made so your car runs cooler. This is coming from a mam that's owned 5 turbo cars and always bought lower ones on my srt4 back in 06 I took it out completely and had no problem

  3. Restriction in system is to increase the pressure in the block and heads to stop localized boiling usually around the exhaust valves. The radiator efficiency and airflow and of course HP being used are all factors , etc etc.

  4. Do I need a thermostat in the tropics? Does hot weather provide enough heat to the engine regardless of thermostat? Does thermostat lead to engine overheating in hotter climate? When you need and not need a thermostat was not answered please!

  5. You're right about heating a thermostat up in water to check and make sure it is in working order, but for $15-$20 for a new one, if you have taken the time to pull out the order one – you might as well swap it out – I mean, your eight there.

  6. this is useless info,,i am trying to find out if my thermo is no good without having to remove it from the housing,,that is the whole point,if there is a way to find out that can possibly spare me having to do that if it's working fine,,so what should i be checking for ,a check eng light? hot or cold radiator hose? etc etc ,,my eng light has been comming on and off for many years now,,had a diagnosis and was told it was either the thermo or a gas cap

  7. Never have tested a thermostat like that. Usually they fail open. I take the car for a steady cruise down the highway at 60 mph and watch the coolant temp. If it’s dropping below the thermostat temp rating, more than likely the thermostat has failed. Usually overheating issues are low coolant, no flow(bad pump), cooling fan not working or not Adequate, or head gasket failure.

  8. for me i live in a coastal city, i dont have thermostat in my car , my car doesnt do highway runs , i only drive it in town and short periods with lots of stop and go…after 5 minutes my car always reaches working temp and stays there ..so having the risk of a blown head gasket cause of a stuck thermostat doesnt make it up for only 5 minutes that my car takes to warm up from cold start…even in winter here wich i wuldnt call winter…inside the engine is hot whatever cold outside could be here

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