Aside from taking longer to warm up, Is there any harm in running my car WITHOUT a thermostat?
07-14-2003, 04:24 PM
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Re: Aside from taking longer to warm up, Is there any harm in running my car WITHOUT a thermostat?
I share you concern on hot summer days these Audi's run so hot it's scary though the manual says it's normal. Not much confort when it says you only have to worry when the overheating warning light comes on, doesn't give much room for comfort. I am going to try a product by Redline called water wetter that is supposed to remove the surface tension from the water that is supposed to give better contact between the water and radiator and engine block. I still wonder if it's nothing more than soap as it does the same thing but Redline is a respectable company and I'm sure they wouldn't sell a bottle of soapy water (I hope).
I'm in the process of changing the thermostat and will be adding this stuff after it comes and I get it back together. If anyone is interested I'll post a followup. The only other thing to do if you run too hot is run the heater fan as that will help cool the engine down. Very unconfortable on hot days but it does work. Another thing that may or may not work is the thermostats have a bunch of tiny holes to let water though while the thermostat is closed. Why they do this I don't know other than maybe a faster heater for cold weather but not sure. If you want to experiment you could try enlarging these holes which may and I use the word may loosely here, increase the flow a little bit more. I don't know. You can try getting a thermostat that opens at a cooler temp as well. Other than that get a larger radiatior, a larger electric cooling fan or one that has a higher CFM rating or remove the airconditioning radiator or relocate it. they don't allow for much airflow with these cars, at least the 4000CS types and make sure you have all the shrouding in place around the radiator or it won't cool well at all. it needs it to channel what little air that does go though the radiator.
I'm in the process of changing the thermostat and will be adding this stuff after it comes and I get it back together. If anyone is interested I'll post a followup. The only other thing to do if you run too hot is run the heater fan as that will help cool the engine down. Very unconfortable on hot days but it does work. Another thing that may or may not work is the thermostats have a bunch of tiny holes to let water though while the thermostat is closed. Why they do this I don't know other than maybe a faster heater for cold weather but not sure. If you want to experiment you could try enlarging these holes which may and I use the word may loosely here, increase the flow a little bit more. I don't know. You can try getting a thermostat that opens at a cooler temp as well. Other than that get a larger radiatior, a larger electric cooling fan or one that has a higher CFM rating or remove the airconditioning radiator or relocate it. they don't allow for much airflow with these cars, at least the 4000CS types and make sure you have all the shrouding in place around the radiator or it won't cool well at all. it needs it to channel what little air that does go though the radiator.
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07-14-2003, 05:22 PM
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Thanks for the tips billcat...I recently tried a producted called "40 degrees below"
It is a clear coolant-additive that supposedly helps water descipate heat more quickly... thereby reducing coolant temperature. The instructions suggest that you are suppose to add 30 oz to water, with only 20% coolant in the tank... $29.95 later, the operating temperature is EXACTLY the same... so I would be a bit reluctant about using anything else, other than the usual coolant...
As for the shrouding around the radiator, that is a really good suggestions, i had originally attempted to REMOVE the shrouding, with the hopes that doing so would help air flow...needless to say, it has not helped..
How difficult is it to remove the AC unit entirely? I think the cooler at the front of the radiator is very restrictive to airflow...
As for the shrouding around the radiator, that is a really good suggestions, i had originally attempted to REMOVE the shrouding, with the hopes that doing so would help air flow...needless to say, it has not helped..
How difficult is it to remove the AC unit entirely? I think the cooler at the front of the radiator is very restrictive to airflow...
07-14-2003, 06:24 PM
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I don't run with one
<center><img src="http://members.verizon.net/~vze4phja/images/headbottomsm.jpg"></center><p>
Once the thermostat opens, it does absolutely nothing. It does offer some restriction to flow, but not too much. The ports in the head gasket are where most of your pressure builds up. The size of the ports relative to the jackets is drastic. The jackets in the block are almost 1-1.5cm on the bottom, and run full across the top of the chamber, and the gasket ports are only around 5-6mm. I'v opened mine up a bit(7-8mm) and it has helped drop the coolant temp around 3C.
It does nothing for direction of flow(the thermostat that is).
Look at the size of the ports on this head, both over and under the chambers. Then look at the gasket(sorry it's upside down...oh well). My gasket is actually solid copper, but this is the template from which it was cut.
<img src="http://members.verizon.net/~vze4phja/images/templatesm.jpg">
Once the thermostat opens, it does absolutely nothing. It does offer some restriction to flow, but not too much. The ports in the head gasket are where most of your pressure builds up. The size of the ports relative to the jackets is drastic. The jackets in the block are almost 1-1.5cm on the bottom, and run full across the top of the chamber, and the gasket ports are only around 5-6mm. I'v opened mine up a bit(7-8mm) and it has helped drop the coolant temp around 3C.
It does nothing for direction of flow(the thermostat that is).
Look at the size of the ports on this head, both over and under the chambers. Then look at the gasket(sorry it's upside down...oh well). My gasket is actually solid copper, but this is the template from which it was cut.
<img src="http://members.verizon.net/~vze4phja/images/templatesm.jpg">
07-14-2003, 06:30 PM
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Redline makes a product
called Water-wetter. It helps the water conduct heat better, and contains a lubricant. Around $7.95 a bottle.
Water + Water-wetter dissipates heat better than water + "coolant"
I run just distilled water with water wetter(don't do this in the winter!). The coolant temp runs around 4-5C cooler. Oil temp runs around 3-4C cooler.
Water + Water-wetter dissipates heat better than water + "coolant"
I run just distilled water with water wetter(don't do this in the winter!). The coolant temp runs around 4-5C cooler. Oil temp runs around 3-4C cooler.