55deg Motorsport thermostat

[shimmy]

A few have said they improve temps but I'm at a loss to understand how they work when engine is at full bore.

Surely when car is hot and running in race conditions the oil is hot and oem water stat is open normally anyway, so why would it opening earlier help cool the engine and eventually help reduce oil etc?

Here is what Turner say

E46M3 Motorsport Thermostat 55C (Also fits Euro E36 M3 engine) A Genuine BMW part this thermostat opens at a much lower temperature than stock to keep your S54 engine (or Euro S50/S52 engine) running cooler in race applications.

[The Gorilla]

Hi,

The standard Thermostat can fluctute as
it opens at just over 80 deg.

So if water temp is below that the stat will
close.

Motorsport Stat opens at 55 deg, and once open
in normal conditions stays open, apart from
really cold weather.

Your water temps will run cooler if the stat is
always open as opposed fluctuating.

Regards,

The Gorilla.

[northernjim]

The way you drive you will need a 30c thermostat....




they just make sure that the fans and everything are running sooner and virtually constantly, so not going to improve performance - more like maximize it

[shimmy]

How and when does the clutch fan run? What is its purpose?

[shane@mbtech]

Originally Posted by shimmy

How and when does the clutch fan run? What is its purpose?

The viscous fan?

If you mean this then it kicks in when temp rises, the hotter it gets the more the fan engages and the faster it cools. But it only pulls air through the rad. At speeds above 10-15 mph the fan is redundant. Its more for stationary purposes. Usually licks in 70-80*c

Its not electronically controlled, it uses a fluid which changes the "clutch" slip when the temp changes, it has a thermal spring which allows the fluid to move from one section to another, causing the fan to engage. The viscous fan is attached directly to your water pump.

Race cars will remove the viscous so there is less rotational mass for the crank pulley to turn. Similar theory to your pulley upgrade you did.

[shimmy]

Originally Posted by lawsy

The viscous fan?

If you mean this then it kicks in when temp rises, the hotter it gets the more the fan engages and the faster it cools. But it only pulls air through the rad. At speeds above 10-15 mph the fan is redundant. Its more for stationary purposes. Usually licks in 70-80*c

Its not electronically controlled, it uses a fluid which changes the "clutch" slip when the temp changes, it has a thermal spring which allows the fluid to move from one section to another, causing the fan to engage. The viscous fan is attached directly to your water pump.

Race cars will remove the viscous so there is less rotational mass for the crank pulley to turn. Similar theory to your pulley upgrade you did.

As I thought, it isn't helping cooling at 100% throttle over 100mph ie it isn't reducing temps when I need them!


Surely M Stat is the same! When oil is starting to rise first, surely it's too late and ol cooler is the answer?


I may M stat when at Simpons in Feb and then get best price for oil cooler improvement before summer

[shane@mbtech]

Originally Posted by northernjim

The way you drive you will need a 30c thermostat....




they just make sure that the fans and everything are running sooner and virtually constantly, so not going to improve performance - more like maximize it

Jim stop it, thats not true and you are making yourself look a tit

With a motorsport stat the fan will be less likely to come on.

As Gorilla says they open at 55*c and stay open wheras the standard one will be opening and closing constantly very slightly even on sprirted runs.

If your coolant is running cooler, your engine is running cooler, your oil etc etc. Thermal transfer.

They work, and the standard dials are not 100% accurate either.

Get one in Shimmy, I 100% guarantee it will help with longevity of your car.