Engine Temperature / Thermostat

V6 Technical/Performance Discussions
Post Reply
User avatar
Steve_SK
Regular Member
Posts: 503
Joined: October 5th, 2006, 3:56 pm
Location: Slovakia
Contact:
Contact Steve_SK

Engine Temperature / Thermostat

Post by Steve_SK »

Hello MX friends,

I'd like to ask something about engine temp. My EU MX-3 K8's temperature is about 95 C, initial opening temp is 84 C, which is about 180 F if I am right. My temp gauge's needle shows somewhere in 5/8th of the scale. I noticed many of you have this needle below 1/2 of the scale, so probably most of you have 170 F thermostat instead of 180 F, which I have.

My question is.. what would happen if I replace my 180 thermostat with 170 one. It seems my engine runs better when it is not as hot as usual, when it has full engine temp (all EU models have this temp), it seems like it is more lazy and I am worried to go over 4k rpm. :) I know other MX owners who has the same temp, it is normal here, but... I'd like to have lower temp, the question is can this exchange hurt my engine?

Thank you!
MX-3 V6 1993 | Black | EU-spec | K819
Top
User avatar
MX3ak
Regular Member
Posts: 278
Joined: April 1st, 2006, 7:44 am
Location: Portugal.EU

Post by MX3ak »

Hi

I was wondering about that subject too.

Since I instaled a new thermostat, from the 2.5, in my 1.8, my radiator's fan is alltime on after warmup.
Just a little bit of high Rpm's and the niddle climbs like 2 milimeters.

Wondering. Would the thermostat from 2.5 be different from 1.8...
K8 running LPG (Liquified Petrol Gas)
Top
User avatar
Steve_SK
Regular Member
Posts: 503
Joined: October 5th, 2006, 3:56 pm
Location: Slovakia
Contact:
Contact Steve_SK

Post by Steve_SK »

According to Mazda EPC2 thermostat for our MX3 K8 is the same as for 626 GE with KL engine. All EU spec, they have the same catalogue numbers. There is no difference.
MX-3 V6 1993 | Black | EU-spec | K819
Top
lakersfan1
Senior Member
Posts: 3825
Joined: June 26th, 2003, 2:01 am
Location: Puyallup, WA

Post by lakersfan1 »

MX3ak wrote: Wondering. Would the thermostat from 2.5 be different from 1.8...
No. The stock for both is 180 degrees.

I've been running a 170 degree thermostat since I installed my KL, works fine. It's a little cooler when on the freeway, but keep in mind that in rush hour your coolant still needs to get to 210 degrees for the fans to come on.
Top
User avatar
Steve_SK
Regular Member
Posts: 503
Joined: October 5th, 2006, 3:56 pm
Location: Slovakia
Contact:
Contact Steve_SK

Post by Steve_SK »

Can someone answer my question please? :) And also, higher eng temperature ensures better oil lubrication or something else? Is there something I should be worried about when putting 170 F thermostat in my K8? How is it in winter? When there's -20 C here in my country and in summer around 35 C. I think for summer it is better, but how's it in winter?
MX-3 V6 1993 | Black | EU-spec | K819
Top
User avatar
PATDIESEL
Senior Member
Posts: 4476
Joined: August 13th, 2001, 2:01 am
antispam: ~SPAM*SUX~
Location: Atlanta, GA.

Post by PATDIESEL »

Actually the higher temp thermo would be better for stop and go traffic. Water is a better heat exchanger the hotter it is. The 170* would be easier on the motor since heat and friction are the killers. However, the car will not stay as cool in heavy traffic with a 170* thermo since it will have to rely on the fans much more and after a bit the fans won't be enough to keep things cool.
Image
ZE -strait neck,headers,2.5 exhaust,pheno spacers,lower cross member,GC coils,MS struts,Brembo slotted rotors,filled MS mounts,SS brake/clutch lines, CAI,to rear bat reloc,Hella headlamps,Hella DE fogs 180WHP
Top
hgallegos915
Senior Member
Posts: 6451
Joined: June 19th, 2004, 2:01 am
Location: El Paso Tx U.S
Contact:
Contact hgallegos915

Post by hgallegos915 »

I dont know what thermostat I have.. im sure its a cool one.. i find myself rarely having to use the fan ( i wired it to a switch) The temp stays at a constant middle. I turn the fan off when im on the freeway. I have it set to high speed. I say go for the colder thermostat.
-hec

MX-3 w/ curved neck millenia klde, boosted @ 5 psi. /bov and wastegate are good!/ nitto drag radial/ gutted interior/ millenia red top injectors, vortech fmu/aem wideband/ all bolts ons/ Car put together 100% by me. Mechanic? who needs a mechanic? ew.. real men work on their own cars!
Top
lakersfan1
Senior Member
Posts: 3825
Joined: June 26th, 2003, 2:01 am
Location: Puyallup, WA

Post by lakersfan1 »

PATDIESEL wrote: However, the car will not stay as cool in heavy traffic with a 170* thermo since it will have to rely on the fans much more and after a bit the fans won't be enough to keep things cool.
I'm not sure what logic you used to conclude this. In stop-and-go it will make NO difference if you have a 170 or 180 thermostat in. The thermostat will be wide open regardless in either instance, and the fans will still come on at 210 degrees and stay on until it cools down to 190 degrees.
Top
User avatar
PATDIESEL
Senior Member
Posts: 4476
Joined: August 13th, 2001, 2:01 am
antispam: ~SPAM*SUX~
Location: Atlanta, GA.

Post by PATDIESEL »

From personal experience. I've sat in some nasty Atlanta traffic and even with the fan running the car will overheat after a couple hours of not moving. This is with my 170* thermo.
In theory with a good enough fan, yes it should not overheat, but in practice the fan is not enough to combat the engine's heat with no air flow over a period of time.
Image
ZE -strait neck,headers,2.5 exhaust,pheno spacers,lower cross member,GC coils,MS struts,Brembo slotted rotors,filled MS mounts,SS brake/clutch lines, CAI,to rear bat reloc,Hella headlamps,Hella DE fogs 180WHP
Top
User avatar
Steve_SK
Regular Member
Posts: 503
Joined: October 5th, 2006, 3:56 pm
Location: Slovakia
Contact:
Contact Steve_SK

Post by Steve_SK »

If I put 170 F thermo in and will stop for a longer period of time, my fan starts like now when water is 95 C, or will it start earlier, for example at 89 C?
MX-3 V6 1993 | Black | EU-spec | K819
Top
User avatar
JM1EC-V6
Regular Member
Posts: 192
Joined: October 25th, 2005, 8:35 pm
Location: Chicoutimi, Québec , Canada
Contact:
Contact JM1EC-V6

Post by JM1EC-V6 »

my suggestion: only use a MAZDA one.
'94 Mx-3 GS-R SE, KL-ZE Interprep. (From '96 PGT KL)
1110Kg
-Interprep KL31 Spec.
ported heads, Polished combustion chamber,3 angle vlv job,10.3:1 C.R.,0.020'' O.S.,KL31 cam,-0.007'' heads,Long neck IM,KL31 TB, Hotshot headers,2.25'' exhaust,Magnaflow cat
ImageImageImage
Top
User avatar
Steve_SK
Regular Member
Posts: 503
Joined: October 5th, 2006, 3:56 pm
Location: Slovakia
Contact:
Contact Steve_SK

Post by Steve_SK »

Mazda is inside now. And it seems not working as I would like it to work.. Why not using not Mazda thermostat? I use parts for my car not manufactured by Mazda and they work great (Nipparts, Contitech etc.). But maybe I am missing something you wanted to say.. :wink:
MX-3 V6 1993 | Black | EU-spec | K819
Top
User avatar
PATDIESEL
Senior Member
Posts: 4476
Joined: August 13th, 2001, 2:01 am
antispam: ~SPAM*SUX~
Location: Atlanta, GA.

Post by PATDIESEL »

Yeah, I don't understand why not either. I use a ton of non-Mazda parts and they all work just fine.
Image
ZE -strait neck,headers,2.5 exhaust,pheno spacers,lower cross member,GC coils,MS struts,Brembo slotted rotors,filled MS mounts,SS brake/clutch lines, CAI,to rear bat reloc,Hella headlamps,Hella DE fogs 180WHP
Top
User avatar
MX3ak
Regular Member
Posts: 278
Joined: April 1st, 2006, 7:44 am
Location: Portugal.EU

Post by MX3ak »

I've notice that too, why is there two different thermostats since they do the same thing?
Image
This is the one I buyed...
http://www.fordprobestore.co.uk/store/p ... cts_id=458

but in that store they have a more expensive one don't realy know why :roll:

Image
http://www.fordprobestore.co.uk/store/p ... cts_id=565
K8 running LPG (Liquified Petrol Gas)
Top
Post Reply

Return to “V6 Technical/Performance”