Just needed a little feedback here, I live in the Atlanta area and it gets pretty hot here in the Summer. Looking for some testimony from some 180 degree owners out there. Is it worth it and does it really help with performance?
Thanks

 

If you lower your T-stat, your computer will think the engine has not fully warmed up yet and keep adding more fuel... will hurt mileage and not help your performance and possible overload your cat.

YD

 

I have it and I love it. All that stuff about the computer not working right is bull.

 

It all depends where you live, lower states have less of a problem with it, in atlanta you may be able to get away with it, but in the winter you could throw codes and suffer por milage.

 

Our engines are meant to run at a temp closer to 210-215F. They use synthetic oil and it needs to reach those temp to burn off any moisture in the oil.

Back in the 70s and 80s guys used these in muscle car v8s and it worked because they were running regular oil and a simpler setup. Our engines were designed to run optimally at a higher temp.

Cool is better, however, for your intercooler. Check out threads about hood louvers and engine compartment venting.

Don't believe me? Just ask master MINI tuner, Mr. Webb what he thinks. I did.
http://store.webbmotorsports.com/

To me, it looks like Inferno just ran out of things to spend money on. How hot does it get in Michigan?!?

 

Its a toasty 42 right now

I have far from run out of things to do, but some of the things you say make sense in theory. In reality, I have run the thermostat for close to 6 months now in temperatures as low as 15 degrees. I have thrown no codes relating to the cooling system and the underhood temps of my car have decreased drasticly. As far as I'm concerned, it is a good product.

On the topic of reduced fuel efficiency, i cant really comment. With my driving style, I'm lucky to get 24 mpg. I didn;t notice it get any worse after the thermostat, but I've added alot of mods which could potetialy increase MPG around the sme time frame.

Granted, for someone who doesn;t push their car alot of the time, the thermostat is probably not necesary. If you do track the car alot or drive aggressivley, it couldn;t hurt to get it. Hell, I'm geting an oil cooler kit soon to increase the cooling efficiency.

 

Thank you, very respectable post, Inferno.
This is even what Peter had to say. I can't see much of a benefit for this unless it's the absolute last thing you do on a dedicated summer race car.

 

this is good information. I bought my 04 mini a year ago August and have been concerned about the fluctuation in the engine temps, I live in Fort Myers, FL, it is hot and humid down here, and at times the temp(I installed a manual Auto Meter temp gauge) gets over 220 degrees, makes me very nervous. a good tip is to make sure the AC is on and keep the RPM's above 1200 rpm's or so, the coolant temp cools down when i do this.

Still it makes me nervous, I know, I am old school, cut my teeth working on Ford Flathead engines, and every Ford engine since then, including the 1.6 Kent engine in my 78 Fiesta.

your comments have allayed some of my fears about overheating. thanks!

 

I ran a cooler T-stat for a couple years with the equivalent of a JCW setup. Didn't notice hardly any difference, but it helped keep it a tad cooler on the track. However when temps dropped, it DID throw regular "check engine" lights for coolant temp below threshold... and this was in California NorCal winters where it only rarely got down to freezing.

 

I have one as well, and I live in the bay area and throw codes regularly in the winter mornings. For me I feel no difference and plan on changing mine out when I get a chance.