Does anybody out there know of a way to bypass or "parallel-in" electrically,
in order to bypass the ECU's fanatical control on the engine thermostat?
There's gotta be a way to run this platform below 200'F without having the
AC on MAX all the time. My concern is primarily for the engine oil. I suspect that even the mightiest Mobil 1 or other 5W 30 synthetic is going to break-down at constant temps of 220.
If the ECU is "looking" for a load / no-load condition before "deciding" to energize a relay, then fine, there's got to be a way to provide a dumy-load to the ECU while controlling the thermostat from elsewhere e.g. a thermo-switch to the actual relay coil.....or something. I will entertain any ideas. I've just kinda "had it up to here" with the little engine running constantly at high temps (like well-over the 212'F required to boil water).
I'm only a 50,000 mile Mini driver, not a motorhead, but still an enthusiast. This seems like a great forum - once you weed-through the complaints. What I'm looking for is yet another mod. Done several to my little justa, and other than my concern for the engine's lifespan due to running hot, love the little thing, absolutely love it - no Prius envy here. Please offer help if you can.
Thanks

 

220 F is about right for any pressurized cooling system and the synthetic oil used in our MINIs is designed for that temperature, it won't break down.

Besides, your engine runs much more efficiently at higher temperatures.

Your MINI is not running hot, leave it alone.

Dave

 

True, it is the "new" thing that cooling systems are pressurized (and run over boiling).

If you get a custom tune, the temp can be adjusted through the ECU.

 

The engine is designed to run at 220 - 225. And they do this for a reason. The main reason is to reduce the engine emissions.

As for the Oil well if you use what is recommended there will be NO problem. But if you use regular old Dino oil then you will cause problems.

 

If you are worried about the oils viscosity then use 0w-40 it will handle much higher temperatures and Mobile 1 euro blend 0w-40 is an approved oil.

 

Yes, I know about the water temp. Mine runs in the same 105 degrees C/220 degrees F type range lots of times. Not concerned about it in isolation, and expect with summer heat loads the thermostat is more likely to go full open anyway, while now in winter it won't. Have a similar system on a high end Audi, and it can dump the thermostat to full open and force a fast coolant temp change almost on demand (in that case a quick 15 degree swing). The higher temp gives better fuel economy meanwhile.

Several of the posts seem to connect the water temp to the oil temp directly. In fact, I would generally expect a fully warmed engine to run above 220 for the oil system. Don't have a oil temp gauge in mine, but wouldn't surprise me to see 250 degrees frequently, and even 275 if it is working hard. In fact I would affirmative definitely want it to rise above 212F just for starters, because I would want to boil off any water in the oil that accumulates with normal engine function and cold-hot cycles. And if the R56 has things like under piston oil sprayers to cool them given the turbo, plus the oil at normal other high heat transfer points like around the head and at the exhaust valve guides, I can guess the oil in these things does warm up pretty well.

 

The OP is obsessing over something trivial. Water temps up to 245 are ok short term, and I wouldn't worry about oil temps until they reach 260+ (which you probably don't have a gauge for...

It just isn't an issue.

 

200 degree water temps is not hot, just drive the car and stop worrying about it. Higher temps get the best gas mileage and keep contaminantes evaporated out of the oil.
Back in 1988 I had a VW Jetta GLI 16V that I thought had high engine temps and it never left me stranded. It had a digital oil temp gauge and it woud read up to 260 degrees on a hot day. I don't own that car any more, but I still see it driving around occasionally.

 

OK, OK, I get it. Let it run hot. Thanks for all the INPUT!
And just fyi richardsperry vbmenu_register("postmenu_3233727", true);
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I do have guages for it, it doesn't run hot for "short periods" it's all the time, every day over 220
Well, thanks just the same

 

I really don't see anybody being arrogant, Just informative. Which is what you came to this forum for.

 

Antifreeze lowers the freezing point and raises the boiling point of the water in the cooling system, so even though the coolant temperature is above the boiling point of water, the antifreeze and pressure prevent boiling.

 

+1

 

Agreed, both on antifreeze and that the pressure raises the boiling point. Just like in the olden days of pressure cookers.