[Healeys] thermostat discussion

Bob Spidell bspidell at comcast.net
Sun Jul 5 08:19:44 MDT 2009


re:
"the system's ability to dissipate heat, rather than variations in the
amount of heat generated that is the usual cause of overheating problems"


I don't have Michael's experience or smarts, but from what I have seen most Big 
Healeys' ability to dissipate heat is marginal at best.  Wouldn't the extra heat 
produced by ring bed-in tax the cooling system even more?

As an aside, I once broke in an airplane engine that had a multiple port 
cylinder head temp (CHT) gauge.  The cylinder heads ran quite a bit hotter 
(50-100deg C, IIRC) for an hour or so during the initial run-in (critical in an 
aircraft engine).  The tolerances for an A/C engine are typically greater 
(bigger numbers) than an auto's, and the cylinder cross-hatching is quite a bit 
rougher, but I would expect a Healey engine to run at least a bit hotter for a 
few hours (depending on the machining, ring type, etc.).


Bob



Michael Salter wrote:
> Although many good suggestions have been made it has been my experience that
> it is the system's ability to dissipate heat, rather than variations in the
> amount of heat generated that is the usual cause of overheating problems (
> ignition timing and leaking gaskets excluded of course)
> I would suggest that the air deflectors around the radiator be carefully
> checked to ensure that no air is coming back past them and into the front of
> the radiator.
> Failing that I would recommend swapping the radiators between the 2 cars to
> see if the problem moves with the radiator.
> Diagnosis is 90% of the cure.
> That will be 2 cents please.
> 
> Michael Salter
> http://www.netbug.net/blogmichael/?p=445


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Bob Spidell           San Jose, CA            bspidell at comcast.net

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