[Land-speed] BBC Cooling System

[Askotto at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/22/2007 1:08:00 P.M. Mountain Daylight Time,  
lsr_man at yahoo.com writes:

Who uses  thermostats, and who uses restrictors?  If a restrictor, what size  
hole?

DickJ
In East  Texas




Hi DickJ
 
I run a 180 degree thermostat in the Lakester but I run a 5/8" up to a 3/4"  
diameter restrictor's in my drag and roundy round cars.
 
My theory is get the Lakester up to running temp quicker with the  thermostat 
but in the other race cars, which typically are already warm from  time 
trials, track packing and hot laps, so I want to cool the engine the  whole time 
it's running and I don't have to worry about a stuck thermostat  taking me out. 
Also I circulate the water through the radiator in the pits with  an electric 
water pump and having a thermostat in these cars would stop the flow  during 
cool down.
 
Some theorists says never run a restrictor as the engine should always run  a 
thermostat to "regulate" the engine temp.... I totally agree with getting it  
up to running temp as quickly as possible as more engine wear happens during 
the  first 60 seconds of the engine running than it would incur on a 100 mile  
trip.
 
That's also why it's a bad idea to warm up your car by letting it idle for  
long periods before you drive it on cold winter mornings. Some people think 
they  are doing the engine a favor warming it up before driving it but that's not 
the  case.
 
Otto



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