Remove Thermostat for Africa?

[bundubasher]

Bit of an explanation here:

http://www.yotasurf.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=10033

Reversing lights are no probs and don't think it is a legal req. to light the number plate in SA or Zim but I'm sure some bush policeman will correct me - for a price!

If we move up to Kenya then we might visit so lock up your beer!

[Apache]

If the water circulates faster it gets less chance to absorb the heat from the block, it will also have less chance to lose that heat in the radiator. Basically the water only transfers heat when it is in contact with the block or radiator. As far as I understand, the faster it is flowing, the less time it is in contact, therefore the less heat transfered. I may be totally wrong but that is how I understood it.

Cheers

A bit late to this, but think of this situation as the same as windchill. The windier it is (ie the faster the speed the wind passes over you) the colder it feels. A fluid will remove more heat when there is a greater differential, and moving more water throught the block will produce a greater differential. Therefore the less restrictive your cooling system, the better the heat sinking properties. This assumes an efficient means of removing the heat to the atmosphere via the rad.

To turn the theory on its head, picture slowing the flow until nearly stopped. You will probably end up with boiling water in the block and a relatively cool rad... I rest my case. The thermostat is there to enable the engine to work at its most efficient temperature. In a very hot country, it may be better to throw away some of that efficiency on the rare cold morning in return for better flow, and better cooling in really high ambient temperatures. However a multi cored rad would be a better solution than simply junking the stat.

[Big Jonah]

A bit late to this, but think of this situation as the same as windchill. The windier it is (ie the faster the speed the wind passes over you) the colder it feels. A fluid will remove more heat when there is a greater differential, and moving more water throught the block will produce a greater differential. Therefore the less restrictive your cooling system, the better the heat sinking properties. This assumes an efficient means of removing the heat to the atmosphere via the rad.

To turn the theory on its head, picture slowing the flow until nearly stopped. You will probably end up with boiling water in the block and a relatively cool rad... I rest my case. The thermostat is there to enable the engine to work at its most efficient temperature. In a very hot country, it may be better to throw away some of that efficiency on the rare cold morning in return for better flow, and better cooling in really high ambient temperatures. However a multi cored rad would be a better solution than simply junking the stat.

I'm not too hot on thermo-dynamics (no pun intended) but I tend to agree with above. The water might be in contact with the hot block for a shorter time & the over all heat transfer will be less, but will it be circulated to the rad quicker, and the smaller temperature gain will be easier to transfer out of the coolant to the air, so the coolant out of the rad will be a lot cooler than normal when it comes into contact with teh block. And the cycle goes on...

[bundubasher]

For your rear mounted spare try:


http://www.backrack.co.za/


Saw one of these yesterday and they look pretty good.