I was reading this thread on M.net:
http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=156618

because I want to do a 160* t-stat just to keep the car a little cooler.

It has always been my belief that engine wear is increased at startup and warmup due to the components being cold. Cold components means more play since they have not thermally expanded to operating spec. More play means more wear from **** bouncing around.

These M.net guys seem to be correlating coolant temp to engine temp. Something I felt was completely independent. Am I wrong to assume that a 160* t-stat would only negligibly increase wear on the engine? Yes, with lower CLTs, the engine components would be slower to warm up, but by how much?

So, should I leave the 180* tstat in or swap for a 160* and enjoy cooler running?

Note: Car is a semi-daily driver when I feel like driving it. I will also be doing a couple of track days in it, and it is autocrossed. Not really driven in winter so I'm not too concerned about heat.

 

180° is already cooler than the stock rating, which is 195° if I recall correctly.

If your engine is overheating, then merely changing to a "colder" thermostat is unlikely to help.

If your engine is not overheating, then I can't imagine what you'd stand to gain by wanting to decrease the operating temp.

 

For some reason I thought that stock was 180*.

I am not overheating. My cooling setup:
CXracing 52mm aluminum radiator
Silicone rad lines
Stock t-stat
25-75 antifreeze-water

I was more of curious as to weather or not running a bit cooler would help or hurt anything

 

Ditch teh 180 and 160 and get the stock dual valve. You don't need to run cooler, and you shouldn't use a thermostat to do it.

i have the stock thermostat and I average 185* coolant temps. there's no need to run the car cooler than that. (the sub valve starts to open at 182°, main valve at 188°; where the sub valve is then fully open.)


the 160* is just a trick that does nothing but keep you in warmup mode longer, wasting gas.

 

And your engine will not as readily cook moisture out of your oil, or break down acids formed in your oil, etc, etc. Alone you should leave it.

That's too cold.

 

what he said ^

the biggest cause of wear on an engine is the corrosive vapor in the crank case.

the best way to get that out of the crank case is to heat it up and expel it as a gas.

 

This convinced me to get rid of my gutted thermostat and get OEM.

 

i always go with a 180 or 195 whatever is in stock. you want your engine bearings to property expand!!

 

Thanks, stock it is.

 

OEM is where it's at.

 

I've had repeated bad horrid experiences with non-OEM

 

don't make me link the joe perez thermostat post.

get the REGULAR stant. be happy. do not get the super stant. or super stat. whatever.

 

I had almost totally forgotten about that.

 

I was just gonna say someone should post Joe's video! lol

 

oem 2 valve cost me an engine....blown HG 2 days later from that sucka sticking closed

 

Bad Thermostat happens. It's a fact of life. No matter which brand you choose.

 

A 180 degree stat kept my car in warmup more than twice as long as a 195.