2nd Generation Specific (1986-1992) 1986-1992 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections.

No thermostat!!!Good OR BAD???

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Old Sep 8, 2003 | 04:53 AM
  #26  
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thank you everyone for your feedback
i am gonna run a thermostat!! no matter what
just get one that opens a little lower i guess like that mazda factory race.
also i am gonna run EVANS..
with a 13lb stant cap..
THANKS
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Old Sep 8, 2003 | 08:46 AM
  #27  
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Originally posted by JunpoweR
thank you everyone for your feedback
i am gonna run a thermostat!! no matter what
just get one that opens a little lower i guess like that mazda factory race.
also i am gonna run EVANS..
with a 13lb stant cap..
THANKS
Yeah, you do that. However, please allow me one thing... if you should come to find that there is no magic racing thermostat offered by reputable sources such as Mazdaspeed, Racing Beat, and Mazdatrix, then please entertain the possibility that you should either use the stock thermostat or properly modify the car for track-only use with a gutted thermostat body.

Here are the Mazda factory race recommended tips for track-only cars for those who would like to know what the big boys really run as opposed to the internet BS that always seems to surface on this subject:
http://www.mazdamotorsports.com/weba...ubject=cooling
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Old Sep 8, 2003 | 05:13 PM
  #28  
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With credit to the fc3s.org mailing list: (Steven Fooshee)
/Quote/
Okay, physics lesson. I've heard this "coolant doesn't get hot enough" bullshit too
often.

Q = A * m * (To - Ti)

Where "A" is a constant determined by about 30 million factors of the system; basically
surface area, heat capacity of the materials in the system, and corrosion layers on the
transfer surface.

Heat transferred (Q) is the product of the constant (A) times the mass flow rate (m) and
the temperature difference between the medium's (outlet minus inlet temp). As the mass
flow rate goes up, the temp difference will go down but the heat transfer at least stays
the same. It'll actually go up a little bit, since the average temp difference between
the engine and the coolant goes up.

Also, as you bump up the flow rate, the laminar boundary layer gets thinner so the "A"
constant gets bigger.

Anyway, the next time someone tells you that the coolant's not getting hot enough you'll
at least know better. /quote/

And for even more info (I love cut and paste, gives my old, tired, fingers a break)


http://yarchive.net/car/radiator_diagnosis.html

The pupose of a thermostat is to maintain an engine at a specified temp. When you remove the thermostat (for daily driving) the engine will spend most of it's time below the optimum temp, and fuel economy will decrease, engine wear will increase, and power will suffer.
Generally, the only time you would want to operate without a thermostat, is when the engine spends most of it's time under high load conditions (racing).


Last edited by steell; Sep 8, 2003 at 05:43 PM.
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Old Feb 25, 2004 | 04:37 AM
  #29  
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THANK YOU AGAIN!! =)
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Old Feb 25, 2004 | 07:14 AM
  #30  
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Did anyone see the word BYPASS in my earlier post.

About 1" under the stat in the housing is a BYPASS port.

The stat is supposed to cover the BYPASS port along with regulating flow to the radiator.

With no stat much of the hot exit flow BYPASSES the radiator and gets sucked right back into the block.
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Old Feb 25, 2004 | 08:42 PM
  #31  
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WOW! This is a lot of effort for a very simple question. The engine is designed to run with a properly functioning thermostat, either OEM or after market. You should install a thermostat designed for your rotary engine. Or don't and live with whatever consequences result, it is your car and your choice. All we can do is advise. Good Luck
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Old Feb 27, 2004 | 12:05 AM
  #32  
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thermostat mod

I drilled 4 1\8 inch holes into the thermostat to help cool the car better since it's under hotter , racing conditions.


Who thinks this would be good or bad..?
Opinions please..

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Old Apr 16, 2004 | 09:30 AM
  #33  
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Originally posted by Evil Aviator
Yeah, you do that. However, please allow me one thing... if you should come to find that there is no magic racing thermostat offered by reputable sources such as Mazdaspeed, Racing Beat, and Mazdatrix, then please entertain the possibility that you should either use the stock thermostat or properly modify the car for track-only use with a gutted thermostat body.

Here are the Mazda factory race recommended tips for track-only cars for those who would like to know what the big boys really run as opposed to the internet BS that always seems to surface on this subject:
http://www.mazdamotorsports.com/weba...ubject=cooling

Well lets see here is a list of upgraded thermostats

Nippon racing thermostat

SARD cooling thermo link:
http://www.bulletproofautomotive.com...il.php?ID=2949

buy anyways i found out that running any lower than 180 degrees with a stock ecu isnt good so ill put in a stock thermostat..
i will only run without it or a modified one after i get a standalone ECU for my turbo II
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Old Jul 20, 2006 | 10:48 AM
  #34  
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Hmm, lots of good info, I am going to re-install my T-stat.. I had read a lot of conflicting info abut after reading some of the symptoms of running without, I am expieriencing most of them... Hot spots, poor mileage, long warmup times.. ect.. Thanks all..
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Old Jul 20, 2006 | 10:56 AM
  #35  
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Why do people ALWAYS think they're smarter than Mazda engineers?
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Old Jul 20, 2006 | 11:08 AM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by My5ABaby
Why do people ALWAYS think they're smarter than Mazda engineers?

because some people do not feel that 182BHP is sufficient.
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Old Jul 20, 2006 | 11:17 AM
  #37  
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The only reason I was running without was due to the fact that I was too lazy to buy a new one when I put the motor back in, I kept saying, "next time I go to Autozone/mazda"
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Old Jul 20, 2006 | 11:20 AM
  #38  
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Originally Posted by My5ABaby
Why do people ALWAYS think they're smarter than Mazda engineers?

Well after some of the cars they put out and some of the issues they have had, questioning the merit of a certain design isn't always stupid. For god's sake if everyone just took what the engineers said as gospel then the Pinto/Fiero/Corvair,ect.... would still be on the road. THey are human and make mistakes. Not in this case so much but innovation is the key to Grassroots Motorsporting...
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Old Jul 20, 2006 | 11:21 AM
  #39  
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well i do agree that you should only run an OEM thermostat but i have run a cored thermostat with no problems aside from extended warmup periods. i have however run into quite a number of customer's cars that were running warmer than they should and low and behold they had aftermarket thermostats in them and once i swapped in OEM thermostats the engine ran at normal temps again.
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Old Jul 20, 2006 | 02:47 PM
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Originally Posted by RRTEC
Well after some of the cars they put out and some of the issues they have had, questioning the merit of a certain design isn't always stupid. For god's sake if everyone just took what the engineers said as gospel then the Pinto/Fiero/Corvair,ect.... would still be on the road. THey are human and make mistakes. Not in this case so much but innovation is the key to Grassroots Motorsporting...
Pinto = American
Fiero = American
Corvair = American

There's the problem right there...
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Old Jul 20, 2006 | 03:35 PM
  #41  
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Pulsation Dampner on the Rx-7's........

But I do agree, American Cars have MORE eng. issues then the Japaneese counterparts...
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Old Jul 20, 2006 | 04:23 PM
  #42  
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Okay, there's a lot of BS here and a LOT of writing. I don't fully understand the cooling system myself but I do know the simple answer (and part of the reason why but I'll skip that):

1. It is okay to run without a thermostat, but it will NOT cool as well. You have to block the bypass like the thermostat does. Racers can give you info if you want to do this.

2. Get an OEM thermostat. The ones in stores are sucky.

Last edited by ericgrau; Jul 20, 2006 at 04:25 PM.
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Old Jul 20, 2006 | 05:00 PM
  #43  
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Originally Posted by RRTEC
Pulsation Dampner on the Rx-7's........

But I do agree, American Cars have MORE eng. issues then the Japaneese counterparts...
God forbid a 10+ year old part fail . I'm anti-Ford ever since the minivan we had as a kid was recalled SEVERAL times for potentially FATAL design flaws.

Newho... just put in a new Mazda thermostat.
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Old Jul 20, 2006 | 05:59 PM
  #44  
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Originally Posted by JunpoweR
Well lets see here is a list of upgraded thermostats

Nippon racing thermostat

SARD cooling thermo link:
http://www.bulletproofautomotive.com...il.php?ID=2949
Oh yes, I totally forgot about the upgraded $97 Toyota Altezza thermostat in a fancy package. I'm sure that would give at least a 50hp increase in an RX-7, and it should fit and work with no problems because an RX-7 is pretty much the same thing as an Altezza.

Nippon Racing is also very well known in the RX-7 world. I think they hold the record for winning the most endurance races with RX-7's, and they make an uncountable number of high quality RX-7 performance parts. Nippon Racing designed the cooling system in the famous Mazda 787 race car driven by Chuck Norris to win the 60 Hours of Sebring. I can't believe I forgot about them too.

I am so sorry for posting a link to the recommendations of the Mazda factory race team website rather than mentioning the far superior alternatives above.

Originally Posted by JunpoweR
buy anyways i found out that running any lower than 180 degrees with a stock ecu isnt good so ill put in a stock thermostat..
i will only run without it or a modified one after i get a standalone ECU for my turbo II
I think that both Haltech and Microtech come with a 160 degree thermostat as part of the wiring harness package because there really isn't much point in getting a standalone ECU without the lower temperature thermostat. Don't get a Motec because you have to buy the lower temperature thermostat separately, just like the wiring harness and sensors. Piggyback ECU's are OK, but they usually only work with a 175 degree thermostat, which is why they don't produce quite as much power as a standalone.
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Old Jul 21, 2006 | 12:39 AM
  #45  
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Originally Posted by My5ABaby
God forbid a 10+ year old part fail . I'm anti-Ford ever since the minivan we had as a kid was recalled SEVERAL times for potentially FATAL design flaws.

Newho... just put in a new Mazda thermostat.

recalls now are just more common due to the legal mumbo jumbo out there. cars now are more safe than they were 50 years ago but you never had cars come in 50 years ago for leaky gas tanks that were potential fire hazards/death hazards.
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Old Jul 21, 2006 | 01:07 AM
  #46  
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You should see some of the recalls. They're pretty serious. Revving RX-8 for too long at stand-still blows cat, might start fire. Or something like that.
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Old Jul 21, 2006 | 03:57 AM
  #47  
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WOW, i am having the warm up issue but it is funny, it will go above 1/4 the way on temp gauge if I ROD THE **** out of it but then it cools quite fast. My last motor I didn't have the shroud over my fan and the temps were normal to high at some times. But now with this shroud I get those conditions and am running the same pump, thermo, radiator, ect from last motor. CRAZY! Guess I will check thermo tommorrow. Engine is S5 13BT.
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Old Jul 21, 2006 | 06:47 AM
  #48  
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Originally Posted by Karack
recalls now are just more common due to the legal mumbo jumbo out there. cars now are more safe than they were 50 years ago but you never had cars come in 50 years ago for leaky gas tanks that were potential fire hazards/death hazards.
There was exposed wiring less than 6 inches from the gas tank...
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Old Jul 22, 2006 | 02:08 PM
  #49  
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Removed my thermostat yesterday and tested it in some boiling water, no movement SO i had a OEM replacment laying around and installed it. I live out here in So Cal and lately it has been hotter then hell, 120 in the sun today!! Went out and drove the 7 and actually boosted it more then normal( not great power with this heat, even with front mount) and my temp gauge needle didn't even go above the 1/4 indication. Once I came to a stop it would drop a little bit.

My cooling system either rocks or my gauge is fucked up OR my temp sensor is bad(looks great and tested fine). Only once has my temp gauge indicated normal temps and that was after much HARD driving.

???
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Old Jul 23, 2006 | 12:02 AM
  #50  
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1/4 is normal!
1/2 is hot.
3/4 is pushing the limits.
7/8 is overheat.

Last edited by ericgrau; Jul 23, 2006 at 12:06 AM.
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