rad and coolant

[Robert Harris]

I borrowed a book from Dave Williams, now overdue and on the way back  - I 
promise! by Century published in the 60's that explains graphically wear and 
temps and why a fast warm-up is critical.  This is the results of a 60 hour 
Gasoline Engine Test on a small industrial motor

     Temp        Cyl wear        Fuel Consumption    Power
      40   f         .008 in           3.8 gal/hr                  26 hp
      100 f         .002 in           3.5 gal/hr                  27.2 hp
      140 f         .001 in           3.2 gal/hr                  28.5 hp
      160 f         .0005 in         2.9 gal/hr                  29.0 hp
      180 f         .0003 in         2.8 gal/hr                  29.5 hp

"F. Thermostats

The thermostats function is to retard coolant flow through the radiator until 
coolant temperature increases to operating range.  A cold engine does not 
provide the best performance  and is subject to shortened life and sludging. 
 More than a gallon of water is formed as each gallon is burned.  In cold 
operating engines a portion of exhaust gasses and water blows by the piston 
rings and forms corrosive acids in the crankcase.  This contamination is 
greatest in wintertime due to retarding of the crankcase ventilating system by 
low air temperature and increased warm-up time"

Moral of all this is to bring the engine up to operating temp as fast as 
possible to minimize wear.  If electric fans, don't turn them on until 
operating temp.   If you can control matters (EFI can on most engines) get it 
warm (~180) as fast as you can.    At the right temp you make more power and 
get better economy.  A note about oil.  Seems to lubricate best at about 180 f 
 average and somewhere it MUST exceed the boiling point of water on an open 
surface in order to drive the water out.  If you don't, all the water makes 
sulfuric and nitric acid in your oil and all the wonnerfull things that follow.

If the first ingredient ain't Habanero, then the rest don't matter.
Other Obsessions: Ferro-Equinary , 1972 "Killer Whale" Mustang
Currently Interred in the Peoples Democratic Republic of California - Stalag 
Montclair
Puck da guns - ban Politicians!!!!!
Robert Harris <bob at bobthecomputerguy.com>


-----Original Message-----
From:	Sandy [SMTP:sganz at wgn.net]
Sent:	Sunday, October 19, 1997 9:33 AM
To:	diy_efi at coulomb.eng.ohio-state.edu
Subject:	Re: rad and coolant

I also saw somewhere (I think a ford book) that as the thermostat goes
down, the cylinder wear goes up. Now if I could, in some way tie this back
to EFI, it would be on the right listserv...

Sandy