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These next 4 pics show how my 4.6L DOHC thermostat (right) responds alongside of the 03-04 Mustang Cobra OEM themostat as temps increase while underwater. |
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This pic shows how the t-stats react to coolant temps in the mid to upper 180s. Even though the stock Cobra thermostat is a 180° unit (left) you can see it actually allows very little flow at these temps. And an OEM GT500 (192°) unit would still be fully closed at this point. | ||
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You can see that if you want to keep coolant temps under 190° then you need a thermostat that starts to open around 15-20° lower than that. This is why I believe 170° is the ideal opening temperature for performance applications. | ||
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So there's just no reason to settle for the poor cold weather performance of a 160° opening temp. Plus Reische Performance thermostats operate more effectively, without the compromise of an improperly fitting bypass, which means my DOHC units will outperform any other low temp thermostat under any condition. | ||
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Additional Cooling System Improvements It is critical that the fan settings in your tune are set up properly to see the best possible heat dissipation from your cooling system. Otherwise a low temp thermostat will only be effective when the vehicle is moving because heat cannot be removed unless there is air passing through the radiator. With my thermostat installed your cooling fan(s) should be set to turn on between 184-190° and shut off between 176-182°, if not then re-flash your tune with the appropriate settings. Water transfers heat more effectively than antifreeze so I recommend using the lowest concentration of antifreeze possible for your climate along with a product like Redline Water Wetter. Just make sure you have enough antifreeze in your coolant to keep it from freezing in the winter and always run no less than 20% in a street car. I do not recommend adding Water Wetter to coolant that is more than 40% antifreeze. More on coolant properties from Redline Oil (PDF Link)
Most people think a larger radiator will improve the capacity of the cooling system but a big factor that is often overlooked is airflow. Increasing airflow will have a dramatic effect on the cooling ability of any radiator which is why most choose to do so when prepping a vehicle for race use. Some common ways to get more air through the radiator are:
This is also why you never want to remove the lower air dam on a modern vehicle. Not to mention it will reduce the life of the radiator fan(s) and could even cause overheating. Don't hesitate to contact me regarding your cooling system issues, I am happy to help.
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