Can a radiator be too efficient ?

steveyblack

Member
Jun 21, 2007
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I don't know much about what the previous owner did to the car but I think I have a different kind of radiator in my car.(from other pics I seen of stock rads, it doesn't look the same)....Well anyway it takes a while to warm up(thermostat is opening) and if i let it idle, it will get up to the right temp, but as soon as i get some air through the rad(30MPH+) i see the needle dip down to a couple of dashes before cold....What can it be? just and old sensor? Crappy guage? Or do I in fact have a too efficient of a radiator?
 

shaeff

Kurt is FTMFW x2!!!!
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Mar 30, 2005
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When my JDM 7M was delivered to my house, there was no thermostat at all in it. :nono:
 

IwantMKIII

WVU MAEngineering
Jun 12, 2007
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tlo86;1012509 said:
i actually received a 2jz with a thermostat missing the center section ;)

that's how i got my 7m originally :icon_bigg. hit under 120*F cruising on a cold night lol. This has been fixed....well kinda now....its a little burned up
 

Doward

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Jan 11, 2006
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Could be, yep. Check that you have a thermostat (I have no damn idea where it started, but WAY back, people thought that pulling out the thermostat = good thing)
 

charlesshen

New Member
Jun 5, 2007
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hell my problem is the thermostat in my 1j wont open and the car wont get hot you can keep your hand on the motor even with no fan, wired shit not driven till i figure out whats going
 

Snotcycle

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Jul 16, 2006
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charlesshen;1012714 said:
hell my problem is the thermostat in my 1j wont open and the car wont get hot you can keep your hand on the motor even with no fan, wired shit not driven till i figure out whats going

bringing new meaning to "Mad JDM Cool"
 

Dan_Gyoba

Turbo Swapper
Aug 9, 2007
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My thermostat got stuck open. With the stock rad, the engine never warmed up, which I verified was actually the case because I also had no heat.

Replace thermostat, and it's all good.

I now have a Koyo aluminium radiator, and it's still all good.
 

DegreE

Banned
Jan 11, 2008
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I did a new radiator, thermostat, water pump, and new hoses.

My needle stays below the middle and doesn't move. Even on the hottest days with the AC on full blast.
 

IwantMKIII

WVU MAEngineering
Jun 12, 2007
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DegreE;1012986 said:
My needle stays below the middle and doesn't move. Even on the hottest days with the AC on full blast.

stock temp gauge is pretty much useless when trying to have an idea on your engine's normal op temp variations.