Normal engine temp indication - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

jmatta · 06-05-2010, 05:17 PM

Do your car a favor and install the 160 degree thermostat. It may not do much in stand still traffic, but will certainly help all the other times. As JFP stated, the cars run considerably hotter than is indicated on the gauge, which translates to really hot oil temps.

I didn't see if your car was a standard, but if so, also install the "S" engine mounted oil cooler for greater heat dissipation.

Jake Raby · 06-05-2010, 05:55 PM

we recently gathered some data from a 2000 986S. This engine was running 246F oil temps with the coolant temp at 210, the gauge only said the engine was running a 190F coolant temp.

Adding a low temp thermostat was one of the ways I added the .5 MPH my Wife needed to set a land Speed Record in my 996, actually she broke 4 in one weekend!

edbelton · 06-06-2010, 01:08 PM

[QUOTE=jmatta]Do your car a favor and install the 160 degree thermostat.QUOTE]

Help me out here, I don't understant the advantage of having a thermostat that opens at 160F. Always thought the thermostat allows the engine to warm up more quickly by restricting some of the coolant from circulating in the system. Once that temp is reached (be it 160 or 185) the thermostat opens and have no control over the final normal operating temp. Thanks.

extanker · 06-06-2010, 01:14 PM

the fan on/off temps have a large impact on coolant temps. does /can anyone adjust them when they put a lower stat in ?

tonycarreon · 06-06-2010, 01:30 PM

[QUOTE=edbelton]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmatta

Do your car a favor and install the 160 degree thermostat.QUOTE]

Help me out here, I don't understant the advantage of having a thermostat that opens at 160F. Always thought the thermostat allows the engine to warm up more quickly by restricting some of the coolant from circulating in the system. Once that temp is reached (be it 160 or 185) the thermostat opens and have no control over the final normal operating temp. Thanks.

the current understanding is the stock thermostat doesn't start to open until 185, and fully open until 212. the LN thermostat is fully open at 185, allowing the engine to run cooler. also allowing the oil to stay cooler, and the transmission to run cooler..