Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi

I live in a country where we do not have very low temperatures. My question is whether it is necessary to have a thermostat fitted. The engine runs much cooler without the thermostat.
Thanks

It doesn't do the engine any favours to run at less than optimum temperature for any longer than it must.

The job of the thermostat is to keep the engine hot

switch the heater off by fitting a tap so the pipes get no supply ,easy to say harder to do

Where are you and what temperature does it run at, with and without a thermostat?

Without a thermostat the cooling at the front of the engine can take a 'short circuit', so one should always be fitted, unless you fit what is called a 'blanking sleeve'. It doesn't actually 'blank' anything, but it is used in competition sometimes and makes sure that the water flow does not take a short circuit.

If you have a heater fitted, then leave the tap open to allow the water to flow freely around the back of the engine. Easy to say with a convertible, maybe not so clever with a saloon or traveller?

We do have an uprated core fitted to the radiator, but even in ~40°C temperatures in Italy last year, the water temperature stayed around 90°C in traffic. We have an 82°C thermostat fitted all year round, and the electric fan (no mechanical blades) kicks in at ~85°C.