8 replies to this topic

[underdog]

1965 Riley Elf Mk II
998cc

I have posted on this topic before, but have new info and new questions.

I live in North Carolina (USA), and around here from about May-Sept the days run from 75°-95°f (24°-35°c) and the car , with the heater valve closed, runs great! The temperature gauge runs at or just a hair above the N, and that is with a 180°f (82°c) thermostat. If I leave the heater valve open, the temperature gauge runs significantly lower (3/4 of the way to the N mark)...especially in the morning and evening when the temp is cooler. I can only assume that the heater core is acting like a little radiator and pulling some of the heat out of the engine.

However, in the winter, when I need to use the heater, the engine temperature drops so low some mornings, I have to pull the choke back out or the car will stall at stop lights. The engine seems to begin to heat up and then when I get out on the highway the extra air flow cools the engine off...way off.

In the winter, when it's 20°f (-7°c) or so, I have to use the heat for the front window defroster and for the comfort of the driver.But when I do, I think that what causes the engine temp to drop so low. Of course, the heat coming out is less than adequate with the engine temp that low.

If I switch to a slightly hotter thermostat (88°c), isn't that going to affect my summer driving? Will it even "fix" my winter driving problem? Or, is this normal for such a small engine?

Any advice would be helpful.

Thanks.

[998dave]

You can swap to the 88 degree thermostat for winter driving without any issues.

I know a couple of guys here who use 82 in the summer, and 88 in the winter, swapping every six months.

First thought is normally gasket expense, but if you make sure the mating surface is clean you can get away with reusing the same gasket as it's relatively low pressure. Maybe swap the thermostat gasket when you change the gasket over in Spring as part of the annual service, (oil change, coolant, plugs, etc).

Dave

[Nightrain]

Get yourself a grille muff or make one to blank off the grille in winter. You'll probably need to block it all off in those sort of temperatures .

[998dave]

Get yourself a grille muff or make one to blank off the grille in winter. You'll probably need to block it all off in those sort of temperatures .

This is also a good idea.

Presume you have a splash guard at least anyway...

[underdog]

I'm not beyond switching the thermostat out for summer and winter driving, it just didn't seem that the extra 6°C was going to solve the problem. I'll try that this year and see how it goes.

I will take the advice too for a grill muff. I'll start looking around to see If I can find one to fit the Riley...seems like a pretty rare beasty here in the states.

Well, I'll do something, even if its wrong.

Thanks for the advice guys.

Ray

[Teapot]

Well, I'll do something, even if its wrong.

Legend. I'll nick that for my signature, thank you

[nicksuth]

Nice little "Muff" for you here..............

http://cgi.ebay.co.u...id=p3911.c0.m14

[jmetal88]

Almost sounds to me like your thermostat is stuck open. I lived in Fargo, ND with my Mini for a year, and it even got up to operating temperature in -30°f, although it wouldn't start in that weather unless I kept the battery indoors while I wasn't using the car. I do have the warmer thermostat though, to be totally honest.

[underdog]

Thats interesting, I have another thermostat of the same temp. Maybe I just need to swap it out and see if the old one is stuck open.


Ps. I can't take credit for the quote "I'll do something, even if its wrong". When we were building our house and we would throw the contractor a wild idea...that's what he said. It was inspiring, and I've used it ever since.