Removing thermostat and replacing with restrictor plate???

[Redneckin82]

I have a 91 celica that I run on an oval dirt track. The car is pinned 2nd gear 90% of the race, aside from caution flags. I am on my 4th motor in 6 weeks, blowing them for multiple reasons. My initial engine was cooked, I overheated it in am endurance race and melted distributor caps, wires, plugs, valve cover oil caps, etc. Over the last few motors I decided to replace the thermostat with a homemade water restrictor plate. The hole is 1/2in and I'm still getting hot. Once my RPMs are down, the motor drops down to temp within a minute or so. Should I get rid of the plate and let the water flow freely, make another plate with a smaller hole, or should i rely on a thermostat again??? Thoughts???

[MR2Jedi]

I'd ditch the thermostat all together and run without one. Maybe get an extra core in the radiator.

[Bitter]

you probably just need a larger radiator, but you should run a thermostat. Are you running water or coolant? straight water won't cool right, you'll get pockets boiling around the cylinders and it'll cascade to full boiling when the pressure drops if the cap opens. Run a higher pressure cap, bigger aluminum radiator, and a 170 or 160F t-stat.

running no restrictor lets the water flow through too fast and it can't drop its heat, goes back into the engine too warm, gets hotter, drops only a small bit of heat as it rushes through again, etc till you do overheat. Also try an underdrive water pump pulley, you could be caviating at high engine speeds and not actually moving much water.

[Redneckin82]

The track I run at requires water only... And the car is supposed to remain stock, aside from rollcage, safety, etc... We have been troubling shooting and have been bypassing the heater core. We are going to reconnect that and see how she runs this weekend, and are also going to invest on a thermostat that runs about 160 degrees. Hoping for the best!

[Redneckin82]

And i actually have a bigger radiator already... The last block I threw a rod out the side and it damaged about 6 columns on the radiator. I'm running a camry one now, which is a little bit bigger.

[Bitter]

nah, you need BIGGER than a camry radiator man. You need a 2 core atleast. ones for an automatic have a little more cooling capacity as well, hell you could actually have an oil temp problem, are you monitoring that at all?