On Sat, Jul 20, 2002 at 10:05:47PM -0700, Craig Oda - Personal email wrote:
> Jeff,
> isn't it better to have the engine run cool?  Why go through the
> hassle of switching out to an 87 degree unit?

   Generally, at least with watercooled engines, the hotter you can run it
without causing the coolant to boil over, the more power, better milage you'll
get out of it. So on many water cooled engines, you'll see thermostats for 196F
even (I'm assuming the 87 degree one is 87 C), or pretty close to boiling. Some
people would drop that back to 180F for Summer use.
   With the air-cooled engines, they always run way too hot, so hot they cook
the oil even, so everyone expends effort to cool them down. The head temp gauge
on the '81 engine in my '73 westy often hit 600F, and seldom was less than
350-400F. Likewise, the oil temp was usually around 225F at freeway speeds.
   Water cooled engines don't get anywhere near those temps, and can easily
handle temps of 200 or so, if the radiator is adequate to stop boil overs.

--
Harmon Seaver
CyberShamanix
http://www.cybershamanix.com