MN (2.5hp) High Engine Temperature Thermostat Modification

[rodeddy]

hi,
did you end up buying a std Mitsu type or the Tridon hi flow? I'mthinking of buying the hi-flow and then still doing the mod BUT i think the Tridon has the jiggle pin and hence may not need the mod re air lock??
cheers, Rod

Are you doing it twice?

The bloke who posted up about this mod is away for the weekend on the robe trip so he won't answer til next week, if he answers at all.

I haven't done the job but I bought the thermostat. I was also able to source a gasket from an auto shop somewhere which purported to be a gasket for the thermostat.

[Cowboy Dave]

Bought the hi flow - still in its packet somewhere...

[rodeddy]

..was it the Tridon brand and did it have a jiggle pin?

just curious,
cheers, Rod

Bought the hi flow - still in its packet somewhere...

[Cowboy Dave]

Yeah I think it was Tridon and I don't know about the pin. It took me a long time to find one in a shop and once I found the part number matched I didn't give it a whole lot more attention. Now it would take me as long to find the bloody thing as it would you to start and finish the job and write a book about it. I can narrow it's location down to an area of roughly 3m x 3m - unfortunately it shares that space with about a thousand other items, probably 100 of which relate to unfinished plans for the Triton

[Cowboy Dave]

Just looked up the part number TT297-180 and it does appear to have a jiggle pin. FWIW...

[rodeddy]

awesome ...... i shall grab one today..
cheers

Just looked up the part number TT297-180 and it does appear to have a jiggle pin. FWIW...

[ag9111]

I can narrow it's location down to an area of roughly 3m x 3m - unfortunately it shares that space with about a thousand other items, probably 100 of which relate to unfinished plans for the Triton

I can relate to that
Maybe not that many, but I can relate

[Cowboy Dave]

I packed a whole garage into boxes 5 months ago to move. Haven't really been back to look in the boxes since but we have to move again soon so who knows what I might find? Best I just forget I reckon.

[ag9111]

I had a blitz lately and have cut my projects back to 1 black tub

Plus a few others lying around the garage in their own cardboard boxes

[Cowboy Dave]

Yeah I started with one, then there were two, and now I just... I should pay someone on airtasker to come over and create for sale listings for all of the bits and pieces.

[rodeddy]

I ended up buying a new thermostat from Mitsubishi, about $30, compared to the Tridon hi flow, which was over $50.
I did consider the effect of the hi flow being better but from previous results drilling a hole in the std item, the 'proof was in the pudding', so to speak.
Add to that, the Tridon unit, even though it states hi flow, seemed to have a small opening diameter compared to the OEM. So not sure how it flows more other than opening further ???

The OEM thermostat came with the rubber seal which simply fits around the circumfrence of the thermostat, the Tridon had no seal with it and need to purchase seperate. Total comes to around $57. The Tridon unit did have the jiggle pin fitted and is actually a reverse jiggle pin so it will flow a small amount of coolant through to the radiator during warm up. The oem does not.

I drilled the 1/8 hole, but not in the same place as the above pictures...this is because when i removed the thermostat housing, the thermostat was fitted in on an angle. Hence i drilled the 1/8 hole so it would be at the top when refitted on the same angle.
I managed to capture all the coolant, and when i refilled it, managed to get all bar 200ml back in. The 1/8 hole obviously has allowed proper re-filling without an air lock.
I let it idle until it reached normal operating temp and shutdown. Waiting to cool as i write this and in the morning will check the overflow bottle for level and top up..
.......what i did manage to find was an oil leak on my auto transmission, coming from the sump pan gasket - so in to Tynans tomorrow to get replaced under warranty - fingers crossed they know how to do this ... lol

Thanks to all for the info and will test drive to see effects tomorrow. My main aim with this mod is to stop the annoying engine fan coming on as im driving in warm weather. It basically starts coming on and making a roar when the outside temp hit's around 28 degrees ... doing my head in. If this mod helps with the coolant being cooler, then the air through the radiator reaching the viscous fan should be a little cooler and hence stopping the fan from engaging ... perhaps now the fan will only engage when the outside temp is more towards mid 30's??
will try tomorrow and post findings.
cheers, Rod

[rodeddy]

ok ...... how do i delete the above post - i ended up posting it twice - sorry guys...

[ag9111]

And over 1 1/5 hrs apart.
Well done, that takes skill.

[rodeddy]

thanks ...... I'm still trying to figure it out .... i originally thought i had just written it, then copied it, to post later. So when i posted it, i realized i had actually posted it the 1st time .... and I'm not even on nightshift !!

And over 1 1/5 hrs apart.
Well done, that takes skill.

[Cowboy Dave]

Should be better now if my iPhone isn't lying to me

[rodeddy]

thankyou

Should be better now if my iPhone isn't lying to me

[rodeddy]

hi cowboy dave,
one day, whenever you get around to it, it will be interesting to see the results you get with the hi flow fitted compared to the OEM with the mod ..
ps i cant report back on my results as car at Dealers getting auto trans pan gasket changed - it just started leaking - and they didnt have a gasket in stock, so needed to order - another day - hopefully get back today.
cheers, Rod

Bought the hi flow - still in its packet somewhere...

[rodeddy]

hi,
i thought i would take the chance to update since i have driven the car in a few hot days,
I don't have a scan gauge so i can't really give temp numbers etc BUT i can tell you what has changed.
Normally once the outside temp reached 28 degrees (showing my car info display), then normally engine fan would come on .. very noticeable.
Since the mod, the engine fan is not coming on until outside temp is about 32, and then only coming on occasionally.
This confirms to me that the mod and findings others had, is true.
Since the coolant is now not as hot through the radiator, the air passing through the radiator is not as hot, hence my fan not coming on as often . Obviously now, the outside temp needs reach around 32 or greater for the engine cooling to cause the fan to come online.. way better ....
I'm thinking about trying the Tridon hi flow thermostat, to see what effect it has.
cheers, Rod

I ended up buying a new thermostat from Mitsubishi, about $30, compared to the Tridon hi flow, which was over $50.
I did consider the effect of the hi flow being better but from previous results drilling a hole in the std item, the 'proof was in the pudding', so to speak.
Add to that, the Tridon unit, even though it states hi flow, seemed to have a small opening diameter compared to the OEM. So not sure how it flows more other than opening further ???

The OEM thermostat came with the rubber seal which simply fits around the circumfrence of the thermostat, the Tridon had no seal with it. The Tridon unit did have the jiggle pin fitted. The oem does not.

I drilled the 1/8 hole, but not in the same place as the above pictures...this is because when i removed the thermostat housing, the thermostat was fitted in on an angle. Hence i drilled the 1/8 hole so it would be at the top when refitted on the same angle.
I managed to capture all the coolant, and when i refilled it, managed to get all bar 200ml back in. The 1/8 hole obviously has allowed proper re-filling without an air lock.
I let it idle until it reached normal operating temp and shutdown. Waiting to cool as i write this and in the morning will check the overflow bottle for level and top up..
.......what i did manage to find was an oil leak on my auto transmission, coming from the sump pan gasket - so in to Tynans tomorrow to get replaced under warranty - fingers crossed they know how to do this ... lol

Thanks to all for the info and will test drive to see effects tomorrow. My main aim with this mod is to stop the annoying engine fan coming on as im driving in warm weather. It basically starts coming on and making a roar when the outside temp hit's around 28 degrees ... doing my head in. If this mod helps with the coolant being cooler, then the air through the radiator reaching the viscous fan should be a little cooler and hence stopping the fan from engaging ... perhaps now the fan will only engage when the outside temp is more towards mid 30's??
will try tomorrow and post findings.
cheers, Rod

[rodeddy]

hi Guys,
I thought i would buy the Tridon hi flow thermostat and see what results i would get v the modified unit.

The Tridon hi flow thermostat, TT297-180, which is listed to suit my 2013 Mitsubishi Triton dual cab turbo diesel.
I had also had the original OEM that came out of my Triton.
So, in the end i had both.
According to Tridon packaging and info on the part number list, this unit is a hi flow and has 30% extra cooling flow.
Since i had both side by side, i was trying to see how the Tridon flows 30% more.

Looking at both units to compare:
- the valve opening area is the same – so no adavantage here

- I put both in a pot and slowly brought to a boil.
- both opened at the same time
- the OEM actually opens further due to its design where the rear support bridge is square and the valve when opening clears it.

- the Tridon unit opens as far as it can, which is basically up to where it stops up against the rear support ‘bridge’ – as the bridge comes in on and angle.

- once the valve opens, the Tridon unit flow is hampered by the thicker front support ‘bridge’ as it is wide and flares open a little.

- the OEM unit front support ‘bridge’ is narrower and is higher and further away, which to me is less restrictive.
-once the water starts to cool, the Tridon starts to close earlier, the OEM stays open longer.


My basic understanding is that the OEM would actually flow more than the Tridon hi flow, let alone the Tridon flow 30% better than the OEM unit.
I have sent Tridon email asking the proof to how their unit flows 30% more after looking and experimenting myself.

very interesting??

[rodeddy]

further to the info re my experimenting above ...... i have been searching why the Tridon thermostat is advertised as hi flow ..... i found this info :

Have any of you two-stroke diesel owners tried a Weir Thermostat?
I learned that the reason the S60 thermostat behaves the way it does; that is, able to operate at any temp within it's t-stat operating range in temperature equilibrium w/o the fan on high speed is because of the Weir t-stat.
Basically the Weir t-stat starts to open a small amount and will remain open a little if the cooling system temperature stays the same. If the coolant gets a little hotter, then the Weir t-stat opens a little more in a very controlled manner. This makes for better coolant temperature control and fluid flow control. The Weir t-stat came on the scene around 1997 and is in common automotive and trucking use today.
The Weir provides just a fraction of the flow of a traditional t-stat at the same operating temperature. Traditional t-stats can cause thermal cycling as the t-stats were basically open and close devices. This behavior lets a flood of cold coolant into the engine which then closes the t-stat. The engine then heats up, the fan kicks on, the t-stat opens, and again a flood of cold coolant enters the engine which closes the t-stat, and the cycle repeats.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
..so, when i get a chance, i shall fit the Tridon unit and see what happens???
cheers, Rod

[rodeddy]

ok...... update..
with the modified OEM thermostat with 1/8 hole - cooling was obviously better as i mentioned above BUT the other morning when it was but 14 degrees when i left for work, it took from Engadine to Caringbah to reach normal operating temp per the std temp gauge... not good i suspect. I feel there is too much water passing through the 1/8 hole?
So, i tried the Tridon hi flow thermostat, as pictured above. I fitted this morning and tried out today. Did a trip out to boat harbour and back to Engadine. Was dissapointed. Outside temp was only showing 26 and the engine fan was already coming on whilst driving, as temp got warmer heading home, 28, 29 it was basically coming on all the time.
So, as per the pictures above and my suspicions it doesn't look like a 'hi flow', it wasn't. Actually is was not as good as the std - let alone the modified version.
My next step will be to try another OEM thermostat, and only drill a 1/16 hole, hopefully this will enable the air to escape, better efficiency of the cooling system like with a 1/8 hole BUT also allow better/sooner engine warm up... stay tuned..

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

further to the info re my experimenting above ...... i have been searching why the Tridon thermostat is advertised as hi flow ..... i found this info :

Have any of you two-stroke diesel owners tried a Weir Thermostat?
I learned that the reason the S60 thermostat behaves the way it does; that is, able to operate at any temp within it's t-stat operating range in temperature equilibrium w/o the fan on high speed is because of the Weir t-stat.
Basically the Weir t-stat starts to open a small amount and will remain open a little if the cooling system temperature stays the same. If the coolant gets a little hotter, then the Weir t-stat opens a little more in a very controlled manner. This makes for better coolant temperature control and fluid flow control. The Weir t-stat came on the scene around 1997 and is in common automotive and trucking use today.
The Weir provides just a fraction of the flow of a traditional t-stat at the same operating temperature. Traditional t-stats can cause thermal cycling as the t-stats were basically open and close devices. This behavior lets a flood of cold coolant into the engine which then closes the t-stat. The engine then heats up, the fan kicks on, the t-stat opens, and again a flood of cold coolant enters the engine which closes the t-stat, and the cycle repeats.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
..so, when i get a chance, i shall fit the Tridon unit and see what happens???
cheers, Rod

[rodeddy]

Just interested in how long it takes for your car to reach operating temp?
..now with the cold weather upon us, i noticed my car takes a long time to reach operating temperature.
My needle sits dead centre when at temp.
It is taking 20 min of driving, about 15 km, before it reaches this ...??
A guy i work with, tells me his reaches operating temp within 5km of driving?
cheers, Rod

[rodeddy]

hi,

[insomniac92]

^^^ erm... Hello

[insomniac92]

I haven't really taken notice, but I'm guessing mines after about 5 minutes of driving, definitely not 20 mins.