i heard this a while back and have been doing it ever since before i race... i would turn up the thermostat all the way and leave the fan on 1 notch up....

apparently this helps cool your engine bay faster or something... BS????

 

might cool it off, I've always been told to run my heater if i think my car is over heating, and it seems to work. Not sure about gaining HP or performance b/c of it though.

 

Turning on your heater is like using your heater core as a second radiator. If your radiator isn't cooling your coolant fast enough, turning on the heater would help in lowering your coolant temperature.

On a side note, in the dead of summer, my Corolla's coolant temperature would rise quite a bit beyond the normal halfway mark. I'd turn on the heater full blast and roll down both windows in order to keep driving in the fast lane without overheating.

 

just slide your temp fader to the hot side and leave the blower off. true it helps cooling but it will not make horsepower. the blower requires power to run, so that can not help.

 

since were talking about cooling, i had heard that capping the coolant line to the throttle body helps in performance and will help your car go faster, but again don't you need that to help cool things down. what do you guys think about this??

 

http://www.hondata.com/heatshield.html
Here ya go. The coolant going to the throttle body is actually there to heat it up! Its to help idle stablity.

 

yup!

i have mine disconnected and until the engine is warm, the idle fluctuates about 50rpm or so every couple of seconds...

just for your info

t..

 

just helps remove heat from your engine bay

BUT

make sure you have the VENT heat on, you'll be conducting even more heat if you don't

 

The few times I've drag raced I turned the stat on hot and fan on high, with the car off. Yes it will cool down the engine bay significantly. I leave it on through the burnout even, up until staging then kill the fan, otherwise you're losing a whopping .1 hp due to extra alternator drag

 

not to mention, hit the A/c button (if you have it) while on full warm, this will turn the fan on at the radiator.

 

ok, so what you guys are saying is that the coolant line that goes there is just to heat it up. so then it's ok to take it off and it won't harm the motor?
have you guys try this? what are you guys using to cap it off?? about how much do get off your 1/4 time by doing this?


[Modified by bananacruzier, 6:46 AM 4/19/2002]

 

maybe !! but your water temp may lower some but you engine does not as fast !! stil hurting the engine if not cool right or the cooling is some way gone bad !!... and dont get fixed !!

 

I do this at the track if my car is pretty warm. I will turn the car in the On position, turn the thermostat to full HOT and click the A/C switch on with the fan on low. This will help blow out hot air and kick the A/C fan on, which cools the car.

As far as leaving the heater on while running, I do not think it will add any power, the car may run slightly cooler, but probably won't ADD anything.

 

Which hose is it on a 94 civic. I have looked and tried a couple of hoses but can't figure it out. Maybe its me. I have a turbocharged car so I don't really need the air temp any hotter.

 

It also kicks the compressor on, which is a significant hit on engine power though drag.

 

I don't have my AC belt on at the track or in the winter, so its ok.

 

jesus, this was 8 months ago!

 

lol lets keep it going
i was told before to do this also to keep the engine cooler while racing so i wont blow a radiator hose or have a leak but the fact is im already real hot while racing so turning the heat on just kills me
but it will help keep it cool.

 

Just add a Type R sticker, you'll get it right back

 

NO ****... Putting an extra load on the alternator by running your heater is just gonna make it work harder therefore drawing more hp away from the way it should go....

 

try this if you wanna use your brains...

wire up your radiator fan to a switch, run the fan up till just before you stage at the tree, switch it off, and you are as cool as possible (if you think it really matters!)

or you will melt your brain on the track (not good for concentration).

t..