Reply With QuoteFrequently, I think it is done as purely a "safety" feature so that you aren't as likely to get stuck looking for a thermostat at 3:00 in the morning while pulling a 4,000 pound trailer behind an Explorer over 16% grades.
Quit buying your parts from Mathews2004! :P He's really marking them up on you!Originally Posted by bigDstars
I never did figure out why Mazda used a two stage thermostat, my thoughts are it keeps the system from surging all at one when the thermostat opens. With my 150,000 mile original plastic radiator I went back with the OEM, it also cured my slow warm up issue.
Anyone out there know why Mazda uses the two stage thermostat?
Frequently, I think it is done as purely a "safety" feature so that you aren't as likely to get stuck looking for a thermostat at 3:00 in the morning while pulling a 4,000 pound trailer behind an Explorer over 16% grades.
Mathews2004 usually charges beer for parts!
I have a question about thermostats and running temps. I'm not sure if my car is warming up like it is supposed to, or at least as fast as it's supposed to. When I leave for work on a cold morning (like this morning), the temp guage barely moves past the 'C' (if at all) by the time I get to work (9 miles, all back roads, ~20 minutes). I read something yesterday that another symptom is lower than normal MPG. I am getting around 22-23 MPG in town. Does that sound low? What do y'all think?
I'm sure my M2 behaves differently in some aspects, but even my (brrrrrr) diesel VW gets up to 190 degrees within a couple miles, even when it's below 10 degrees. My M2 gets up to temp within a mile or so on the coldest of mornings. This morning, however, it's a comfortable 55 degrees in the garage, but that's another story...I have a question about thermostats and running temps. I'm not sure if my car is warming up like it is supposed to, or at least as fast as it's supposed to. When I leave for work on a cold morning (like this morning), the temp guage barely moves past the 'C' (if at all) by the time I get to work (9 miles, all back roads, ~20 minutes). I read something yesterday that another symptom is lower than normal MPG. I am getting around 22-23 MPG in town. Does that sound low? What do y'all think?
Sounds like a thermostat stuck in the open position or removed by a previous owner. For MPG reference, I get 28 in town with 93 octane, 30 with 89 octane, even driving in a routinely maniacal fashion. Others get less. 22-23 is probably not bad, unless you were getting better before.
Quit pushing that little pedal on the right flat on the floor and the mileage should get better.I have a question about thermostats and running temps. I'm not sure if my car is warming up like it is supposed to, or at least as fast as it's supposed to. When I leave for work on a cold morning (like this morning), the temp guage barely moves past the 'C' (if at all) by the time I get to work (9 miles, all back roads, ~20 minutes). I read something yesterday that another symptom is lower than normal MPG. I am getting around 22-23 MPG in town. Does that sound low? What do y'all think?
My '92 acted similar, and new Mazda Thermostat helped! The old one was stuck open, and it was the original, with just about 140K miles on it!
Mick
It's not as much fun when the right-hand pedal isn't flat on the floor...
http://www.mazdamotorsports.com/wcsc...0_93mcool.html
Nice Handy reference for the 1990-97 MIATA cooling system!
Thanks for the info guys, I'll be adding a thermostat to my shopping list.
Right-hand pedal not flat on the floor?!?! Blasphemy I say!!!!
Agreed that your car sounds like it has the t-stat stuck open. Even on the coldest of mornings, my car is fully warmed up within 3-4 miles of leaving the house
As for a mpg reference, I usually average about the same, 22-23mpg, with mixed city & highway driving. I think the highest I've ever seen was around 25-26mpg, and I've seen as low as 8-9mpg when pushing hard at the track.
Iain
Iain
"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
My 92 Miata is about as slow as Samms to warm up. I have been getting 25-26 mpg's usually. I believe my thermostat is stuck open, and I bought a $5 one from Autozone, but haven't installed that one yet. Maybe this weekend. I have to remove the cold air intake to get to one of the thermostat bolts.... Haven't priced the Mazda OEM thermostat yet, but read somewhere that it is much more than Autozone's...
Try these guys! It about about $16.00 IIRC
http://www.trussvillemazda.com/partsstore/
Mick
$15.68
"Not only am I a member of Team CB, I'm the president!"
But back to the original question, does the two stage thermostat help control surge that may cause a plastic radiator to blow it's top? I still have my original radiator with 150,000 miles on it! I'd rather buy a $16.00 thermostat than a $100.00 radiator!$15.68
"Not only am I a member of Team CB, I'm the president!"
There has to be a reason they did the two-stage thermostat, I know on old Cadillac’s & Chevrolet’s they have a bypass hose, so coolant can flow even if the thermostat is closed. Does a Miata?
Mick " Theof Cheap"
Good point KOC!I'd rather buy a $16.00 thermostat than a $100.00 radiator!$15.68
"Not only am I a member of Team CB, I'm the president!"
Mick " The
I'm different, but: if the OEM radiator is a POS, let it blow, and I'd happily upgrade to one of them fancy ones. Anyway, who decided a "normal" thermostat will destroy the radiator? If I know something OEM is best, I will use it.
I don't think anyone has decided one way or another; the thing I noticed was it was different than a "normal" thermostat.
Still wonder why Mazda did and continues to use their two-stage design, instead of the "normal" style. The two stage been the OEM style on Miatas for about 14 years........
Warm and toasty! I put in a new OEM thermostat yesterday. This morning my car was warm enough to bake cookies in it before I even got out of my neighborhood!
BTW, my old thermostat was indeed stuck open.
HHHHMMMMM Same as mine! At least the Mazda thermostats were nice enought to stick open!
I had a boat in my younger days that the thermostat stuck closed. I still miss that boat....
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