the heat transfer rate and the efficiency your engine runs at is determined BOTH by the efficiency of the vehicles cooling system and the t-stat opening temp
the t-stat is limiting flow below its rated temp, the cooling system efficiency, the rate the cooling system can transfer heat to the outside air flow, the outside air temp,
will determine the upper or running temp above the t-stat opening temp.
keep in mind a t-stat does not limit the cooler coolant entering the engine, its function is to keep the coolant flow through the engine minimized,
until its absorbed enough heat to reach
the t-stats opening temp that allows the coolant to flow out of the engine.
it might help if you think of it this way,
if you had the cars water pump inlet hose connected to a swimming pool,
and the engines output hose dumping back into the far side of that swimming pool
the engines coolant would enter the engine at (ROOM TEMP) and the t-stat would open once the pool water in the engine reached its temp setting, it would pick up heat as it traversed the engines coolant passages but with an unlimited volume of pool water at near room temp as a supply the t-stat would constantly open and close, and coolant temps your sensor showed would rarely exceed about 10 degrees more than the t-stat, even if the t-stat was a 160f or a 200 f, rated t-stat, unfortunately, all cooling systems don,t have a (unlimited ability to supply room temp coolant) so the temp runs at what ever temp the cooling system can operate, remember the outside air flow might be anywhere from -30f-110f in various areas of the usa, but thats always a considerably lower temp than the engines coolant so the radiator can transfer heat to the outside air flow. obviously the greater the difference in temp between the coolant exiting the engine and the outside air flow temp, naturally once the car/trucks up to cruising speed ,that ADDS TO THE AIR FLOW RATE THROUGH THE RADIATOR OVER WHAT THE FANS Alone can supply in air flow rates, remember the larger the surface area of the radiator ,and the higher the rate of air flow over the radiator surface, the more efficient the heat transfer can potentially be!
reading the links should help
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/thoughts-on-cooling.149/
www.stewartcomponents.com
BBC with mechanical water pump will hold a lot of pressure for a week or more. When I remove the cap 6 or 7 days after the last drive to check fluid level, the water blows out with pressure. It doesn't seem to loose any fluid while driving but does seem to run hotter than I would like. Have been...
garage.grumpysperformance.com
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/how-the-cooling-system-works-basics.853/
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ing-system-flow-rates-and-heat-transfer.9880/
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/tips-on-cooling.199/