Ok so sifting through all this I've seen we have run off topic and some comedy to boot!  Anyways didn't want to stir up any drama amongst you guys.  However I did pick up a few things that were quite helpful.  Hey Zip on your 1380 so bottom line you thought you were running hot but in actuality it was the meter not working properly?  So what temp did you end up running?  My engine hovers just past the "N" marker. Does anyone know what the actual temps might be at each section??  Again guys thanks for all your help this far.  

Hey guys been quite warm out these past few months in SoCal.  Just wanted to see if anyone else is supper from sweaty arm pits driving their Minis.    I've got an early early mini and have tried everything I can to block out the heat from the engine.  What else have people don't to combat this issue or am I the only one??!!  One thing I have noticed however is that the radiator house coming into the heater is always warm/hot.  Maybe this is the culprit?  Other than that I've tried to put sound deadening material inside the dash as well as the firewall with extra thick muffle material to try to keep the heat out.  maybe it's just best to drive in the winter!

Ok so sifting through all this I've seen we have run off topic and some comedy to boot!  Anyways didn't want to stir up any drama amongst you guys.  However I did pick up a few things that were quite helpful.  Hey Zip on your 1380 so bottom line you thought you were running hot but in actuality it was the meter not working properly?  So what temp did you end up running?  My engine hovers just past the "N" marker. Does anyone know what the actual temps might be at each section??  Again guys thanks for all your help this far.  

Ok so sifting through all this I've seen we have run off topic and some comedy to boot!  Anyways didn't want to stir up any drama amongst you guys.  However I did pick up a few things that were quite helpful.  Hey Zip on your 1380 so bottom line you thought you were running hot but in actuality it was the meter not working properly?  So what temp did you end up running?  My engine hovers just past the "N" marker. Does anyone know what the actual temps might be at each section??  Again guys thanks for all your help this far.  

Cameron, no man is an island... remember that.

zip, when the engine is too hot, the first line of defense is the coil.  the coil heats up and cuts off the supply of electricity to the spark plugs thus rendering the engine to stop and cool down. 

did you ever wonder why the car stops when overheating?  it's the coil that stops the engine to prevent further damage.

and now you know!!...lol

i'm sure, malsal and Dan will email you privately and will tell you.... "yes zip, boison is right"

zip, when the engine is too hot, the first line of defense is the coil.  the coil heats up and cuts off the supply of electricity to the spark plugs thus rendering the engine to stop and cool down. 

did you ever wonder why the car stops when overheating?  it's the coil that stops the engine to prevent further damage.

and now you know!!...lol

i'm sure, malsal and Dan will email you privately and will tell you.... "yes zip, boison is right"

lol, sir zip, ..the OP is having issues with his sweaty armpits due to heat INSIDE the car, all were pointing at the direction of having an airconditioning inside the car..... BUT all of a sudden to our surprise,out of the blue,you posted a picture of your supposed heavily modified sophisticated cooling system with a bypassed hose thingie,, i just seconded and backed up your cooling system ideas and it went on and on.

zip, when the engine is too hot, the first line of defense is the coil.  the coil heats up and cuts off the supply of electricity to the spark plugs thus rendering the engine to stop and cool down. 

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha..... Deep breath... Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
You really couldn't be this stupid. But, this schtick is getting old.

did you ever wonder why the car stops when overheating?  it's the coil that stops the engine to prevent further damage.

and now you know!!...lol

i'm sure, malsal and Dan will email you privately and will tell you.... "yes zip, boison is right"

zip you mean you put a thermometer on the outside top part of the radiator??????? and not touching the actual liquid coolant??? and you expect to get an accurate temp reading?lol?  that is probably 10degrees off zip.

No, you idiot. I used a candy thermometer in the radiator. (But one of those fancy infared point 'n shoot thermometers will be pretty accurate.)

when i was having the same issue before, this is what i did,  i bought a used engine Coil, installed it.  i start the engine in my backyard(don't rev it)  let it idle until it gets really hot to the point that the coil fry and the engine stops. Now i grab a permanent marker and put a mark on the temp gauge exactly when the engine stopped.  that mark is my "red" zone. 

Tell us how on earth a coil "frying" has anything to do with water temperature. And, please describe what you mean by "fry" ????

then i put a new engine coil and the car runs again.

Any time your car runs is a miracle.

PS: you need to have a new good running temp sending unit before you do this procedure to begin with.

???????????????????????

zip you mean you put a thermometer on the outside top part of the radiator??????? and not touching the actual liquid coolant??? and you expect to get an accurate temp reading?lol?  that is probably 10degrees off zip.

when i was having the same issue before, this is what i did,  i bought a used engine Coil, installed it.  i start the engine in my backyard(don't rev it)  let it idle until it gets really hot to the point that the coil fry and the engine stops. Now i grab a permanent marker and put a mark on the temp gauge exactly when the engine stopped.  that mark is my "red" zone. 

then i put a new engine coil and the car runs again.

PS: you need to have a new good running temp sending unit before you do this procedure to begin with.