Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

If you take a look at the area of the stat where the coolant can flow, you'll see that it's a fraction of the area of the upper hose to the radiator. Therefore, it can certainly be considered a restriction to flow.

However, the flow rate is not the sole determining factor as to the capability to cool. The capacity of the radiator to dump BTU's is an important variable. Adding more flow without the benefit of a large radiator might not provide any benefits.

The typical cooling fan doesn't do much at low engine speeds and, without any vehicle speed, the engine might overheat anyway with the additional flow.

There is only one way to know..............