Drilling stock thermo..pic and ?

[Jimmysidecarr]

If you guys use an aftermarket stat make sure it comes with the correct(same) size bypass block off.

I have seen some aftermarket units that didn't even have one and others that were the wrong size.

If the bypass is not blocked off when the stat is in the hot open position, an enormous amount of HOT coolant is recycled back into the engine, mixing with the cooled coolant.

Before I switched to an Evans hot side stat, I ran 3 3/16" holes exactly where the OP has his arrows drawn.
It effectively lowers the operating temp since the factory one is quite slow to open.

There is no valid reason to fear reusing a used yet functional OE t-stat.

There is valid reason to be VERY CAREFUL about which aftermarket stat you run.

 

[PistolWhip]

Oh shit Jimmy, how are you feeling?!?!

 

[hawaiiancobra]

yeah sidecarr dude, hope your getting well, we need your input here on a daily basis, hope all is well with you jimmy

 

[Kevin the Clean 1]

Jimmysidecarr;

Where can I find an Evans hot side stat & how does it work... ?

 

[M240Bravo]

So you guys are saying that a 160 is just like running a stock one with the hole drilled in it?

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

So you guys are saying that a 160 is just like running a stock one with the hole drilled in it?

The stock stat during testing is not at the full open position until almost 210f.
To get it to act(flow) like a true 180f many of us have drilled multiple holes with good success.

To replicate a 160 on a stat that doesn't achieve full flow till 210 would be tough. However 3 or four 3/16" or 1/8" holes will get you pretty darn close to 170 or 180 respectively, and that should be good enough.

Let's not forget about lowering fan kick points though. If you are sitting in traffic with the factory kick points set still on your fan, it is going to creep up and get hot.

Those with over 500 RWHP will need to take a serious look at cooling if they want to keep things together.

Air flow is a huge deal, and if it can be increased in a significant way, it can cool where just changing parts may not.

 

[M240Bravo]

Well my tuner set my fan to kick on at a temp of 130, so I should be fine with that and a 160 stat....

Right?

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

Well my tuner set my fan to kick on at a temp of 130, so I should be fine with that and a 160 stat....

Right?

That does not sound right. At 130 the fan would run almost ALL the time.
You may want to look into that.

 

[M240Bravo]

That does not sound right. At 130 the fan would run almost ALL the time.
You may want to look into that.

My fan does run almost all the time. When I get back to the states I'll check it out.

thanks

 

[HEMIHUNTER]

Can you just leave it out? I know it gets cold in big D in the winter but if you live in a place where it doesn't freeze do you really need it?

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

Can you just leave it out? I know it gets cold in big D in the winter but if you live in a place where it doesn't freeze do you really need it?

Yes, you need one, without one, it will eventually set a code.

 

[Kevin the Clean 1]

Jimmysidecarr;

Where can I find an Evans hot side stat & how does it work... ?

:shrug:

 

[black 10th vert]

^ +1

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Jimmy's info is spot on, as usual.

The Evans hotside is just a thermostat housing with a 180 thermostat in it. You splice it into the upper radiator hose. and remove the stock thermostat from the stock housing.

You have to plug the coolant bypass on the crossover tube, and run the evans bypass to the old thermostat housing, or get a GT lower radiator hose and mod it to work.

The Evans housing has been known to seperate over time, so get an extra one if you drive a lot. They are $90 each.

I still run the drilled stock stat, and lowered fan settings. The car runs fine and does not get too hot on track so there is no need to complicate my setup with parts that will fail.


For a street car or mild track car, drilling the thermostat and lowering the fan settings is the best option. Running a 160 stat without lowing the fan temps will do NOTHING. You can lower the fan temps with the stock undrilled stat and the car will run 10 degrees cooler. Drilling the stat will get you another 5-10 degrees cooler depending on climate.

 

[02reaper]

I would just like to add a post I just made on all of this. http://www.modularfords.com/forums/showthread.php?t=114641

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

:shrug:

Kevin, even though I have run one for about 2 years now, I'm not sure I want to recommend this unit. The coolant yes, without a doubt it is fantastic boil proof stuff, but there are issues with the bypass on the t-stat being too small for the application.

If someone gets into it and revs it a little too high while the stat is still closed, the bypass being significantly smaller in diameter, is incapable of handling the water volume the Cobra water pump puts out(it's even more with the Evans water pump) and there have been people blowing off hoses and some splitting the t-stat case.

Here is the Evans web site: http://www.evanscooling.com/index2.html

I feel a drilled OE stat is still the current best partial solution.

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

I would just like to add a post I just made on all of this. http://www.modularfords.com/forums/showthread.php?t=114641

Excellent post! Good stuff!:rockon:

 

[Kevin the Clean 1]

Jimmysidecarr,

Thanks for the relpy man & glad to have you back... :beer:

 

[skaarew04SVT]

Results!

Well guys the results were great!

Drilled qty 3 1/8th " holes.

Before cruising temps with no ac on in 95+ degree heat were 88-91 C

Same conditions crusing (with holes drilled in) my ECTs are solid 84 - 86 C


Great free mod! And my bypass stays intact :rockon:

 

[black 10th vert]

guess I'll have to give this a try when I pull the blower later this season.