Hey guys, question about thermostat modification. If you read this post:
http://www.teamfc3s.org/forum/showth...t+modification
They talk about gutting the thermostat and blocking off the coolant bypass. Is there any other way to accomplish this without drilling and tapping the hole? I am not going to be able to do this in time for a lapping day. (I didn't realize this was a nessisary step until now!)

Any other ideas?

Thanks.

 

Unless you are racing in some hot weather and your existing thermostat works fine, then why take it out?

Problem most people have is they gut the thermostat and plug the bypass for their street car. Then the engine never gets up to normal operating temperatures because there is no thermostat to insure that the coolant is getting up to 195 degrees.

SO, unless this is a track car or you are going to switch back and forth between a thermostat and not why bother with the mod.

By the way, are you running a heater core?


John

 

For some reason my car seems to run hot on lapping days. All the logical reasons for that do not seem to be the case. The rad is pretty new, coolant was fine, thermostat was fine, etc. I ordered a good rad from Summit, but they fucked up the packaging so it got damaged.

Yes I'm willing to do this just for Monday and switch back after. (it's a street car) And yes I'm running a heater. It doesn't seem to work that well...

 

I fought a heating problem for a entire season, lucky I never blew up the motor. It got so hot the overflow bottle would overfill itself and then it would not pull the water back in when it cooled down.

The heater not working all that great is a concern, I would turn mine on 'high' just' for that little extra cooling it would provide. It didn't matter that it was already 100 F outside, whats a little more heat on the feet.

I had a plugged radiator, which was newer and had it serviced. I finally replaced my radiator once all other ideas were exhausted.

We were not allowed to run anti-freeze for track events so I used water wetter, distillled water and prestone radiator conditioner (anti-rust agent).

I ran the t'stat mod in the summer, but I put it back in during the colder months.

John

 

I run a gutted thermostat in my 1987 Turbo II on the street. I never bothered to plug the bypass hole. The car runs cool but not overly cold. It *does* take significantly longer to warm up to temps - I do run an SPI water temp gauge to watch the temps. Why did I do that? I had an overheating problem with a failing thermostat, and I need to car fixed NOW - thus, gutting the thermostat fixed my problem. I haven't bothered to replace it.



-Ted

 

without plugging the bypass hole a small amount of water will bypass the radiator, this is not good on a race car. street car you probably won't notice the water is bypassing. on the track it could cause a serious overheating problem. use a standard t-stat if you can't do it right.

 

atkins offers a 160F tstat

it says all years.