$16 coolant reroute
#121
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Stankcheese,
That is very helpful information.
Rafa,
I see the design characteristic that Stankcheese is pointing out, and that is helpful to your cause, but I would say it is still a larger opening than I would prefer if it were me. The most important reason is the coolant will find a much easier and more open (less resistance) path through that neck opening than through the radiator. I would want an opening about the size of the inside of the stock heater hose.
You still need that flow to occur, though. Don't think about blocking it entirely. It is necessary for warm coolant to flow past that point to cause that thermostat to sense it and to begin opening. No flow would mean no opening and that would be bad. Too much flow, which is what I think you have now, will cause the coolant to easily bypass the radiator and go right back to the engine (still hot).
It may work moderately well when the system is not being pushed too hard, but I think it is bypassing too much to perform at its maximum efficiency. This is just one fellow's opinion on the matter. Good luck.
That is very helpful information.
Rafa,
I see the design characteristic that Stankcheese is pointing out, and that is helpful to your cause, but I would say it is still a larger opening than I would prefer if it were me. The most important reason is the coolant will find a much easier and more open (less resistance) path through that neck opening than through the radiator. I would want an opening about the size of the inside of the stock heater hose.
You still need that flow to occur, though. Don't think about blocking it entirely. It is necessary for warm coolant to flow past that point to cause that thermostat to sense it and to begin opening. No flow would mean no opening and that would be bad. Too much flow, which is what I think you have now, will cause the coolant to easily bypass the radiator and go right back to the engine (still hot).
It may work moderately well when the system is not being pushed too hard, but I think it is bypassing too much to perform at its maximum efficiency. This is just one fellow's opinion on the matter. Good luck.
#122
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I'm aware of that and I'm fairly certain that fixing it will solve my problem. The larger waterneck will not mount to the back of the block as it is now. There is a bolt, a water line, and the egr line in the way when the large neck routed to the coldside. I also have to figure out a way to mount the temperature sensor. I'll try to get a picture next time I have the coilpacks and the cas out.
#123
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I'm aware of that and I'm fairly certain that fixing it will solve my problem. The larger waterneck will not mount to the back of the block as it is now. There is a bolt, a water line, and the egr line in the way when the large neck routed to the coldside. I also have to figure out a way to mount the temperature sensor. I'll try to get a picture next time I have the coilpacks and the cas out.
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Shooter and Rob, here's a weird issue I'm facing: I've been taking it easy with the engine (only 350 miles since the rebuild) but today I decided to try some different settings and calibrations in my AEM and did some short boosted runs. I was mainly checking for AFRs but I started to see my coolant temps shot up. I decided to stop and went back home. About 10 minutes later my wife asked me to go buy some bread; it's less than 3 miles away from home so I took my car. As soon as I left my home the coolant temps showed 210 degrees on the gauge. They never went lower on my way to the shop. I stopped and was there less than 2 minutes. I started the car up and began to drive back home; in the meantime, coolant temps kept going up until they got to 250 degrees on my gauge very close to my home. I turned the car off and went to eat. About 20 minutes later I went down to the car and opened the hood. I took the radiator cap off and there was no missing coolant.
Is it possible that my water pump took a crap? If so, how can I confirm this?
Should I incorporate the heater core line to my design?
I get the sense that the water pump is being overwhelmed by so much water flowing through it.
I just ordered a Flex-a-lite fan kit; any other suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Is it possible that my water pump took a crap? If so, how can I confirm this?
Should I incorporate the heater core line to my design?
I get the sense that the water pump is being overwhelmed by so much water flowing through it.
I just ordered a Flex-a-lite fan kit; any other suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
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My guess is that your pre-tstat hose is too big and allowing to much cooling to route right back to the engine when the tstat is open. If you necked down to a heater core size hose, or smaller to retain a closed tstat loop, you probably be ok. But right now I think half your coolant is going right back into the engine and bypassing the radiator. At least that's the way it looks from your photos- it's too easy for the coolant to go back to the engine vs. into the rad... make sense?
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My guess is that your pre-tstat hose is too big and allowing to much cooling to route right back to the engine when the tstat is open. If you necked down to a heater core size hose, or smaller to retain a closed tstat loop, you probably be ok. But right now I think half your coolant is going right back into the engine and bypassing the radiator. At least that's the way it looks from your photos- it's too easy for the coolant to go back to the engine vs. into the rad... make sense?
Could I just put a valve below the tstat to stop the coolant from going backwards?
I haven't used the car again. I talked to my mechanic and the plan is to follow shooter's advice and restrict the flow of coolant going back to the engine before the tsat too.
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It makes sense.
Could I just put a valve below the tstat to stop the coolant from going backwards?
I haven't used the car again. I talked to my mechanic and the plan is to follow shooter's advice and restrict the flow of coolant going back to the engine before the tsat too.
Could I just put a valve below the tstat to stop the coolant from going backwards?
I haven't used the car again. I talked to my mechanic and the plan is to follow shooter's advice and restrict the flow of coolant going back to the engine before the tsat too.
![](http://www.wolfgangint.com/_images/parts/T1105272.jpg)
It is slightly ghetto, but it keeps all of that plumbing you already have just the way it is now. And no one will know it is in the hose but you and your mechanic. Good luck.
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That is what I was predicting might happen. Just restrict the flow in the hose we talked about and you will be fine. No worries. Your engine is just getting hot water right now instead of cool water back into it. It is an easy fix. I would still think about adding one of these big sockets to that big line like we discussed and putting a camp around the outside to keep it from moving.
It is slightly ghetto, but it keeps all of that plumbing you already have just the way it is now. And no one will know it is in the hose but you and your mechanic. Good luck.
It is slightly ghetto, but it keeps all of that plumbing you already have just the way it is now. And no one will know it is in the hose but you and your mechanic. Good luck.
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You're right about the guetto part but also, who's going to see if from the inside?
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Thanks guys.
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You would only use that Summit part if your hose goes up high over the intake or exhaust manifolds. If you go under either of them, then you wouldn't need it.
It's function is to allow you to add coolant to the highest point in your system to eliminate air pockets, which is usually at your radiator cap. If you went up high with your routing like yours was in the picture, then the hose is higher than the radiator cap, and you end up with an air pocket and no water in the high part of the hose. You would then want to try to put an opening to fill the high part with water. That Summit part is made to go between two sections of hose, just like the chrome part that you have going over the exhaust manifold.
The chrome part has a temperature sensor in it? That part might be up in the air above the water level inside the pipe if you leave it that way. It would then give no reading of the water temperature. That sensor needs to be down in the water or the water needs to be up at the sensor.
The sensor might also receive a bad reading from the exhaust manifold heating the pipe.
I would try to route the water below the intake if you could. All of those problems would be solved.
But it looked pretty. I hate that you have to change it.
Good luck, buddy.
It's function is to allow you to add coolant to the highest point in your system to eliminate air pockets, which is usually at your radiator cap. If you went up high with your routing like yours was in the picture, then the hose is higher than the radiator cap, and you end up with an air pocket and no water in the high part of the hose. You would then want to try to put an opening to fill the high part with water. That Summit part is made to go between two sections of hose, just like the chrome part that you have going over the exhaust manifold.
The chrome part has a temperature sensor in it? That part might be up in the air above the water level inside the pipe if you leave it that way. It would then give no reading of the water temperature. That sensor needs to be down in the water or the water needs to be up at the sensor.
The sensor might also receive a bad reading from the exhaust manifold heating the pipe.
I would try to route the water below the intake if you could. All of those problems would be solved.
But it looked pretty. I hate that you have to change it.
Good luck, buddy.
I run my coolant return line above the exhaust manifold and have no problem with air pockets in my system. We're not talking about water running through a trough here. We have pressurized coolant exiting the rear of the head and flowing through a 1.25" pipe. It's obviously enough volume of coolant to push any air in the pipe forward into the radiator. Air CAN flow down in a stream of downward flowing liquid. Ever bleed your brakes?
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#133
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And finally; success! ![yippee](https://www.miataturbo.net/images/smilies/yippee.gif)
It did turn out that the fan relay had also taken a crap but; we made an aluminum piece, made a 3/8" hole in it and inserted it in the pipe, put in a new relay, and the car is running at 180* constant. I've been driving it for 2 consecutive days and the highest I've seen the temps go up is to 195* but only after making a few pulls. The temp stays constant at 180* in stop and go traffic.
The only cooling issue left is the a/c condenser. It blocks too much flow of air to the radiator and when I turn the a/c on temps climb to 205*. We'll see how the flex-a-lite fan kit performs in this regard when it gets here.
Thanks to all who contributed.
Special thanks to Rob and Shooter! You guys rock!
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It did turn out that the fan relay had also taken a crap but; we made an aluminum piece, made a 3/8" hole in it and inserted it in the pipe, put in a new relay, and the car is running at 180* constant. I've been driving it for 2 consecutive days and the highest I've seen the temps go up is to 195* but only after making a few pulls. The temp stays constant at 180* in stop and go traffic.
The only cooling issue left is the a/c condenser. It blocks too much flow of air to the radiator and when I turn the a/c on temps climb to 205*. We'll see how the flex-a-lite fan kit performs in this regard when it gets here.
Thanks to all who contributed.
Special thanks to Rob and Shooter! You guys rock!
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#135
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Many thanks for everything shooter!
#136
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Digging up an old thread here. There's more than enough of them that I don't need to start a new one
.
Hasn't anyone considered using the 'cursed water plug' on the back of the head? Move the ISC line from the intake manifold to the back of the head and there will always be flow through the head AND there will be flow across the thermostat. Seems easy and effective.
On a 1.8 there is a similar fitting that is used for the oil cooler. Should be plenty flow. I'm running like this for about 3000 miles with no adverse results.
Thoughts?
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On a 1.8 there is a similar fitting that is used for the oil cooler. Should be plenty flow. I'm running like this for about 3000 miles with no adverse results.
Thoughts?
![](https://www.miataturbo.net/forum/attachments/4966d1187807095-head.jpg)
#138
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I think I like the first one, it gets SOME warmer water into the rad. But it will slow down flow through the motor, you don't want to cook the head while waiting for the motor to warm up?
Also, who keeps the throttle heater. What's the point? Nice hot air to offset the gains from the intercooler?
Also, who keeps the throttle heater. What's the point? Nice hot air to offset the gains from the intercooler?