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nkaminar · 02-26-2022, 08:19 PM

I have a winter thermostat and a summer thermostat. For the thermostat to operate correctly there has to be some flow. For my winter thermostat I drilled the hole larger, to 1/4 inch. For my summer thermostat I drilled 6 holes 1/4 inch diameter. Before I did that, in the summer, the engine would get really hot and then the thermostat would open and a slug of hot coolant would flow through the radiator. The thermostat would then close again and the process repeated. The increased flow does two things. It keeps the engine at a more uniform temperature front to back and it flows coolant past the thermostat so that it more accurately senses the temperature of the coolant. In the winter I have the ball valve that flows coolant to my heater open so there is always a moderate amount of coolant flowing. The take off for the heater is before the thermostat so the heater gets the first hot coolant. Nice and toasty in the car.

The small hole is there only to evacuate air when the cooling system is filled.

02-26-2022, 08:19 PM	#8
nkaminar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 3,944	Re: Block temp before thermostat opens I have a winter thermostat and a summer thermostat. For the thermostat to operate correctly there has to be some flow. For my winter thermostat I drilled the hole larger, to 1/4 inch. For my summer thermostat I drilled 6 holes 1/4 inch diameter. Before I did that, in the summer, the engine would get really hot and then the thermostat would open and a slug of hot coolant would flow through the radiator. The thermostat would then close again and the process repeated. The increased flow does two things. It keeps the engine at a more uniform temperature front to back and it flows coolant past the thermostat so that it more accurately senses the temperature of the coolant. In the winter I have the ball valve that flows coolant to my heater open so there is always a moderate amount of coolant flowing. The take off for the heater is before the thermostat so the heater gets the first hot coolant. Nice and toasty in the car. The small hole is there only to evacuate air when the cooling system is filled. __________________ A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past. Last edited by nkaminar; 02-26-2022 at 08:25 PM.