Just double checking my work here. Two ports on the front of a TPI and/or MiniRam intake manifold: one for the CTS and one to pass coolant to the heater/oil cooler assembly. Well, I am now sans heater and oil cooler (!heater and !oil cooler for you C guys). Thus, today after finally figuring out how the hell I was going to route the coolant line from the front of the manifold to the port on the passenger side top of the radiator I realized (hopefully correctly)that I can just remove this entirely (plug the manifold port and put a cap on the radiator port ... which is exactly what I did). Didn't make sense to bypass the thermostat and route coolant directly back to the radiator. Right?

If this is necessary (for some reason or another) couldn't I just drill some holes in the thermostat to achieve the same effect?

Tim

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TRAXION's 1990 IROC-Z
Best Time = 12.244 @ 112.51mph (1.778 60' / 7.819@88.32mph in the 1/8)
All Natural. No Force. No Drugs. Stock Bottom End. Stock Body Panels.
Gunning for NA 11's with bigger cam, bigger stall, and bigger exhaust.
-=ICON Motorsports=-
Moderator: PROM board at thirdgen.org

[This message has been edited by TRAXION (edited March 26, 2001).]

 

Huh??? Not sure what you're trying to accomplish.... but:
The coolant port on the manifold is the 'hot' side 'supply'. It goes through the throttle body, then to the heater valve (over top of the passenger valve cover) and then out back to the heater core.
The 'return' hose from the heater core comes forward and goes through the stock oil cooler which returns to the top of the radiator.

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'89 Formula - Thunderchicken - 355 Vette L98/T-5/3.45 9-bolt/black/t-tops - the fun car!
'90 GTA - The GTA - 5.0 LB9/TH700/3.27 9-bolt/black/t-tops/tan leather - the cruiser.

 

Brian,

I removed the oil cooler. I removed the heater valve. I removed the heater. I have bypassed throttle body coolant. So - this would mean that I route the supply from the front of the manifold DIRECTLY back to the radiator. This doesn't make sense to me ... this would mean that I am bypassing the thermostat for no reason at all (because I no longer have a heater and I no longer have an oil cooler). Thus, can't I just put a plug in the intake manifold and cap off the 3/4" inlet on the radiator?

Tim

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TRAXION's 1990 IROC-Z
Best Time = 12.244 @ 112.51mph (1.778 60' / 7.819@88.32mph in the 1/8)
All Natural. No Force. No Drugs. Stock Bottom End. Stock Body Panels.
Gunning for NA 11's with bigger cam, bigger stall, and bigger exhaust.
-=ICON Motorsports=-
Moderator: PROM board at thirdgen.org

 

I suppose you could just plug everything up... I probably wouldn't as after the rev's get up the water pump would be building up some sorta pressure and would be working harder waiting for a thermostat to open and cause a drag. That's just a theory I have tho.
Can you rig in a restrictor in the hose from the manifold to the radiator??? That might slow the flow down sufficiently to allow the thermostat to do it's job.
Other than that maybe a trick electric water pump rigged to a temp switch would allow you to just plug everything up. (?)

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'89 Formula - Thunderchicken - 355 Vette L98/T-5/3.45 9-bolt/black/t-tops - the fun car!
'90 GTA - The GTA - 5.0 LB9/TH700/3.27 9-bolt/black/t-tops/tan leather - the cruiser.

 

I have done the done the same thing with my car. The only problem that I have heard is when the thermostat is closed there is not enough coolant flow which can cause hot spots(hence drilling holes in the thermostat). My car has always ran hot and I am going to replace the radiator and waterpump, but I was also told it could be the placement of the coolant sensor. Sorry to get off the subject but running 210 with two fans on in 30 degree weather is not kosher with me, has progressively gotten worse leading me to think a clogged radiator. Oh well the joys of modding a car

 

I have a miniram and a griffen radiator, hence no return port. One of the ports in the front of the ram has the cts, the other is blocked. No problems for over a year. I also run a stewart high press pump, and robertshaw stat with three bypass holes drilled around the perimeter of it.,

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87z 383,afr 190's, comp hyd roller(242/248-.540/.562,114 sep),Ported and polished mini ram, 30lb inj, 3.42 gears, tremec 5spd, , 1,3/4" slp headers, speed pro bank to bank-wb02.
"Just remember children, no man can beat you once youv'e found the cliterous." 'chef'