Need help with cooling system -- Procharger F-1A build

[JetmechF16]

Car is almost back together after getting a new 5.3 Boss block motor, RPM trans, BBRC fuel system, etc. I'm trying to finish the last few things so I can send back to fab shop for piping and intercooler. With that big blower and HOB dedicated drive bracket right up front, I decided to do a crossover delete and move the t-stat to the upper hose. I ordered a custom IPSCO t-stat housing with bypass port that will go inline with the upper radiator hose. The lower hose setup is where I need the help:

I have a Moroso coolant tank in the stock location, does it just get tee'd in with the lower hose? Is there a certain way I should plumb it in relation to the bypass hose I'm going to run down there too? I'm thinking just a lower hose with two tee adapters, one for coolant res line and one for bypass? If I'm missing something please let me know, thanks!

Cooling system details:
(2) -12AN lines from heads to IPSCO t-stat housing
T-stat housing to upper radiator via 1.5" hose
3/8 NPT bypass port hose to lower hose
lower hose from radiator to water inlet in block with two tee adapters?
Stewart water pump
Evans waterless coolant

 

[Soap]

Pretty sure if you moved the T-stat to the upper hose then there is no need for a bypass down to the lower hose. The bypass is only needed so the hot coolant coming from the heads can get down to the OEM thermostat location. Hopefully someone can chime in and confirm.

--Joe

 

[JetmechF16]

I wanted to put a bypass up there to keep from drilling the t-stat. That way coolant can run across the stat and go around the radiator until it opens up. Trying to keep this streetable so I want the car to warm up quickly.


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[MalcolmV8]

I wanted to put a bypass up there to keep from drilling the t-stat. That way coolant can run across the stat and go around the radiator until it opens up. Trying to keep this streetable so I want the car to warm up quickly.


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A tiny hole in the t-stat for minor fluid flow is what a lot of OEMs do. It's acceptable for street use.

 

[JetmechF16]

A tiny hole in the t-stat for minor fluid flow is what a lot of OEMs do. It's acceptable for street use.

How many holes and what size would you recommend?


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[MalcolmV8]

How many holes and what size would you recommend?

One hole, tiny. If you look at OEMs it's about 1/16 or so. Install the t-stat with the hole in the 12 o'clock position so that bubbles will pass through it. Makes burping the system when filling with coolant easy as you don't have to wait for the t-stat to get hot and open to get all the bubbles out, it'll slowly bleed the air past the closed t-stat and speed up the process.

 

[JetmechF16]

One hole, tiny. If you look at OEMs it's about 1/16 or so. Install the t-stat with the hole in the 12 o'clock position so that bubbles will pass through it. Makes burping the system when filling with coolant easy as you don't have to wait for the t-stat to get hot and open to get all the bubbles out, it'll slowly bleed the air past the closed t-stat and speed up the process.

Thanks again for the info Malcom. Does that hurt the pump at all to have that one tiny orifice in the coolant path until the t-stat opens? No pressure issues?

As for burping, I am setting the t-stat housing to be the highest point in the system so I can remove one of the 3/8 ports while filling the reservoir, then finish filling through that port. I'm hoping this will help get air out of the system. I did something similar 12 years ago with the cooling mod on my first cobra, worked really well.

Is it ok to tee in the coolant res to the lower hose?

 

[Nightmare302]

Save yourself hassle and just vacuum the system. Much easier imo.

No that won't hurt the pump as the t stat doesn't stop coolant flow it just redirects back into the engine instead of the radiator to heat up faster.

The res overflow just needs to go back into the line, the lower hose is where OEM is.

 

[JetmechF16]

Save yourself hassle and just vacuum the system. Much easier imo.

No that won't hurt the pump as the t stat doesn't stop coolant flow it just redirects back into the engine instead of the radiator to heat up faster.

The res overflow just needs to go back into the line, the lower hose is where OEM is.

Perfect, thanks for the info Nightmare, much appreciated!

 

[SecondhandSnake]

My two cents:

I kept the bypass line. It isn't just for actuating the stock thermostat, it's to help maintain a certain amount of flow through the engine. At the OEM we test that sort of thing to determine if engine components are seeing adequate flow. I did neck mine down to a smaller 3/4" line vs. the stock 1 1/4" since I was skeptical it needed that much flow. I welded my own lower hose, largely because I went AN on everything, but the surge tank line feeds vertically into it, bypass line comes in the side, just like stock but no thermostat.

The hole in most thermostats isn't for flow, it's for deaeration. It's usually accompanied by a jiggle pin. I only put a tiny one in mine since it didn't come with a jiggle pin.

I filled mine the same procedure as the stock one. Fill with the surge tank open until you get the desired level in the surge tank, cap it, continue to fill until it's at the desired level at the fill port. Run it, top it off.

On the up side, that configuration deaerated FAST. On the downside it purge that one big air bubble from a fresh motor all at once, spitting coolant everywhere in the process. In retrospect I should have made a bigger funnel for it.

 

[Soap]

Agreed the OEM bypass is huge, I shrunk mine down too. I went to -8AN which is only 1/2". Some of the crossover deletes go down even further to -6AN.

--Joe

 

[c6zhombre]

Car is almost back together after getting a new 5.3 Boss block motor, RPM trans, BBRC fuel system, etc.


View attachment 1458617

Looking good!

 

[Nightmare302]

My two cents:

I kept the bypass line. It isn't just for actuating the stock thermostat, it's to help maintain a certain amount of flow through the engine. At the OEM we test that sort of thing to determine if engine components are seeing adequate flow. I did neck mine down to a smaller 3/4" line vs. the stock 1 1/4" since I was skeptical it needed that much flow. I welded my own lower hose, largely because I went AN on everything, but the surge tank line feeds vertically into it, bypass line comes in the side, just like stock but no thermostat.

The hole in most thermostats isn't for flow, it's for deaeration. It's usually accompanied by a jiggle pin. I only put a tiny one in mine since it didn't come with a jiggle pin.

I filled mine the same procedure as the stock one. Fill with the surge tank open until you get the desired level in the surge tank, cap it, continue to fill until it's at the desired level at the fill port. Run it, top it off.

On the up side, that configuration deaerated FAST. On the downside it purge that one big air bubble from a fresh motor all at once, spitting coolant everywhere in the process. In retrospect I should have made a bigger funnel for it.

It's about impossible to not get splashed if you are going from dry to full. I've used some pretty large funnels and stayed sprayed the engine bay.

 

[JetmechF16]

Thanks guys, I'm going to leave the bypass off for now and see how it does. I have the extra port in my IPSCO thermostat housing if I need it.

Looking good!

Thanks man! Wife and I saw you out in the Cobra a week or two ago, looked like you were turning into Westover.

 

[01yellercobra]

Slightly off topic, what boost are you planning on running?

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[JetmechF16]

Slightly off topic, what boost are you planning on running?

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Whatever this pulley combo gets me at 6800-7000 rpm haha, I’m guessing 22+.


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[01yellercobra]

Whatever this pulley combo gets me at 6800-7000 rpm haha, I’m guessing 22+.


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It's going to be a monster. I was at 19psi with my F1A/5.3 combo and it pulled like a freight train.

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[c6zhombre]

Thanks man! Wife and I saw you out in the Cobra a week or two ago, looked like you were turning into Westover.

Ya that was probably me. Driving days have been few and far between with this insane winter for this area. Let me know when she's up n running! I want a ride in that beast

 

[99cobra09]

What radiator set up do you have? How did you fit it?

 

[JetmechF16]

What radiator set up do you have? How did you fit it?

Stock ‘03 Cobra fan, radiator, and ac condenser, all I did was modify brackets and tilt all 3 forward.


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