You need water circulation near the closed thermostat so it reacts quick to the temperature changes in the engine. That's the reason in the stock configuration there is a source right in front of it (in the neck housing) flowing coolant to the water pump and when we do the coolant reroute, the heater source plumbed in the JR spacer does the same role - moves the coolant so the thermostat senses the temperature changes quicker.

What are you guys using to block off the front of the block when the thermostat is relocated to the back?

Freeze plug, 30mm I believe (might be 35mm).

--Ferdi

An aluminum plate shaped as the thermostat neck flange it replaces with a channel cut in it to accept the same rubber o-ring. Unbolt the neck, move the o-ring to the new plate, bolt it to the engine.

What Joe describes here was precisely what I was thinking about doing.

I should clarify what I've done so far. I have blocked the original outlet in the front of the engine and opened a small hole in the Thermostat I used. I was trying to get additional water flowing through it.

I also blocked the part of the mixing manifold where hot water was going back in.

As you can see, I also placed an additional thermosensor in the water line which is the one that's being read by the Autometer gauge.

Here are some pics:

If I'm understanding Rob's concept correctly, I should send the heater core outlet to the mixing manifold this time.

I should also buy a new 180 degree thermostat instead of the current 160 degree one I've been using.

BTW, when I ran my car with the configuration in the pics, my car would never overheat unless I turned the A/C on. I was never able to determine why :dunno:

p.s. to answer pdexta's post: I don't use the heater core because I read somewhere that it increases the car's coolant temp and in this weather, we never, ever use it.

Rafa, on those pics the pipe along the engine is higher than the radiator. Are you mounting some bung or valve on it so can purge air trapped in it? Or mount a cap and fill the coolant from there? Or are you removing the sensor on every fill-up? Or maybe mount all the reroute hoses at a level lower than the radiator top - i.e. like Flyin' Miata Track Dog:
http://www.flyinmiata.com/projects/O...preinstall.jpg

Shit; none of the above.

Thanks for the pic. I'll take it to the shop tomorrow morning. I'll change the placing of that pipe asap.

J_man; most people in this board know that I'm mechanically challenged. :vash:

Rafa,

Man, that water pipe is right on top of your exhaust manifold, too. That will heat the water up in an unnecessary way. Make more space and/or add a heat shield between them if you can.

You can use one of these for a filler on that high area if you need one: Radiator Hose Fillers - summitracing.com
http://static.summitracing.com/globa...me-2202_cp.jpg

But it really looks nice! Very nice colors.

Are you driving it yet?

zomg, i used both a plate and a freeze plug!

:)

Btw, for you turbo guys, isn't it easier to route on the intake side? There should be much less clutter there and no hot turbo manifold.

that's what I did. I almost regret not doing a spacerless reroute. would have been even simpler.

I took your pic to the shop this morning and while we were discussing our options I asked my mechanic to change the pipe to the intake side. He's going to try to do precisely that.

Shooter, as I stated above, I'm going to try to put the pipe on the intake side of the motor. I figure it will also use less hose.

Can you please clarify where the summit racing part would go? Sorry man, you know I'm dense.

I'll be driving it tomorrow! :)

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.

Just ordered one, so we'll see how it works in a week or so.

I appreciate you taking the time to explain that in detail. :bigtu:

I'm officially stumped. I'll be buying the part you suggested. I can't route the pipe lower on either side. I'll upload some pics in a few minutes.

BTW, the sensor in the chrome part was the one of the Autometer gauge. They just broke it at the shop.

Boy I can't wait for all the smart, inventive people here with time on their hands to decide what the ultimate reroute will be. By ultimate I mean cheap and easy to do of course!

I'd like to know how some of you thread the pipe thru the coldside. I can't find any space to do it.

The hotside is just impossible. I noticed that the pic posted by J_man shows an engine with the WG and turbo up top. You can see how mines are placed.

My only option would be to delete the power steering (I could live with that) and the A/C (I can't live without it).

Here are some pics: