Thermoswitch Solution for 1.8 Swappers
 

Hey guys, I found this.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PRM-19003/

http://www.jegs.com/InstallationInst.../771-19003.pdf

It's a thermoswitch that doesn't need to contact the coolant. It just zip ties to the radiator hose, and contacts the rubber.

Looks like it switches ON at 170F, so it's conservative, probably to take into account the insulating rubber. For reference, I think the thermostat opens at 180-190 or so.

Think it will work?

(I'm way too lazy to deal with intake/waterneck fitment issues or jerry-rig some sort of inline Tee. I'm just planning on using 1.8 waterneck + 1.8 intake, and call it a day)

What would this be the solution for?

These Perma-Cool electric fan thermostats are designed to allow your electric fan to turn off and on at certain temperatures.

Assuming it did turn on at 170° (or even 180°), then your fan would be on all the time.

Perma-cool.com appears to be dead (suspended by their hosting provider) so I can't really find any specifics on the thing, but the idea of trying to sense coolant temp through the hose just sounds really hokey to me.

1.6 engines uses a thermoswitch on the front thermostat housing to turn on the fans. 1.8 engine uses the ecu to turn on the fan, so the front housing doesn't have a thermoswitch bung. I did a forum searching, and found these solutions.

Solution 1: Use 1.6 thermostat housing. Problem: Intake fitment issues.

Solution 2: Coolant reroute by Mtuned. Problem: I'm no money.

Solution 3: Direct wire fan relay to ignition switch. Problem: Fan ON all the time.

Solution 4: Inline coupler on top rad hose. Problem: I'm having trouble finding one with the threads for the stock thermoswitch. May be able to find one at junkyard with english threads or aftermarket NPT threads.

Solution 5: Manual switch. Problem: I'm going to forget to turn it on, and overheat the engine.

Solution 6: This Permacool switch.

Solution 7: Inline coupler on top radiator hose. Install a 1/8" NPT plug in the hole provided, turn it over, drill and tap a new hole. Use thread sealant (eg: RTV) when installing stock thermoswitch, to compensate for the fact that (I think) the stock sensor expects to seal against a perfectly flat surface.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/30mm-...#ht_1946wt_835

solution 8: use an aftermarket ecu (since you will be boosted anyways) that uses a coolant temp sensor to activate fans.

I just had assumed this is what everyone did. lol.


ripple, can your LINK not control the fans? with modification?

Oh yeah, I moved to California, from Michigan, so I decided not to turbo anymore. Turbo partout on the Classified soon.

But Thanks Joe, I'll just do that. Is the upper Rad Hose 30mm?

Many of the truths that we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.

dang... should have found this sooner.

Best Solution (quoted from m.net):

"For those wanting to keep the 1.8L waterneck AND use the OE 1.6L thermoswitch, the upper housing from a first gen 4-cyl MX6/626/Probe (F2 engine) will bolt right on. The outlet points in the same direction as that of the 1.8L Miata's and it has a tapped hole for the thermo switch. "