Coolant Spacer, Thermostat Cover, Water Pump Inlet Housing for AN Fittings
 

This is a general interest thread.

I am planning on using braided steel hose coolant and heater lines in my Locost build and am going to have a custom coolant spacer, thermostat cover and water pump inlet housing CNC machined that will include SAE ORB ports to accept AN hose fittings. To distribute the set-up costs a bit, I am curious to know if there is any interest for these parts so that I can have them made at small quantity prices instead of at one-off prices.

The first part is the coolant reroute spacer. It includes ports for an OEM temperature sensor, an aftermarket temperature senor with 1/8"-27 NPT threads (specifically VDO part number 323-095) and a -10 ORB heater line fitting. The -10 ORB port will also accept a -10 to 5/8" hose barb adapter fitting, and the spacer will work with a Kia thermostat housing. The cost for the spacer based on an initial quantity of 5 is $75 each.

The second part is the thermostat cover. It includes a -12 ORB port designed to accept a 3" long -16 AN adapter (CSR Performance Products part number 9902L) for the coolant return line. The thermostat cover is designed to orient the port to the cold side of the engine. The thermostat cover extends back behind the engine the same distance as a Kia housing with 1-1/4" ID hose. I am still waiting for pricing on this part.

The third part is the water pump inlet housing. It includes ports for a -16 ORB coolant feed line fitting, a -10 ORB heater line fitting and a -4 ORB turbo coolant line fitting. The -16 ORB port faces the driver side, the -10 ORB port faces rearward and the -4 ORB port faces forward. I am still waiting for pricing on this part.

Renderings of the parts are provided below. Lead time is 5-6 weeks and I plan on ordering these parts as soon as I finalize the designs in the next month or two. Anyone interested please feel free to PM me.

I would be interested in all 3 parts. let me know pricing.

Id be interested in all 3 as well

Interested, but that second/third part look very expensive to CNC as designed. Let me know when you have a quote on the fab.

I revised the design of the water pump inlet housing. It should be less expensive to machine and now has a second -4 ORB port.

Thinking of the 3.

Though a few concern's:
-I haz no turbo, so i dont need the turbo bits (maybe save money by not tapping it?)
-I am unfamiliar with AN stuff, will AN stuff cross reference with the 5/8ths heater hose and not like my pcv hose which needed to be 10mm, but the parts store only has 3/8ths and that is 9.5mm which is .5mm too tight. (annoying the f out of me!!)
-maybe you can leave the holes untapp'd and I'll do it at home.
-ON #1 part you can put another 1/8th NPT hole for another sensor at about 70-80 degrees.

2. How about a block off plate for the front?

Thanks

You can plug one of the -4 ORB ports with a plug like this one:Aeroquip FCM3724 Aeroquip Plug Fittings - Free Shipping on All Orders @ JEGS. The other -4 ORB port is for a 5/16" (8mm) hose barb for the water line coming from the oil cooler and through the IAC valve. The cost of tapping the -4 ORB ports is negligible.

AN -10 fittings are used with 5/8" ID hose. More information is available here: http://aeromotiveinc.com/2010/01/an-vs-npt/

If it's for a temperature sensor, it will probably interfere with the thermostat unless I add another boss (which I would prefer not to).

This is already available from Trackspeed Engineering and BEGi.

Trackspeed Engineering
BEGi Miata Front Thermostat Block Off Plate

Just out of curiousity... Any willingness to allow your drawings to be open source? ;) I have a CNC here at work, and would like to make my own... :)

Hey SKOU, it seems like you made the blue print to a coolant spacer donut a few yrs ago. How much would one of those run me?

Sorry, but I'm not planning on having one of those made. You can get essentially the same design from BEGi for $93 plus shipping.

All of the good bits show up after I've already bought what was the good bits! Not fair. $75 for your better solution spacer, versus $93 I spent with BEGI.... :/

And I second nperkins question. Would you make these files available after your production run? These look very well designed, and I also know some people who work at a CNC shop.

I would be interested in all three parts. I too am building a locost.

Still waiting on quotes to come back. Attached are renderings of the final design of the thermostat cover. It now has a 3/4"-14 NPT port for this little guy.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1386273413

OK, so based on 5 sets of 3 pieces:

Thermostat Spacer: $75 each
Thermostat Cover: $80 each
Water Pump Inlet Housing: $80 each

Anyone who is serious about buying these, please PM me so that we can work out payment details. Thanks.

How difficult/expensive is it to get plugs for the unused ports?

I'll buy yours for 75.

Cheap as heck. At least the NPT stuff is under 3 bucks a piece. There should be an carquest autoparts near belmont. And they should have about 200 fittings in stock.

I'm going to have to order all of the small bits for mine anyway and can put together a "hardware" package with fasteners, gaskets and fittings. Including port plugs is no problem. A brass 1/8"-27 NPT plug is about $2 and an aluminum -4 ORB plug is about $4.

packs of npt plugs on rockauto are 57cent each when you buy 5. Thought I would help. Still thinking about the spacer. How close are you to submitting the order? Also would prefer 3/8ths npt. And for two 3/8ths sending units.

To be fair, the BEGi spacer comes with the adapter for the heater hose, two pipe plugs, and both long bolts at that price. Although BEGi marks up the shipping and handling more than they should.