After having the LR-180 stat and the inline mod, I was not happy with either, I decided to come up with something that I was happy with and wanted to share it. So here it is. A hot side bypass thermostat.
Parts needed:
- Thermostat Housing from a 00-08 Jaguar S Type with 3.0 V6 or 95-00 Ford Contour with 2.5 V6 or 00-05 Lincoln LS with 3.0 V6. I got mine here http://www.ebay.com/itm/401059653945
-Stant 45398 for 180*(slight mod needed) or Stant 48499 for 190*(no mod needed)
-Gates hose 22639 for lower hose
-Dayco hose 71994 for bypass hose
-1.25 in barbed tee, or could use your plastic piece in factory top hose. I bought a stainless steel tee at local hardware store
-32mm rad hose gauge adapter to use as a bleeder.
The Stant 45398 stat I modded slightly by drilling and riveting a 5/16 fender washer to the bottom of the bypass plate to lower the temp the bypass is closed. Without this it still works but bypass wont completely close til about 192*. With bypass closes around 185*. I used a 5/16 fender washer because its what i had laying around the shop. I had to drill out the 5/16 to 7/16 to clear the stem. Center it and drill and rivet to stat bypass plate. Be sure you can move plate past the stem of stat so the stat can open without interference. I also drilled a 1/16" hole on top of stat for air bleeding top hose
The housing comes with a thermostat. Do not use it. The original setup for this housing was for a cold side setup like the D2 engines.
Bottom hose I used small piece of factory hose to the tee and kept it as close to rad as i could. Install tee then cut to fit the gates 22639 between water pump and the tee. Use 2 hose clamps on tee where 22639 connects to it. Slightly bigger hose.
Top hose I used the stock hose from intake outlet to stock bleeder tee just cut it a bit shorter. Install new bleeder to that. Then i used a piece of factory hose to make the 45 bend to inlet of stat housing. Cut to fit factory hose to rad to stat outlet. Then cut to fit Dayco 71994 from housing bypass outlet to the tee on lower rad hose.
I've been running this for 4 months now. No issues. Temps are around 180*-182* in the the cold. Idles at 182*. Ambient temp of 70* highway 182*, city traffic 182*-185* idle 183*.
Warms up as fast as factory setup and stable as the inline stat mod. Best of both worlds. Only reason i didnt like the inline mod was the pressure when stat was closed and I had to cover 2/3 of my rad in winter to get it up to temp.
This has not been tested in summer heat with ac on yet, but temps should be the same as the inline mod temps in summer which for me was around 190* as bypass will be closed and will be acting just like the inline mod.
Parts needed:
- Thermostat Housing from a 00-08 Jaguar S Type with 3.0 V6 or 95-00 Ford Contour with 2.5 V6 or 00-05 Lincoln LS with 3.0 V6. I got mine here http://www.ebay.com/itm/401059653945
-Stant 45398 for 180*(slight mod needed) or Stant 48499 for 190*(no mod needed)
-Gates hose 22639 for lower hose
-Dayco hose 71994 for bypass hose
-1.25 in barbed tee, or could use your plastic piece in factory top hose. I bought a stainless steel tee at local hardware store
-32mm rad hose gauge adapter to use as a bleeder.
The Stant 45398 stat I modded slightly by drilling and riveting a 5/16 fender washer to the bottom of the bypass plate to lower the temp the bypass is closed. Without this it still works but bypass wont completely close til about 192*. With bypass closes around 185*. I used a 5/16 fender washer because its what i had laying around the shop. I had to drill out the 5/16 to 7/16 to clear the stem. Center it and drill and rivet to stat bypass plate. Be sure you can move plate past the stem of stat so the stat can open without interference. I also drilled a 1/16" hole on top of stat for air bleeding top hose
The housing comes with a thermostat. Do not use it. The original setup for this housing was for a cold side setup like the D2 engines.
Bottom hose I used small piece of factory hose to the tee and kept it as close to rad as i could. Install tee then cut to fit the gates 22639 between water pump and the tee. Use 2 hose clamps on tee where 22639 connects to it. Slightly bigger hose.
Top hose I used the stock hose from intake outlet to stock bleeder tee just cut it a bit shorter. Install new bleeder to that. Then i used a piece of factory hose to make the 45 bend to inlet of stat housing. Cut to fit factory hose to rad to stat outlet. Then cut to fit Dayco 71994 from housing bypass outlet to the tee on lower rad hose.
I've been running this for 4 months now. No issues. Temps are around 180*-182* in the the cold. Idles at 182*. Ambient temp of 70* highway 182*, city traffic 182*-185* idle 183*.
Warms up as fast as factory setup and stable as the inline stat mod. Best of both worlds. Only reason i didnt like the inline mod was the pressure when stat was closed and I had to cover 2/3 of my rad in winter to get it up to temp.
This has not been tested in summer heat with ac on yet, but temps should be the same as the inline mod temps in summer which for me was around 190* as bypass will be closed and will be acting just like the inline mod.