washer instead of thermosat?

A few years ago I was at a shop where a guy was working on a IMCA car. He was running alcohol and maybe that's the difference but he was running a washer instead of a thermostat. If that will work for us I will make some for everyone so that a stuck t-stat will never cause an overheated motor again. I would have no idea what size to make them. I tried running without a stat back in high school in a Cougar and it ran way hotter than with a 180 stat. I was told that's because the water could flow too fast through the rad. and not have time to cool. I don't know if that was BS or not but I sure hate depending on a thermostat in my race car.

JJ

i have a set of these in a bag. they are made in various sizes, so there is no "one size fits all".
it also may take some testing to get the right size.
LT1's cant use these due to the T-stat design (not a standard SBC set-up) so you can have mine, or i can measure all mine and get you the sizes.

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...115+4294814392

5/8" 3/4" 1" seem to be common size holes.

With the restrictors, remember it will just take a bit longer to come up to operating temperature.

I carry a set aswell but never used.
I have a t-stat that has a 1/8 hole drilled on the edge.
This allows a little to flow until it opens.
BIG radiator and manual fan is my choice.
jb

Now I don't know what to think.

http://raceology.com/2004/11/dump-th...estrictor.html


JJ

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jeffburch

I have a t-stat that has a 1/8 hole drilled on the edge.
This allows a little to flow until it opens.
BIG radiator and manual fan is my choice.

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x2.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ShadowBolt

I tried running without a stat back in high school in a Cougar and it ran way hotter than with a 180 stat.

JJ

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by ShadowBolt

Now I don't know what to think.

........

JJ

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The internet is full of lies, LIES, I tell 'ya!

1. Keep a thermostat, you know the concept works (unless it fails mechanically)
2. Install a restrictor, works same as an open thermostat, without risk of failure (size depends on testing).
3. Install nothing. You've already had a bad experience with that one, why repeat it?

Just the facts, ma'am

Good info here.

http://www.teae.org/cooling/cooling_article.html

Sounds like they tested a bunch of different stuff.

I always ran one in my dirt car, but I have not tried on this car.

I built one for my car. Measured a stock thermo to get the open area. So I don't think I changed the flow amounts, but hopefully just removed one thing that could fail.

I was checking this one out:
http://www.daymotorsports.com/produc...OR-RESTRICTORS
Pretty trick looking, not sure on the size of the opening