Loop cooler thermo Not working- Disconnect??
 

My car is a 77 with 2.7. I checked the loop cooler when the engine was warm (over 210) The cooler was cold. The oil lines going from the engine to the thermostat (wheel well) were hot. Both! But the lines leaving the thermostat all the way to the cooler are cold. Obviously it is the thermostat.I can't afford a new thermostat right now, but I don't want my car too HOT, especially a 2.7.

Should I take the thermostat off and make it free flowing?? This is really bad since I am leaving in a few weeks for the Roundup in BC. (I WILL BE THERE)

Shawn

Relax.

The actual element in the thermo is replaceable for ~$50 or so.

One thing you can try is to remove the thermo and clean it all out. There may be some schmeg in there keeping it from moving. While it's out, you can test the element with a heat gun or hot water. Come to think of it, I may have an extra one from when I went thru this exact same thing last fall, which turned out to be operator-error - I'd mis-assembled it...

Thanks Thom , I will take it apart and see, how would I check with heat GUN? If worst comes to worst would you part with your "spare"?

Shawn

A heat gun is like a hairdryer only hotter. The more accurate way to test is with a pot of hot water and a thermometer.

Also, in a pinch, if the thermo element won't open, you can shim the plunger with a couple of small nuts. Thill will keep it open full-time, which is acceptable if the weather is warm. With a loop cooler it probably won't hurt anything.

Thanks again Thom, I will probably get you to talk me through the shim thing when I take it out.

The car s not a track car and is only driven in the Summer (Canada) so it is really only used in warm weather.

Shawn

Here's the thermo element barely open. It's almost 100 degrees today, and probably hotted than that in the storage bin where this baby was sitting. Normally the plunger would be down flush.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/MVC-485S.JPG

Here's the plunger extended.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/MVC-487S.JPG

Here's how I shim the plunger. This keeps it from closing all the way, so you're going to flow a certain quantity of oil to the cooler at all times. This doesn't guarantee that the thermo will open al the way - if the element is bad, this will sorta-kinda get you by.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/MVC-486S.JPG

Here's the thermo element in the housing - the plunger end goes in first.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/MVC-489S.JPG

Thom: Great images!
Shawn: Come Round-Up time in July, I can't imagine the weather being as hot as, say, SoCal. Don't worry, just get that camping gear packed!!

Thom thanks again! Like Doug said GREAT pics. Doug I am in the Military my camping gear is always ready :rolleyes:

Shawn