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When I put my rebuilt 71 L48 on a run stand I used a thermo housing for a 79 (Dorman 9022009) without any temp sensor. For the break in I "Bubba'd" a tee fitting on the intake.
The cam break in went well(far as I know anyway)...fast forward 13-14 months and I'm preparing to get the engine off the run stand and into the car.
My heads don't have provisions for a temp sensor...hence the '79 thermo housing and planning on using my '71 temp sensor in the housing.
BUT now that I look at it...the '71 sensor looks too long and will hit the thermostat.
Does anyone know if this will work or do I need to use a '79 temp sensor?
Is there a better way??
These are "double hump" heads that I put on about 40 years ago, no provision for a temp sensor. I think the best solution is to use the '79 thermo housing if my '71 temp sensor will fit.
I'm using the stock intake and it has one bung for the heater hose on the right side. I bubba'd a tee fitting so I could have heater hose and temp sensor.
I want to put the temp sensor in the thermostat housing.
That is the type of thermo housing I'm using now, but no sensor used. My question is can the '71 temp sensor be used with it? The sensor looks like it will interfere with the thermostat.
Just my opinion but, I don't believe you will get an accurate temp reading by placing the temp gage probe in the T-stat housing.
With the probe there, your gage is going to read cold until the t-stat starts to open.
If your cooling system is up to par, the t-stat will be opening and closing in response to the coolant temp. It does this constantly.
If not, the engine will heat up to whatever temp the cooling system is able to maintain.
i know my vehicle stays at 175*, all the time.
The thermal switch that is normally mounted in a t-stat doesn't require full operating temp to do it's thing.
It may work but, I wouldn't count on it.
A better place would be in the manifold, since your heads don't have the provision for a sensor.
There's 1/2" pipe thread on side ... Have machinist mill a relief for t'stat in top of casting ...
... this will raise filler and makes it much easier to fill/burp motor ... and sender will be Below t'stat.
There's 1/2" pipe thread on side ... Have machinist mill a relief for t'stat in top of casting ...
... this will raise filler and makes it much easier to fill/burp motor ... and sender will be Below t'stat.
These things really are the **** if you have room........you can fill the block up before it gets to the rad. You can also run front/back coolant balance hoses.....which are great for sustained high load cooling.
I don't have one because they are ugly.....but they do make a billet anodized one.....but you need their cap and screw in Rad hose fitting...... https://www.summitracing.com/parts/MOR-63421
I decided to try Big2Bird's suggestion and just screw in the sensor to see if it fits. When I removed the radiator hose.... I see this mess.
It looks and feels like a white grease... but what is it? I have no idea where it might have come from... the hose is not clogged and the radiator(aluminum) is clean.
After I did the cam break in, the engine has been covered on the run stand for the last 13-14 months.
I pulled the valve covers and all was clean. I will pull the housing and thermostat and see what is in the intake.
The hose is clean and the radiator looks clean from what can be seen by removing the cap.
I guess the head gaskets are likely the problem. Should I do a compression test first?
Thermostat housing question
