I followed Chapter 9 pretty closely today with my RWC late model engine. I put a 3/4 inch hose nipple through the bottom of a five gallon bucket and ran a hose from it to the intake of the water pump. I had a fresh water hose running in the bucket and controlled its flow with a ball valve. I ran the engine for about 25 minutes at various speeds with plenty of water out the exhaust. The engine temperature never reached its normal operating temperature of 150-170 degrees, instead hovering in the 130-140 degree area. I attributed that to the engine being on jack stands and not laboring. Later, it occurred to me that perhaps I have no thermostat.
I drained the water from the block and exhaust manifold and extracted the engine oil. I put in MMO, 2 quarts to be on the safe side. I tried to remove the thermostat housing with a 3/8 drive and socket but the nuts and studs are frozen tight. I tried a penetrating oil which did no good. I didn't go any further so as not to break the studs. And if the thermostat were still open and the by-pass pinched I wouldn't need to take it out. I put a couple of gallons of antifreeze in my bucket and pinched the by-pass hose with a vice grip, tight enough to prevent flow, but not so tight as to damage the hose. I don't think much if anything could have gotten through.
By this time, the engine had cooled. I figured if the thermostat were closed and the by-pass pinched, no antifreeze would come out the exhaust. I started the engine and almost immediately I could hear the sound of coolant falling on the pavement. My wife, stationed at the stern, said plenty was coming out, as much as before. When I asked her the color, she told me "pink". I ran it long enough to have three gallons of antifreeze sucked in and then shut it off.
This has been a long preamble to my question: Am I correct in thinking that a closed thermostat and a pinched by-pass line would result in no coolant coming out the exhaust? If so, then I know the block is full of antifreeze. If not, then I don't know.
Thanks.
Mark
I drained the water from the block and exhaust manifold and extracted the engine oil. I put in MMO, 2 quarts to be on the safe side. I tried to remove the thermostat housing with a 3/8 drive and socket but the nuts and studs are frozen tight. I tried a penetrating oil which did no good. I didn't go any further so as not to break the studs. And if the thermostat were still open and the by-pass pinched I wouldn't need to take it out. I put a couple of gallons of antifreeze in my bucket and pinched the by-pass hose with a vice grip, tight enough to prevent flow, but not so tight as to damage the hose. I don't think much if anything could have gotten through.
By this time, the engine had cooled. I figured if the thermostat were closed and the by-pass pinched, no antifreeze would come out the exhaust. I started the engine and almost immediately I could hear the sound of coolant falling on the pavement. My wife, stationed at the stern, said plenty was coming out, as much as before. When I asked her the color, she told me "pink". I ran it long enough to have three gallons of antifreeze sucked in and then shut it off.
This has been a long preamble to my question: Am I correct in thinking that a closed thermostat and a pinched by-pass line would result in no coolant coming out the exhaust? If so, then I know the block is full of antifreeze. If not, then I don't know.
Thanks.
Mark
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