intake water- jacket diversion?

[Mermaidquest]

Having removed the water-jacket coverplate sucessfully,well the score is bolts 4 / me 4,I have discovered a ball of what might of been a cast iron cover plug attached to the 3/8ths.tee fitting.It had fallen off when I removed the tee.I read where I should replace it with a brass cap and drill a rear- facing hole to divert the water flow aft. I'm wondering WHY? In my case I am controlling the flow of water with the bypass valve running without thermostat. Any Feedback out there?

[Dave Neptune]

The water going in from the middle will seek its way to the exit before "diverting" to the rear cylinders. The rear cylinders need the water to be circulating not just sitting.

Hope that helps.

Happy and ah Merry
Dave Neptune

[sastanley]

MMQ, When you get to putting all this back together, I highly recommend that once you get all those broken bolts out, you change over to studs. I made my own, but our gracious host sells a ready to go kit in groups of two. Search part # - KTAS_05_307