Thermostat check ball fix.

[typ4]

So I did this little mod when the engine was down.
The brass piece is a 1/8 pipe compression nut, filed down shorter then hammered into a cleaned out hole where the ball goes, to hold the ball in, that little cork thing is a joke, gums up and when you clean it .lets the ball fall out.

the second pic is just too **** not to post.

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[FordGuy100]

Damn Russ you weren't kidding when you said you were going to post up all your pics

 

[icanfixall]

Always nice to see pictures.... I look in the background of every picture.... Just like seeing whats around....

 

[typ4]

I got 2 phone calls today on the housing subject so thought it might be useful info. I have lots more pics.

 

[The Warden]

Forgive my memory, but did you have an engine failure and you tore it down recently? Or are these pics from when you went through it before?

Thank you for posting these

 

[typ4]

Old pics, 60k miles ago to be exact. And about that memory you are supposed to pick up the wife and I at the Buena Vista tonight,,,, Where are you.

Just kidding.

 

[The Warden]

Old pics, 60k miles ago to be exact. And about that memory you are supposed to pick up the wife and I at the Buena Vista tonight,,,, Where are you.

Just kidding.

I'm 300 miles away at the moment getting started on my mom's Honey-Do list be back behind the wheel in a little over a week. Between driving to L.A. last week and up to Eureka today, it's Amateur Hour on the road...I think people have decided that the minimum safe following distance is best measured in millimeters now

Good to hear that these are "old" pics I was worried for a minute there...

Happy New Year!!

 

[typ4]

Gotta take care of Moms . Hell you are half way to me, get up here and visit.
HAppy new year.

 

[redneckaggie]

forgive my ignorance please but what does that little check ball do?

 

[icanfixall]

That little check ball allows the air to purge out of the cooling system when you are refilling the cooling system. If its missing then ou have coolant bypassing the thermostat all the time... Not a good thing but not a really bad thing like running a non factory thermostat....

 

[redneckaggie]

ok so what he did there was remove the check ball and replace it with a brass fitting so in essence coolant is now bypassing it constantly. sorry but im not really understanding the reasoning behind doing this

 

[typ4]

No the check ball is captured by the brass fitting instead of that stupid little cork disc.

 

[Rot Box]

Makes sense How does one know if the thing fails? Assuming it sticks and flows coolant (when it should only flow air) does it make enough difference to notice?

Also its hard to grasp the concept of lifting heads when looking at all those studs in your pic! Even with the factory bolts there are so many per cylinder you wouldn't think spitting gaskets would ever be an issue

 

[icanfixall]

Those studs add so much more clamping power to the head gaskets. A stock new head bolt breaks at 153,000 psi and these studs break at 200,000 psi... As we have seen... Dyoung has boosted to 28 lbs on a used set of head bolts. Adding studs is adding insurance... Most here can't or wont boost as high as has been proven. I personally limit boost with studs to 13 lbs. I know I can boost higher but why **** of the idi gods... That check ball can sometimes be "tested" for functionality by squeezing the upper radiator hose quickly. Listen for a click sound from the thermostat housing. If the neck is off the engine just shake it and listen for the clicking sound....

 

[redneckaggie]

ok awesome probably would have caught that if i had ever payed attention to mine when i had it apart