2011.11.12 - Radiator Hose, Coolant Bypass Hoses, EGR, Oil Filter Mount
- Drained coolant and removed radiator return hose and thermostat
- Relocated oil filter mount 2" further away from engine
- Put insulation around EGR tube
- Installed new piece of radiator hose
- Relocated thermostat housing farther from back of engine
- Cut and reinstalled other half of radiator hose
- Removed the bypass nipped and reinstalled coolant bypass hoses to throttle choke
- Refilled coolant and verified operation
Lots of little things to note here, so hopefully I don't forget anything essential. The heat from the EGR tube had indeed embrittled the radiator hose and started a small leak under pressure. I had originally planned to just pound the EGR tube with a hammer to bend it further from the hose, but then I remembered that it took me hours of that just to move it a fraction of an inch when I first installed the reroute. I then opted to insulate it using some exhaust wrap. I took a short length of exhaust wrap, unraveled the end, and used a needle to carefully sew it into a sleeve around the EGR tube. (NOT FUN.) Hopefully that will diffuse enough heat to protect the hose in the future.
I decided that I really needed a better routing of the coolant hose and that in reality it would serve me better to move the thermostat to a more accessible location, so I unbolted my oil filter relocation mount and moved it a bit further away from the engine (made possible by having replaced the washer fluid reservoir with the NoPro unit), and then brought the hose mostly straight out around the back of the engine. I placed the thermostat as close to the back of the engine as I could without it interfering with other components, and then cut the old radiator hose short to match. It would be more ideal to have the thermostat closer to the back of the engine, but there's just not adequate room/access for my comfort, and with the weep hole that I drilled in the thermostat I will still get some flow through there to minimize the temperature differential caused by the distance. The new routing of things puts fewer bends in the hose, creates less opportunity for air pockets to get trapped, and places fewer components in direct contact with the radiator hose.
I reinstalled the coolant lines to the throttle/choke, because I had noticed that on cold mornings the car would idle high for far too long before the choke would come up to temperature on its own.
After getting it all put back together, I ran the car for a bit to make sure everything seemed OK. I think it will all be fine, but there does seem to be approximately 10-degree F temperature differential between the thermostat and the back of the engine, so I may swap the 195F thermostat out for a 180F unit some time soon.
Oh yeah, and it turns out that the radiator hose that came with the reroute kit is actually 1-1/8" ID and not 1" ID. I couldn't find a listing for that size anywhere, so I may have to contact 949racing or M-Tuned to see if I can obtain some more. The 1" stuff seems to stretch over the fittings in a pinch, but it's probably less than ideal and I may need to keep an eye on it.
- Relocated oil filter mount 2" further away from engine
- Put insulation around EGR tube
- Installed new piece of radiator hose
- Relocated thermostat housing farther from back of engine
- Cut and reinstalled other half of radiator hose
- Removed the bypass nipped and reinstalled coolant bypass hoses to throttle choke
- Refilled coolant and verified operation
Lots of little things to note here, so hopefully I don't forget anything essential. The heat from the EGR tube had indeed embrittled the radiator hose and started a small leak under pressure. I had originally planned to just pound the EGR tube with a hammer to bend it further from the hose, but then I remembered that it took me hours of that just to move it a fraction of an inch when I first installed the reroute. I then opted to insulate it using some exhaust wrap. I took a short length of exhaust wrap, unraveled the end, and used a needle to carefully sew it into a sleeve around the EGR tube. (NOT FUN.) Hopefully that will diffuse enough heat to protect the hose in the future.
I decided that I really needed a better routing of the coolant hose and that in reality it would serve me better to move the thermostat to a more accessible location, so I unbolted my oil filter relocation mount and moved it a bit further away from the engine (made possible by having replaced the washer fluid reservoir with the NoPro unit), and then brought the hose mostly straight out around the back of the engine. I placed the thermostat as close to the back of the engine as I could without it interfering with other components, and then cut the old radiator hose short to match. It would be more ideal to have the thermostat closer to the back of the engine, but there's just not adequate room/access for my comfort, and with the weep hole that I drilled in the thermostat I will still get some flow through there to minimize the temperature differential caused by the distance. The new routing of things puts fewer bends in the hose, creates less opportunity for air pockets to get trapped, and places fewer components in direct contact with the radiator hose.
I reinstalled the coolant lines to the throttle/choke, because I had noticed that on cold mornings the car would idle high for far too long before the choke would come up to temperature on its own.
After getting it all put back together, I ran the car for a bit to make sure everything seemed OK. I think it will all be fine, but there does seem to be approximately 10-degree F temperature differential between the thermostat and the back of the engine, so I may swap the 195F thermostat out for a 180F unit some time soon.
Oh yeah, and it turns out that the radiator hose that came with the reroute kit is actually 1-1/8" ID and not 1" ID. I couldn't find a listing for that size anywhere, so I may have to contact 949racing or M-Tuned to see if I can obtain some more. The 1" stuff seems to stretch over the fittings in a pinch, but it's probably less than ideal and I may need to keep an eye on it.