To drill or not to drill

[Father Guido]

My question may sound strange but here goes,my car started to run slightly warm back near the end of summer when it was still hot out there,not to bad but still warm.I just blamed our wonderful cooling systems and the outside temps until I took a late year run to Calgary in mid October and at highway speeds(or slightly above)I noticed that the car was running cold as hell.Since I had already changed to a 180 degree thermostat that spring I now blame a shitty cheap part instead,must be stuck open.I now went and bought a good thermostat but like the last one I notice it has no small hole in the flange,(my original one did,at least the one that was in the car when I bought it)my question is should I drill a 1/8 hole in the flange or not.I have searched but can't find much on 95 specifics.Opinions are welcome as I'm not sure if I should or not,thanks in advance.

 

[All_Ford_Fun]

I know this may sound about as werid as your question but go buy a new tstat from a ford dealership. I had a simular issue when i still had my 85 gt . As they put it " if its not ford equipment chances are its not right ". After i muttered a few choice words i payed for the over price part , installed it and all was good. I sold the car to my cousin who still owns it. He thought i was a fool when the tstat went bad a few years later drove to auto zone and changed it in there parking lot. Next week he went to the dealership and bought 2 from them. One to replace the one he just installed and one for a spare. I don't know why some do that and why some don't none of the other fords I've owned have done that.

 

[Addermk2]

There is nothing wrong with our stock cooling systems.

Did your car get hot at an idle, or while driving down the highway.

It makes a difference.

 

[Father Guido]

The temp was never too bad just high and not for the first while with the new t-stat,that coupled with the not coming up to temp in the cold leads me to believe it's stuck open or at least partially open. As for the cooling system being bad I don't think it is either,just not alot of safety margin when it starts to get warm. I was just curious about the small hole in my first t-stat,should I add it to my latest mr.gasket version?

 

[Addermk2]

how about you answer my question.

 

[blkmcnasty]

In Adder we trust... you should help him help you

 

[Father Guido]

Ok in answer to your question,no real spikes in temp either in town or on highway, seemed to run slightly hotter in town but that is to be expected as there is less airflow at lower speeds.My temp is not really a problem yet and I don't intend to let it get to the point of being a problem hence the preventative part of this before summer arrives.I am fairly sure that my higher and lower temps are entirely due to a stuck thermostat as the rest of my cooling system is in good shape.No severe temp spikes,rad is clean inside and out,antifreeze is about a year old and at a 50/50 mix,hoses are good,sending unit was wonky last spring so I changed it then,new belt,no funny noises from water pump,no leaks and no mysterious fluid loss.Sorry if I seem ungrateful for all the help but I was really just wondering about the small bypass hole that was in my original thermostat and wondering if I should put it in my new one before I install it.My background is in working on cars for a living but this small hole is something I haven't seen before.I have owned and modded sbf engines for about 25 years but they were all older(60's) carbed engines and none had this hole,I guess what I'm really asking is it important or just an aid to burping the system and something I can ignore as I can get the air out of my system without it.Sorry if I wasn't clear but maybe this long rambling post can help.

 

[Addermk2]

Sorry if I wasn't clear but maybe this long rambling post can help.

I didnt even bother reading tha nonsense, because I just asked if it was running hot on the highway, or at an idle. I didnt want your life story, or a history of the universe. Next time, just answer the damn question.

worse than my wife...

 

[GDTrumbo]

The hole in the T-stat plate is indeed a "burp" aid. My OEM T-stat not only had a hole, it also had a small 1 way valve
in that hole. Once the cooling system is completely purged of air bubbles it seals the hole shut.

GT

 

[mattm]

at the very least that little eigth inch hole helps blead off trapped air n it its suppose to stop it from stickin after sustained high rpms u ll be ok puttin a small 1/8'' hole in it

 

[defadus]

Sorry if I wasn't clear but maybe this long rambling post can help.

I didnt even bother reading tha nonsense, because I just asked if it was running hot on the highway, or at an idle. I didnt want your life story,
or a history of the universe. Next time, just answer the damn question.

worse than my wife...

LOL


I always drill a hole and install the thermostat with the hole to the top.

 

[Rice_slayer]

My car had the original Tstat with 225000kms on it, worked fine, just replaced it with an OEM Ford one because I had everything apart. My car, running completely untuned with a fresh HCI package in 35*C+ heat with the AC on last summer wouldn't get past the M on the temp gauge, don't have a real temp gauge yet, to cheap/lazy to wire it in but that was with a bone stock cooling system...

 

[Paul]

Just leave it alone. There is nothing wrong with your car.

 

[Addermk2]

in 35*C+ heat

lol... silly Canadians. thinking we understand Celsius....

 

[Rice_slayer]

I think measuring in Celsius is smarter and more accurate to me, when even 21-23 degrees feels the same, I couldn't imagine measuring from 70-110 in the summer. It's what you grew up with though, my dad still uses the imperial system, while I use metric for everything.

 

[Father Guido]

Sorry Addermk2 if you thought I was giving you my life story,just telling you I know why the temp isn't right.In my original post I was curious about the hole and if I needed it.Thanks everyone for the answers.

 

[Addermk2]

Sorry Addermk2 if you thought I was giving you my life story,just telling you I know why the temp isn't right.In my original post I was curious about the hole and if I needed it.Thanks everyone for the answers.

Could have saved yourself alot of trouble by just saying exactly this...

sometimes too many details are a bad thing, keep your post short and to the point, and you will get he answers you need.... every time

 

[rz5.0]

get an aftermarket water temp gauge if you really want to know how hot your car is really running.

 

[modo]

go to sears, harbor frieght, lowes, internet whatever and buy one of these

http://www.google.com/products/cata...jgxpTbWPB4HagAfoz-3KCg&sqi=2&ved=0CE0Q8wIwAQ#

when the car is at operating temp hold it 1-2" from the thermostat housing neck and see what the temp is. if its between 180-200 there is nothing wrong with your car

 

[duff daddy]

you guys are silly...who runs a t stat.... I dont.