Thermostat Housing for 1098

[Jim_Gruber]

Anyone got a thermostat housing for a 1098 available that they can part with. On Saturday at Dayton British Car Show, Trevor pointed out to me that I've got a 1275 w Smog Pump Bracket Thermostat Cover on my 1098 in Bugsy. It puts the upper hose at a little bit of a wierd kink and causes some constriction. Since I've discovered BE Bonnet on my '68 runs probably 20 degrees hotter, anything to open up radiatior flow is a good thing. Anyone have one they wouldn't mind parting with.

Trevor, thanks again for the tip. Hope Ugly Bug made it back to Louisville just fine.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Ugly Bug and I made it home just fine. My temperature hand held steady at about 190 on the interstate running about 75 MPH. Then when I was going through the hills where the road was mostly shaded it dropped back down to 180-185 range.

I looked in my spares and I do not have that T-stat housing I think there were 3 versions.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Wait! you have a crossflow and a 1098. I don't know if there is a solution for that. Where is Frank? AKA Spritenut.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Trevor, Yes a Cross Flow and a 1098. Hey I was totally oblivious that there was a difference in thermostat housings but VB shows 3 different castings. One for 948 and Downflow, they do show one that is common for 1098 and 1275 which I'll assume is for a Downflow Catalog, and a third that says note CrossFlow 67-74. Now I'm totally confused. Again till you pointed it out I didn't realize there was any difference. Perhaps a slightly different hose will work.

Hey Frank, got an answer to this dilema. Same issue on bottom radiator hose. Got a restriction there as well on bottom PS radiator hose. Real tight bend. IS there an ideal one to use for a 1098 and a Cross Flow.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

The bottom hose just needs to be trimmed a bit and it'll smooth out.

 

[jlaird]

I think folks are cutting the Smog Pump Bracket part off and reshapeing the rest of the housing.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Maybe there is a Mini t-stat housing that would angle it correctly?

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Thanks Trevor, I'll see what Frank says, if I recall the 1098 housing points 180 degrees the wrong direction or something like that.

 

[spritenut]

The cross flow uses only one t/stat cover and it points to the left side of the car.
All the down flows point to the right side, 948 cover being the flat top.
UK cross flows had an aluminum cover with no air pump ear, I have one of those on my 59 but I am running a Geo Metro radiator which uses the top cross flow hose.
Since all the engines were the same shape except the 1500, the engine should use the hose meant for the style radiator. Cross flow rad, cross flow hose.
Why is there a kink in it? Could it be a 1500 hose?

 

[Trevor Jessie]

The studs on the head cause the smog pump style t-stat housing to point slightly to the rear of the car instead of perpendicular to the radiator inlet.

Maybe Jim can post a picture.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Here is a picture. If you enlarge and look closely you can see how the hose flattens out and constricts. Anyone got any ideas on how to fix. Different hose most likely but which one?

 

[Jim_Gruber]

This is a 1098 Engine with pulleys and balancer from a 1275 installed in Bugsy my '68 Sprite with a Crossflow Radiator. Angle where hose goes into thermostat housing on the 1098 makes it slightly angled just enough to really crunch down the hose and limit coolant flow. Now with SWA Bonnet temps were fine in fact running at 75+ on a 90 degree day for 15-20 minutes temps moved past the N mark on gauge just slightly, most time temps were significantly below N mark on temp gauge. Now with BE Bonnet in place Temps at idle slightly above N mark and after running 70+ for a few minutes are halfway to boiling over mark. BE Bonnet does definitely have an effect on airflow and cooling. Didn't overheat but would be a concern on a long run at speed. 10-15 degrees lower temps is all I need. Hopefully a solution to hose kink will resolve.

 

[Hap Waldrop]

Here's the thermostat housing we had on the Huffaker Bugeye race car, and it's the same housing Drew sent me new to put on his engine to going in his Bugeye, looks like this is the one you want, I think I have the Moss part number at the shop.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

That would work, but he would still need a different hose than the stock x-flow hose. So maybe Jim should just stay with what he has and goo to the parts store and hunt down a hole that can be better configured.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Trevor, I agree, time to pull the hose and go do some engineering.

Drew, where did you get that thermostat housing from, what is it off of?

Hap, I'll assume that since this Thermostat Housing is from a 1275, the bolt holes on a 1275 are aligned differently from a 1098. Since plans are to replace the 1098 with a 1275 in the back of the garage eventually I don't want to make too many changes but that replacement is probably a couple of years down the line after funding for a rebuild happens. At the same time I don't want to cook the engine.

I think I'll pull the hose and go do some research at the Auto Parts Store. A cardboard template in hand would probably help the Parts Counter guy. Time to put that together.

 

[HAN8L1965]

VB part #12-213 is for a 1098 downflow radiator. It points to the left not to the right. An elbow style hose is attached to the radiator.

Mark

 

[spritenut]

The problem is the 1098 t/stat studs are slightly different from a 1275 cross flow studs. That cover points straight on a 1275. The angle on yours is funky, I never saw that. The air pump ear should be square with the block.
Cut the hose in the middle, get a piece of PVC pipe and 2 more clamps, use the PVC as a coupler. You will have to mess around with the exact angles of the hoses but you can do it. I think the ID is 1" get 1" OD pvc pipe or a fitting that is 1" od, maybe a copper elbow for more angle adjustments.

 

[startech47]

PVC pipe is not suitable for hot water service. I think you need to use CPVC.

 

[Hap Waldrop]

AS far I know the thermostat stud orientation is same for all A-sereis, but they are not ecentric, so you can't just turn the thromsta housing in the direction you want. I'm pretty sure it a 948 piece, I meant to get back on this yesterday, as Drew sent me this part new, but I put drew head on yesterday, and will address his roacker arm assembly today, if I get the new shaft. Anyway, I get the part number, and show the piece on thehead like it will be installed.

Here's another suggestion on thermostat housings get rid of those freaking studs, they tend to snap right when you least exepct it, and use good grade 8 bolts instead, like pictured above, never saw that set up snap a fastner, and overall just makes life in this area much easier, so seized studs to thermostat housing, I absolutely refuse to use studs on a thermostat housing, who cares if it's factory correct when you sitting there with a snapped stud in your hand.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

OK guys I think I've got it. The DPO did this bastardized installation of 1098 with CrossFlow instead of a Downflow that worked ok until I added the BE Bonnet and needed some additional cooling.

First solution will be to poke around in the hose bin at the Auto Parts Store.

Second is to cut exisiting hose and add some sort of angle in there with copper or CVPC Pipe.

Thanks All. I'l provide feedback in a few days.