The hoses are ready except for final radiator position being determined. (vertically and horizontally) as the radiator is slightly smaller in both height and width. I am reusing the factory rubber feet, but have two inches of play, left or right to achieve proper alinement of lower hose, before permanently attaching feet.

Yes, I have changed out the thermostat.

I am attaching a light aluminum frame to sides and bottom of radiator, as well as attaching the taurus electric fan to the back side. I am attaching a custom air diverter from condenser radiator to coolant radiator so all air travels through it. All this is inside of a custom heavy aluminum frame to secure everything.

As to using the bypass, it bypasses the radiator and isn't cooled any, but retains it's heat straight to the water pump. The traditional inline mod has a foot, maybe a foot and a half, of unheated coolant being pushed through the weep hole(s) (if any) on the stat. That unheated initial coolant is then passed through the radiator and is cooled considerably more. It is then hitting the water pump and retarding the engine from warming up until enough thermal transfer finally reaches the stat and opens normal volume of flow through the radiator and reaches a thermal balance.

Originally, the thermostat was attached directly to the block and the block itself would heat the thermostat and open much quicker for quicker thermal balance.

The bypass is used when the thermostat is not an integral part of the block. The bypass reduces warm up time by avoiding the radiator, with unrestricted flow, until the thermostat opens. Once the thermostat opens, the bypass is closed and all coolant flows through the radiator to reach thermal balance.

If temps still get too high, the electric fan will kick on, and if higher than initial turn on temp, a higher temp sensor kicks on the 2 speed fan to high speed.

 

I can't argue with results however eliminating some hoses and streamlining the flow has to be more efficient, less maintenance and Fewer points of failure. Not to mention that finding a Chevy thermostat when you need one is cheap and easy.

 

After a few different trips watching the temps with my Torque app my freeway temps are high 170's to low 180's since doing the inline mod but that was with outside temps in the upper 70's to mid 80's. Supposed to be over 100 deg this weekend so this will be interesting to see how it does.

 

Man thank all of y'all for this thread. I know this subject has been beat to death but this is the most informative thread out of all the ones I read .

Ny condenser fan motor is dead and after I replace that this weekend, and then check temps, then I'm doing this online mod

 

How'd it do in 100+ Temps?

 

I will ask a fancy lady I found at a parking lot with her newer Rover idling for half hour playing with her phone under 100 degrees sun.
That is Rover abuse. But she seemed to have enough money to transfer to the dealership mechanics soon.
Some people think they bought a portable air conditioner and it is way more important to be comfortably cool than the health of their not cheap vehicle.

 

My inline mod

 

Way to go! Just in time for the Southern Heat. It's already up to 100 here in Dallas

 

It's been fine on 100+ days. Freeway cruising gets the lowest temps, usually mid 180's, city driving is high 180's to low 190's. If I get stuck in traffic or go through a drive though the highest I've seen is 202. About 3 weeks ago I drove it to SoCal and going over the Grapevine the outside temps were upper 90's and engine temp with the AC on were mid to upper 180's.

When it starts to get cooler in September or October I might get a warmer t-stat to keep the engine temp up so the heater works better. As long as I have someone helping me I can remove the thermostat with hardly any coolant loss.

 

Very informative thread.