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DIY Zetec thermostat housing
ChrisL - 23/3/20 at 01:38 PM

I managed to over tighten the gauge sender in my thermostat housing, so bought what I thought was a straight replacement only to find a different size ECU sender hole, so instead of shelling out for another housing or sender or replacement water rail I decided to dig out the welder!!

On that not anyone know the ID of the bypass/heater output on a retroford water rail?

I think I'll have to bleed it by loosening one of the senders.
A few pics of it so far, excuse my wonderful welding, not pretty but should be strong!

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Robbaa - 25/3/20 at 10:06 AM

you absolute maniac

that said when mine went tits up i had to buy a legit replacement from ford itself costing £120 (all the cheaper ebay ones were weird and blanked out for the sender)


ChrisL - 25/3/20 at 11:41 AM

Thanks, I think!
Going to revise the design as I think the current one won't bleed properly, and may move the expansion and sensors to the bottom....


ChrisL - 29/3/20 at 07:43 AM

A few modifications to clear the coil pack and try to reduce the likelihood of air pockets

Cutting:

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All done
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Fitted
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Of course the proof of the pudding ... and all that!!


big_wasa - 29/3/20 at 07:34 PM

Does the stat still control the bypass ? I can’t see any passages


ChrisL - 30/3/20 at 06:52 AM

I've taken the same approach as RetroFord and limited the size of the bypass outlet. I've gone with 8mm as that's what it looks like RetroFord have used but it's still a guesstimate. The issue with the bypass is the routing as the control mechanism means that the bypass outlet would be on the wrong side, on the standard stat housing the outlet is routed underneath the housing to be on the side it is. I guess if I it looks like I'm not getting enough cooling (i.e. too much bypass) I can always add it and route a 199mm pipe through and call it the MKII :-)