3.5 with thor manifold heater circuit

[Hardchina]

Hi all,
Just spent all last night fitting a thor manifold to the 3.5 but stuffed up the heater circuit. I plumbed the heater feed from the outlet on the manifold (pre thermostat), the return goes to the bottom radiator hose (disco tee hose).

This is not giving me any flow in the heater circuit, nor to the lpg converter (which is the main problem) so i'm guessing i'll have to bring the return to the back of the water pump.

Am i on the right track? if so which port do i use the left or right? Looking from the front.

cheers

[bee utey]

Hi all,
Just spent all last night fitting a thor manifold to the 3.5 but stuffed up the heater circuit. I plumbed the heater feed from the outlet on the manifold (pre thermostat), the return goes to the bottom radiator hose (disco tee hose).

This is not giving me any flow in the heater circuit, nor to the lpg converter (which is the main problem) so i'm guessing i'll have to bring the return to the back of the water pump.

Am i on the right track? if so which port do i use the left or right? Looking from the front.

cheers
Providing your heater circuit was bled it should have been OK. It takes very little time to freeze up a converter when there's an air block. Return to the back of the pump by all means, just make sure the air is out of your hoses. Boil the kettle and dribble it over the converter if it freezes again. Remove one hose to it and check for flow via the other hose when you squeeze a radiator hose for pressure. Check it both ways.

[PhilipA]

I put mine on the back of the water pump and it works fine.

By putting it on the water pump you are causing a forced circulation.

My 3.9 only has an open stub towards the outside (RH) so this would cause water to exit via the pump and come back into the normal Thor stub, but it could also work the other way I guess. ie be sucked into the pump at the middle stub. BTW you can use normal 3.9 hoses to do this.
Regards Philip A

[LOVEMYRANGIE]

Putting the heater return onto the back of the pump is the go. The spigot is right at the suction point of the pump impeller and sucks the water from the circuit while the inlet forces it thru the heater feed.
Don't know if the 3.9 heater pipe setup will fit on a Thor manifold but they have the main engine fill port mounted above the level of the overflow. Generally let it heat up but crack the plug before the thermo opens as when it's cold, most of the flow is forced thru this circuit.
Might be an idea to make some kind of similar setup or get hold of these pipes and modify to suit.

Cheers

Andrew


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[Hardchina]

Thanks guys, I still have problems.. The heater circuit has flow now - but the radiator gets nothing :eek:

I have modified the thor manifold so that it takes the standard county 3.5 thermostat and housing, but it is like the thermostat is not getting enough flow to open??? it's brand new thermostat that i tested before fitting :(


There's something majorly wrong with the setup, I think the heater circuit is robbing too much flow from the manifold area where the stat is. (the thor outlet is next to the stat) Going to try plumbing the heater feed and discharge both from the rear of the pump, as per original setup.

Anyway it goes well with the Thor manifold (until it boils:mad:) - the County feels like she's a ton lighter :)

[PhilipA]

I have exactly the setup you describe but on a 3.9, and mine has worked perfectly for 4years and 100Kk or so..

Did you have the thermostat seat and hole done professionally? I had my hole in theThor opened up professionally and a ledge machined for the Thermostat and used the 3.9 thermostat housing, after 2 more holes were drilled and tapped

Have you got the thermostat in the correct way ie spring towards the Thor?
Is the thermostat OK?
My Thor heater outlet (D2) is on the RH side of the manifold and back a bit. It is an O ringed pipe held down by a bolt and tab.

I just cannot see how it would not work if assembled correctly.
Regards Philip A

[Hardchina]

I have exactly the setup you describe but on a 3.9, and mine has worked perfectly for 4years and 100Kk or so..


Did you have the thermostat seat and hole done professionally? I had my hole in theThor opened up professionally and a ledge machined for the Thermostat and used the 3.9 thermostat housing, after 2 more holes were drilled and tapped

Have you got the thermostat in the correct way ie spring towards the Thor?
Is the thermostat OK?
My Thor heater outlet (D2) is on the RH side of the manifold and back a bit. It is an O ringed pipe held down by a bolt and tab.

I just cannot see how it would not work if assembled correctly.
Regards Philip A

Professionally :D what you talking about willis...

I used a die grinder to enlarge the hole and to do the recessed lip :eek:
sounds dodgy but the work is solid and good. I used the top passenger side hole for one side of the thermo housing bolt - Had to drill and tap the other, but it lined up with added thickness on the inside, its like they designed the manifold for fitting a 3.5 thermo housing, but they just hadn't done the hole..

I pulled the thermo out and tested again.. all ok - but i hadn't cut the brass hole tab out like i normally do - I cut it out and refitted. Its all working good now. got me stuffed why the hole fixed it??

Another question..

Whats the better crankcase ventilation system ?, PCV valve then to the manifold or is going from the rocker cover to the intake duct with 5/8 hose better (no pcv valve)?.

cheers

[PhilipA]

Whats the better crankcase ventilation system ?, PCV valve then to the manifold or is going from the rocker cover to the intake duct with 5/8 hose better (no pcv valve)?.



I have grafted teh 3.9 ventilation system on.
The inlet is the 3.9 filter on the rear of teh LH Rocker cover.
The outlet is the 3.9 separator on teh RH rocker cover linked to teh Thor inlet by the inlet pipe that came with teh Thor attached to teh 3.9 T piece with a vacuum line as per 3.9.
Regards Philip A

[Hardchina]

I found some real usefull info - see link to pdf

http://www.v8register.net/FilesV8WN/V8NOTE374%20V8%20engine%20cooling%2029.1.08.pdf

it relates to the problems i'm still having - ie crappy flow to the radiator / bypass circuit. Going to do the recomendations as see how it goes.