Posted By: Mad Accountant
Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/07/13 12:03 AM
Installing a new thermostat, and wondering if i should drill a small hole in it or not. If so, why and how big? If not, why not? Go!
Drill the thermostat or not?
Posted By: 340SHORTY
Re: Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/07/13 12:08 AM
A small hole about 1/16 will aid in removing any air pockets.. 
Posted By: stumpy
Re: Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/07/13 12:18 AM
Most new stats have a air relief already.
Posted By: SteveS
Re: Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/07/13 12:21 AM
Quote:
Most new stats have a air relief already.
Correct.
Very few do not.
Posted By: imfixinmopars426
Re: Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/07/13 03:14 AM
yes...1/16-1/8" will help greatly for filling! 
Posted By: MarkZ
Re: Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/07/13 03:20 AM
Quote:
Installing a new thermostat, and wondering if i should drill a small hole in it or not. If so, why and how big? If not, why not? Go!
I drilled an 1/8" hole in mine. No more need to burp the system on fill up.
Posted By: Mad Accountant
Re: Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/07/13 09:04 PM
How do you tell if the tstat has an air relief? There is no visible hole, and i can't force air through it at least by mouth.
Posted By: stumpy
Re: Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/07/13 09:14 PM
If there is no hole then it doesn't have a relief.
Posted By: SteveS
Re: Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/07/13 09:32 PM
What thermostat is it? Most are vented via a not very obvious notch in the valve.
Posted By: BDW
Re: Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/07/13 09:51 PM
Any harm in drilling a 1/8" hole if it already has one?
Posted By: moparfan53
Re: Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/07/13 11:26 PM
Some info from the Stant website;
"Many thermostats have a “jiggle pin” or “check valve” that allows trapped air in the cooling system to pass through the thermostat and be released from the system.
If a Stant thermostat does not have a jiggle pin, it will have a "bleed notch” or other method of removing air from the system."
http://www.stant.com/consumer-products/abcs-of-thermostats
"Many thermostats have a “jiggle pin” or “check valve” that allows trapped air in the cooling system to pass through the thermostat and be released from the system.
If a Stant thermostat does not have a jiggle pin, it will have a "bleed notch” or other method of removing air from the system."
http://www.stant.com/consumer-products/abcs-of-thermostats
Posted By: SteveS
Re: Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/08/13 04:29 AM
Quote:
Some info from the Stant website;
"Many thermostats have a “jiggle pin” or “check valve” that allows trapped air in the cooling system to pass through the thermostat and be released from the system.
If a Stant thermostat does not have a jiggle pin, it will have a "bleed notch” or other method of removing air from the system."
http://www.stant.com/consumer-products/abcs-of-thermostats
FYI- I spent a few years as product engineering manager for Stant's thermostat group.
Posted By: Diplomat360
Re: Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/08/13 04:54 AM
Yup, drill a hole...I thin I tossed a 1/8" into mine...regardless of how much water is lets pass through..nothing beats knowing that all the air has been expelled!
Posted By: Cab_Burge
Re: Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/08/13 07:02 AM
I drill two or three 1/8 inch holes across from each other in all of the new ones, old motorhome style, thermostasts I use
Posted By: 360view
Re: Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/08/13 11:43 AM
Quote:
FYI- I spent a few years as product engineering manager for Stant's thermostat group.
Would you remember any thermostats with set points above 205 degrees F ?
210, 214 or even 220 degrees F maybe?
a few years ago i searched through the Stant paper catalog looking for high temperature thermostats and found the
Stant Standard Grade #13352 rated 205 F
and installed this in a
1995 Magnum 360 V8.
This Stant crosses to a
CarQuest #30210
205 degrees F
Posted By: dennismopar73
Re: Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/08/13 01:44 PM
My race motors I just run a spacer to just restrict the flow, in my street stuff I drill a 1/4 hole
I alwas buy the safe stats that way if thego bad they stick wide open, not closed !
I alwas buy the safe stats that way if thego bad they stick wide open, not closed !
Posted By: Supercuda
Re: Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/08/13 02:07 PM
Quote:
How do you tell if the tstat has an air relief? There is no visible hole, and i can't force air through it at least by mouth.
I'm having a heck of a time imagining that.
Posted By: SteveS
Re: Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/08/13 10:48 PM
Quote:Quote:
FYI- I spent a few years as product engineering manager for Stant's thermostat group.
Would you remember any thermostats with set points above 205 degrees F ?
210, 214 or even 220 degrees F maybe?
a few years ago i searched through the Stant paper catalog looking for high temperature thermostats and found the
Stant Standard Grade #13352 rated 205 F
and installed this in a
1995 Magnum 360 V8.
This Stant crosses to a
CarQuest #30210
205 degrees F
That's the only "mainstream" one. Ten years ago I could have made something for you!
Posted By: Magnum
Re: Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/12/13 05:24 PM
Quote:
Any harm in drilling a 1/8" hole if it already has one?
The difference between a drilled hole and a one have valve is no flow during warm up.
That is why out of the box thermostats do not have a hole.
It may be more of a chore to rid of air after the initial fill but after a couple cycles the air will find it's way to the radiator cap or coolant reservoir.
One vote here for faster warm up.
Posted By: SteveS
Re: Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/12/13 10:44 PM
If anyone is that nervous about an air pocket on initial fill, they can push the thermostat open and wedge an aspirin in the opening. The thermostat will stay open a little bit until the coolant dissolves it, or the thermostat opens and spits it out.
Posted By: RapidRobert
Re: Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/13/13 12:53 AM
My vote, a 1/32" hole. Takes 1 minute to do. No effect on cooling. As said quicker/more complete initial fill. Time is money
Posted By: Mad Accountant
Re: Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/13/13 02:58 AM
Drilled a 1/16" hole, filled it and ran it. Worked great without having to check it 12 times. Love the aspirin trick, sort of like the bread in the copper pipe at home. You learn something new every dang day!
Posted By: RapidRobert
Re: Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/13/13 08:12 AM
Quote:Yeah I liked that too
Love the aspirin trick, sort of like the bread in the copper pipe at home. You learn something new every dang day!
now what is the bread in the copper pipe trick 
Posted By: a12superbee
Re: Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/13/13 09:04 AM
Quote:Quote:Yeah I liked that too
Love the aspirin trick, sort of like the bread in the copper pipe at home. You learn something new every dang day!
If you're sweating together copper pipes and there is a little water trickle, you can shove bread in the pipe to hold back/suck up the water long enough to get the pipes soldered together.
The bread will dissolve when you turn the water back on.
Posted By: RapidRobert
Re: Drill the thermostat or not? - 09/13/13 09:10 AM
alright