Pinto coolant flow direction?

[SteveG]

Which way does the water flow in a pinto? Water pump to head (bottom to top)?
Asking because I think the last engine builder (20 some years ago) put the thermostat in backwards.

Steve

[Rick Kirchner]

out of the head, thru the radiators, into the water pump at the bottom

[Deon]

Rick -

In the top of the radiator? or bottom?

Thanks

out of the head, thru the radiators, into the water pump at the bottom

[Purple Frog]

What chassis are we talking about? Single rad Swift or dual rads in each sidepod?

[SteveG]

What chassis are we talking about? Single rad Swift or dual rads in each sidepod?

Swift DB2, single radiator. Based on Rick's statement, in the top and out the bottom. During testing, the car wouldn't build any water temperature, oil temp was fine.
Thermostat was in backwards, flipped that puppy around and all works well now.
Heck, I even tested the thermostat in a pot of water before I put it back in...

Thanks
Steve

[Lotus7]

Swift DB2, single radiator. Based on Rick's statement, in the top and out the bottom. During testing, the car wouldn't build any water temperature, oil temp was fine.
Thermostat was in backwards, flipped that puppy around and all works well now.
Heck, I even tested the thermostat in a pot of water before I put it back in...

Thanks
Steve

Not sure if I'm misinterpreting your comments, but I'd disagree and say you built up plenty of water temp in the cylinder head, it just didn't read on the gauge because the flow was dead-headed. How long did you run like this?, concern for head damage.

[Deon]

What chassis are we talking about? Single rad Swift or dual rads in each sidepod?

Dual radiators, in sidepods.

[SteveG]

Not sure if I'm misinterpreting your comments, but I'd disagree and say you built up plenty of water temp in the cylinder head, it just didn't read on the gauge because the flow was dead-headed. How long did you run like this?, concern for head damage.

Ian,

The pressure from the water pump forces the backwards thermostat open hence a constant flow and over cooling.
FWIW, I always check water flow when firing up a fresh engine install. I leave off the radiator cap until the thermostat initially opens. I've occasionally made a big mess using this technique, water, water everywhere...

I went back and looked at the data from the test day, sitting in pit lane warming the engine the temp got up to ~190, as soon as I went out on track the temp dropped to ~145 and stayed there. Oil temp started a little over 100 and then stabilized at 230 for the rest of the session. I did the final 4 8 lap sessions and temps looked the same each time.
I've set the car up to be period correct so I also have a mechanical temp gauge with the sender in the radiator. The gauge is where I noticed the cool running.

Steve