My new car has no thermostat?

[jdeight]

I just bought my first Spider, a 1980 2000.

My first job is to replace fluids and belts. After reading my new shop manual and poking around this site, I think I have an idea of how the coolant system ought to be laid out. And... this is not it. Right?



The external thermostat is missing. The lower radiator hose is connected directly to the water pump, and the upper connects to the "tee". The left side of the tee has been plugged.

My question is (and I know it's a dumb one) do I need a thermostat? Without one, coolant will constantly recirculate, right? So, the engine will stay plenty cool, right?

A more mysterious question: Can you think of any reason why someone would do this? Is there an obvious problem the PO was trying to solve by removing the thermostat that I should rule out before I go and buy replacement hoses and thermostat?

I haven't driven it much because I'm nervous about the old timing belt, but when I have the temp gauge was bouncing around 190 the whole time.

[azruss]

the earlier models have the stat located in the head under the housing that goes through the belt cover to the T. May or may not be a stat in there. The exterior stat is expensive and the PO may have just cheaped out and by-passed it. I personally would take it back to stock.

[v6spider]

the earlier models have the stat located in the head under the housing that goes through the belt cover to the T. May or may not be a stat in there. The exterior stat is expensive and the PO may have just cheaped out and by-passed it. I personally would take it back to stock.

Totally agree with what Russ is saying here..

Rob

[So Cal Mark]

owners usually remove the stat in an effort to cure an overheating issue. Running an engine at too low of a temperature will accelerate wear

[RRoller123]

And increase the formation of carbon deposits as well, I have heard? Is that true?

[klweimer]

Agree with the other posters, you engine is happier with a thermostat. Not having one won't make it run any cooler if the cooling system is not jacked up. What not having one will do, is allow your engine temp to wander up and down aimlessly depending on what's going on around the car (up and down hills, summer/winter, wet/dry, etc). None of which is good for the engine.
Kirk

[RaneeHobbs]

Well I'll be darn. I bought my 76 Fiat back after 15 years of other owners and found out the same thing. The thermostat was missing. So I broke down and bought new hoses and a thermostat. I really thought I was the only person this happened to!

[gandyrail]

My 81 had the thermostat in the head outlet when I bought it, I also went back to stock,

[carl]

If someone went to all the trouble to get the correct hose fitting coming out of the front of the motor and different hoses then odds are there is an "in head" thermostat under that housing just behind the cam pulleys Does your motor properly heat up and keep proper temperature? If so you probably have that thermostat. My favorite is a spider we worked on that had the in-head thermostat AND the external thermostat.

In spite of what is said, the in-head thermostat works great, I convert all my spiders to in-head stats. Cleans up the engine bay on that side, makes sighting the timing marks on a 2L motor real easy and is way less prone to air pockets when filling the cooling system. All my spiders are carbed so not sure how this mod effects the coolant temp sensor for FI systems.

carl

[So Cal Mark]

using an in-head thermostat in engines designed for external stats creates two issues; first is the the bypass is not as large and the bolt holes in the head for the water outlet will not stand up to repeated removal/installation. The bolt thread problem can be dealt with by installing heli-coils, the bypass passage issue is pretty difficult to change.
The external stats are so easy to change, I can't figure out why anyone would want to complicate the system

[4uall]

I also had two when purchased yet, they had punched out the core of the external ? ! I replace external and removed internal



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