Hi guys, I need some advice. I have a 2.0 Zetec with a receline water rail with a ford thermostat.
Is it really sufficient to just plumb like you see at picture attached?
Every image I found on here showed lots of hoses in the engine bay....




without expansion tank:

Yup thats all you need to do with the zetec

I ran mine like pic 2 for a while. I loved the idea and simplicity of it. The reality on the road is different.

The temp would yoyo as the stat doesn’t like being that far from the head. It ran much cooler than it should. Often down to 40 deg, the zetec should be running 90+ .Parts of the head will run hot if you run to little bypass. Cyclic shock is not good for the head gasket. I ended up with a HGF on pot 4.

Other problems, The setup finds its own coolant level by spitting out the extra when hot. No matter how I tried it would not draw it back when cold. This gives you very little coolant in the system. This make it harder to monitor your levels.

If you have the space for the zetec thermostat ? fit it. It works. Yes there is meters of pluming but it works and you can see the coolant levels.

If your sticking with the rail then a blank cap on the stat and a header tank under the nose will reduce your plumbing.
The top bleed of the rad wants to go into a T with the bleed on the water rail into the top of the header tank. Bottom of the header tank into the bottom hose near the water pump.

This doesn’t stop the temp problems but it does make sure you always have plenty of coolant.




New set up

Ok, thanks. I think I will give the water rail a try and use it with a header tank.

[Edited on 11/7/11 by budha]


Edit: My Rad does not have a bleed. So just go from the top Hose into a T?
I will add a another pic in a second. Do not want to blow my engine...

[Edited on 11/7/11 by budha]



[Edited on 11/7/11 by budha]

No if the rad has no bleed just use the one on the stat housing. What rad have you got ? the bleed just stops any air locks.

Have you drilled a bypass hole in the stat ? and are you running a heater ?

I did say the rail was the best thing since sliced bread for years. And it was good just ticking over in the garage.

I lost faith after the hgf blew and went to standard even though I had to mod the chassis just so I could see coolant in a tank.
Do a search on line.

[Edited on 11/7/11 by big_wasa]