Coolant flow

[Neil E.]

I have a Trailtech Voyager Speedo/GPS that came with a coolant temperature sensor. This mounts in one of the rad hoses, so I need to verify the coolant flow.

The 2011 has a thermostat in the right side coolant hose. It looks as though hot coolant exits the cylinder head to both rads. The bottom hose of the right rad feeds the waterpump inlet. The bottom hose of the left rad goes into the left sidecover. Do the internal passageways direct flow back to the pump inlet?

It appears that both rads work in parallel, and that the thermostat restricts flow only in the right radiator. Based on this I expect to install the sensor in the left hose. This should give the most accurate readings during warmup since there would always be normal flow in this hose.

[GMP]

You are correct, the left flow goes through the cases and mixes with the right flow at the pump inlet. Thats why the pump cover is elongated, as the passagways are stacked over/under.

[Neil E.]

Thanks, it's nice to know there is an expert "on staff".

[vgstef]

Originally Posted by Neil E.

I have a Trailtech Voyager Speedo/GPS that came with a coolant temperature sensor. This mounts in one of the rad hoses, so I need to verify the coolant flow.

The 2011 has a thermostat in the right side coolant hose. It looks as though hot coolant exits the cylinder head to both rads. The bottom hose of the right rad feeds the waterpump inlet. The bottom hose of the left rad goes into the left sidecover. Do the internal passageways direct flow back to the pump inlet?

It appears that both rads work in parallel, and that the thermostat restricts flow only in the right radiator. Based on this I expect to install the sensor in the left hose. This should give the most accurate readings during warmup since there would always be normal flow in this hose.

Do you know the internal size of the hose ? I need to order the temperature sensor fitting for the trail teck vector , they have 16 mm , 19mm , 22 mm and 25 mm .

Thank

[Neil E.]

If you had asked a couple of days ago, I could have measured everything exactly. It's in place now to stay. Checking the little section of hose I cut out, the hose itself measures 5/8" by 7/8" (~16mm x 22mm).

It was a real struggle to insert the sensor housing into the hose. The barb OD was about 3/4" (~19mm). The hose looks quite expanded (this matches the look of the hoses on the thermostat housing which are also heavily expanded).

It looks like you should order for a 16mm hose and assume that the housing barb will be oversize for a very tight fit in the hose. You might want to call TrailTech and to find out the actual barb diameter.