Re: miniram & thermostat housing?
 

Sounds like that's the problem. However, I have a TPIS 58mm and there is a quarter-inch of clearance from the top of the water neck to the bottom of the throttle body. Whenever I want to change the thermostat, I'll just pop off the four throttle body bolts and move it out of the way to do the job.

I'm using a shortie water neck, NOT the stock TPI waterneck. You know, now that I think of it, how come no one has called TPIS to ask which waterneck THEY recommend? Maybe it's a simple matter of the wrong combination of parts??

Re: miniram & thermostat housing?
 

TPIS knows there is a problem with the fitment, but they don't care.

Everyone I know has had to get the water neck cut and re-welded in another position to clear the throttle body and serpentine belt, including me.

Re: miniram & thermostat housing?
 

Hmmm... When I get my serpentine belt fitted onto the engine, I'll let you know how the waterneck works out. I did try the TPI waterneck and discovered that it wont fit. However, the old GM one I have fits fine. I'll buy the belt this week, I hope, and then report back.

Re: miniram & thermostat housing?
 

i have what is basically a 45 degree from tpis....i don't have the problem with it clearance so much as just the poor design overall. i do know that tpis has two versions of the "neck" itself so you might want to check that out. i myself mainly have problems with it sealing right because of how you have to put it together having the thermostat in the housing and then lowering it down onto the intake it causes sealing problems. all they would have had to do was reverse the mount so you could set the thermostat in the manifold and drop the housing over top of it. o'well.

Re: miniram & thermostat housing?
 

jeff, I have had luck on housings like that by using some safety wire and an old bolt, I run the wire through the top piece of the t-stat, make a loop big enough to go out the opening in the housing, then stick the bolt through the loop and turn the bolt till the t-stat is held snug against the housing, install assm. to intake, then cut the wire and slide out of the t-stat/housing


If you need pics, I will try to get some

Re: miniram & thermostat housing?
 

great idea, pretty similar to my own.....i just wish it was designed better as it's a pain.

Re: miniram & thermostat housing?
 

I had an old car,think it was a Dodge yhat assembled that way. I used a few dabs of gasket cement on the housing and glued the stat in place,then assemble on the manifold.

Re: miniram & thermostat housing?
 

yeah, that's pretty much what you have to do...pretty rigged setup in my opinion.