Jay, was that a small block pilot bearing pressed into a bushing that came with the kit? Do you have a standard FE style 6303 bearing to use or would that be too thick? Never mind, I think you mentioned the hole was too small for the input shaft on this trans, but that doesn't make sense if they used a small block bearing. The FE and small block look like they are both .672-3ish. Is the input bigger than that? Also, please keep updated on the valve covers. A set of clear pentroofs may not look too bad either......Just saying if you ever get a chance It wouldn't be hot rodding if you didn't have to re-engineer everything!

I've had a 289 side project for over 4 years with "big plans" on the build, but once I started working on my 390, I kind of forgot all about it.

From what I can tell the 4 and 6 cylinders are not reverse flow. In the bottom picture I linked it shows the cold side from the radiator going "in" the thermostat. It just seems confusing. Yes the LT1s are reverse flow for sure. I think the easiest thing may be to just put the t-stat in the upper housing.

"Reverse" flow cooling, most notably on the Gen 2 SBV8s (LT1, LT4, L99) fed coolant to the heads first. Coolant then flowed into the block and finally out of the engine. The coolant went through the thermostat twice, once on the way in and a second time, on the way out. On the way in, it heat controls the thermostat and on the way out, it's routed either to the radiator or back to the engine.

Neither the LT5 nor the Gen 3/4 V8 family have reverse flow cooling. They do, however, have the thermostats located at the engine coolant inlet rather than at the outlet.

The LT5 also has a coolant bypass that prevents coolant pressure from rupturing or the radiator at high rpm. There's a spring loaded valve that opens when the pressure differential across the radiator reaches a certain point. The open valve allows coolant flow to bypass the radiator.

The statement above that the LT5 had a form of reverse flow cooling that was later adapted to the Gen 2 V8s is not correct.
Quoted from corvetteactioncenter forum.

Also, in the diagram of the mustang coolant flow, that is different than what must be on the saleen because it does not have the thermostat housing assy. tied into the hoses like the other pictures of it from Mustangs and Fast Fords. The diagram of flow is the exact same setup that is on my daily driver '03 Crown Vic and the t-stat is in the small housing attached to the upper rad. hose.

http://s12.photobucket.com/user/jaredaebly/media-full/Mobile%20Uploads/20150522_164511_zpslhgiqy01.jpg.html
http://s12.photobucket.com/user/jaredaebly/media-full/Mobile%20Uploads/20150522_164335_zps0xsasgdc.jpg.html

So obviously this is not exactly how it will work (Figure above), but I am still using the OEM thermostat housing, it still connects to the bottom of the radiator for coolant (IN), still pulls gas out of the top of the radiator (#1= degas tank and #2 is the hose that feeds additional coolant into the system (Its also how you will the coolant up in this car), and the thermostat (hopefully) opens to allow coolant into the Cammer engine water pump.  So this is what the thermostat housing looks like.....  Its actually not even a stock Mustang part, but seems like an aftermarket part that Saleen installs while building the car:



ok so I have this installed so the thermostat bottom (with the spring) is sitting down in this part of the housing: (See below)



The top of the thermostat is sitting up in this portion of the housing: (See below)



The degas tank supplied Coolant into the system down a hose and into this port on the housing (in the same area where hot coolant is sitting awaiting the thermostat to open): (See below)



There was an extra port on this housing that will not be used in my application, so I plugged it with a rubber expansion plug (sold at Autozone for just this reason): (See below)



And finally, this port below is connected to the bottom of the radiator.  It lets hot coolant (cooled by the fans/radiator already) into the housing in which the thermostat (bottom- with the spring) is housed.  Once it gets to 180 degrees, it opens letting coolant from the radiator (and some coolant from the degas tank to flow up into the Cammer engine water pump.  I removed the thermostat I had originally in the Cammer engine water neck so the water then flows freely around the engine, out the waterneck..... through the radiator, and assuming the thermostat in the Saleen housing, back through the water pump: (See below)




Sorry if this is overkill, but I want to make sure I am not boiled like a lobster ever again  LOL  Does this seem correct?

Hi Jason, just noticing you're routing on the hoses on t-stat housing. It appears to me you may have the inlet and outlet hoses reversed. The spring side of the t-stat as far as I know always faces the engine and is subjected to warm/hot coolant that acts on the wax pellet inside to open the valve. If this is facing the radiator with "cold" coolant coming in, how would the thermostat open? I would think that may be the problem that the thermostat isn't opening, and yes air is trapped in the system. Just my $0.02. Btw, I think that other port that is capped should be fine. Do you have some pics of your hose setup on the car?

Jason, don't throw the towel in yet. You're right at the end of this huge project. You wouldn't happen to have a vacuum hose/line off somewhere? How is the MAP attached in this setup, is it on a throttle body or connected with a vacumm hose? Do you have any close up pics of the throttle bodies?

The 405 didn't do so well down in Mississippi...

Just some very empty pockets! I wish Big Chief could have made a clean pass, I think it may have been close.

I probably did not explain this that well.
You do not have to machine the fins off. I machine the fins off because I don't like the fins.

Ok, I see. I noticed the master cylinder you used was cast iron. The one we used was aluminum. I don't know if there is much difference in the dimensions between the two, like the reservoir? Good luck with the re-install. 

The Fairlane is a tough one to get some of the kooler ones to fit.
But a Ranger Master Cylinder will.
This is a 1988 Ranger M/C that will bolt right in.
This is a tall cover with the fins milled off.

Howie which covers are you using? On my dad's 67 he has Cobra Le Mans finned covers with an 87 ranger master cylinder-Dorman part# M39568 w/ 15/16" bore for manual disc/drum. We did not need to mill the covers and still have maybe just about a 1/16" clearance and yes, those push rods really put up a fight.