Jett wrote:
Kapeznpickic mod. Using kia parts etc. lathe work and welding, and leaks, but works great
My name is Kapalczynski.... Mark Kapalczynski, (A nod to Sean Connery; the original and perhaps the BEST Bond). His username on LOSTJEEPS.com is literally "kapalczynski".
Mark Kapalczynski is a GREAT GUY, and his thermostat upgrade is the ONLY one I recommend if you can not afford mine. I respect his design of a modified O.E. housing to take the Hyundai Excel thermostat valves because he is respecting the original design of the CRD engine thermostat assembly. He realizes that there were very good reasons why the O.E. thermostat assembly was designed this way and copied the design and function of it merely by modifying the O.E. thermostat housing and making it serviceable.
The problems with his design are all due to the cheap cast housing he was forced to work with. Your statement that it leaks does not surprise me, but that is certainly nothing that Mark could be faulted for.
Mr. Kapalczynski's design is no longer viable because one of the critical parts to make it is so hard to come by. I did some research back in 2013 to find out if I could take over making O.E. thermostat upgrades as Mark indicated that he no longer wanted to do it. I discovered way back then that the KIA Sephia thermostat cap was a discontinued part.... when I factored this sobering reality with the logistical problems of sourcing used O.E. thermostat assemblies I knew it was a no-go for me.
At that point I knew that if I wanted to create a truly superior upgrade serviceable thermostat I had to start with a clean sheet design. The Hot Diesel Solutions Model 001 is the result of my research and development efforts.... it is vastly superior to the throwaway O.E. thermostat assembly in EVERY way, and better than any other alternative solution - including Mark's design - that has been tried so far.