Thermostat/Cooling Circulation

I believe this is an Escort marinization.
351W, 1975 Ski Nautique

The thermostat is not in the intake manifold, like it would be in an automotive application. It's under the small dome (labeled in the pic).

Raw water comes into the block-shaped piece beneath the thermostat dome and appears to go into the circulating pump. Then it goes thru the engine and comes out the intake manifold into the thermostat dome and out to the exhaust manifolds.

QUESTION: Anyone familiar with this circulation/thermostat set up? If so, is there a direct port between the block (under the 'stat dome) and the hoses going out to the exhaust manifolds so that the manifolds are cooled even when the thermostat is closed?

Thanks in advance!

8122pbrainard wrote: Shawn, Water is always flowing out via the exhaust at the GPM rate of the RWP. The engine only bypasses what it needs when the T stat is calling. It's the basic principle of most of our marinized engines.

Does that mean the answer to my question is "yes"? I really don't want to separate the two components of the thermostat junction to look for myself since the junction doesn't leak and a replacement gasket is unobtanium.

Muchas gracias, fellas!