JPrevost

Okay, I have a 91 and I am really confused with the heating system. From what I've seen the climate controls open up that ugly valve and let coolent into the heater core. After my ening swap I just took out the mess and plugged the ends. Is it okay to have our heater cores constantly heated or what? Can anybody think of a disadvantage? I'd just like to help clean up the engine bay and hate having to wait for the heater to warm up. There is a big delay with the stock setup and I don't like it.

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, Jon (350 TBI!)
91 Red RS w/grey int, sq stereo (Alpine v12, kicker solo, MB quart premium etc)

• Holley 670 TB unit w/ 1/2" spacer/adapter
• Edelbrock RPM vortec intake
• 350ho 330hp vortec crate motor
• 8" harm. balancer
• Stewart stage 2 water pump w/160 thermo
• SLP tri-y headers to full 3"
• Rebuilt trans w/ SLP shift kit
• Centerline 16x8's all around
• 36/24 mm sway bars
• Full poly bushings, even motor mounts
• SLP LCA and panhard
• Alston SFCs
• Edelbrock 3 point STB
• Global west steering brace aka wonderbar
• Eibach pro kit springs
• Bilstien high perf. struts and shocks
• All this and I still have AC

My websiteAny questions?

ede

you could buy an inline valve like is on most other cars. run one hose to the intake and another to the water pump. i can't remember if the water pump has a hole for a fitting or if you'd have to change water pumps. then just make a short hose and plug it for the line out of the radiator. i don't think it'd work running a line from the intake and radiator. guess you could always experiment a little and see what happens, or what works. good luck

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ICON Motorsports

1st & 3rd

JPrevost

The intake manifold doesn't have a boss for the heater hose anymore. The waterpumps all have a boss on the top which I have plugged right now. The radiator boss is passengers side just below the overflow boss. What I was thinking was going from the top of the water pump into heater core then into radiator. One thing I noticed when I took off my old intake was that the water passage was blocked off and only had a pin hole for water flow. It was very confusing and I don't understand it. So is it okay to run from the top of the waterpump to the radiator or what? Does anybody have any pictures of an older heater setup?
Thanks

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, Jon (350 TBI!)
91 Red RS w/grey int, sq stereo (Alpine v12, kicker solo, MB quart premium etc)

• Holley 670 TB unit w/ 1/2" spacer/adapter
• Edelbrock RPM vortec intake
• 350ho 330hp vortec crate motor
• 8" harm. balancer
• Stewart stage 2 water pump w/160 thermo
• SLP tri-y headers to full 3"
• Rebuilt trans w/ SLP shift kit
• Centerline 16x8's all around
• 36/24 mm sway bars
• Full poly bushings, even motor mounts
• SLP LCA and panhard
• Alston SFCs
• Edelbrock 3 point STB
• Global west steering brace aka wonderbar
• Eibach pro kit springs
• Bilstien high perf. struts and shocks
• All this and I still have AC

My websiteAny questions?

Tim Hunsinger

If you let water run through the core all the time, you will always have a little heat entering the car. This will make the air cond. less effective. Plus, it'll make it warmer in the car on an all ready hot day.

FastBroker

The water pump hole is an INLET, not an outlet...

EDIT:

JP, what I do is run a line from a rear intake manifold water outlet (crossover water hole) nearest the heater core (if you don't have an outlet at the rear of the manifold, make one in it, doesn't have to be big!) to ONE side of the heater core and a ("hidden") line from the the other side of the heater core to the water pump...

[This message has been edited by FastBroker (edited April 02, 2001).]

Ward

iTrader: (1)

Yes you need that heater control valve (the one that lets the coolant in the core). If you remove it, coolant will bypass the radiator through the heater core and go right back into the engine without cooling off. I had to install an aftermarket heater control valve just to get my temp down in the summer.

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1983 Pontiac Firebird SE
LG4-Based Chevy 400
700R4 Tansmission
Modified 4 Barrel Q-Jet Carb
Accel Super Stock 8mm Wires
Edelbrock Pro-Flo Air Cleaner
3.23 Posi Rear
14X7" Cragar SS/T Wheels
Clarion 45X4 CD/AM/FM Head Unit
100WX2 Amp
2 Pioneer 12" Subs in Custom Box
Third Gen Performance
"A four cylinder is only half an engine"

steve8586iroc

Could put a manual valve in it and turn it on in cold weather and off in hot.

JPrevost

This is looking like it's going to be more of a PITA than not having heat. I thought the boss on the water pump was an inlet. What is that inlet for? What would use it?
I always thought that you could run a hose from the high part of the radiator to heater core then to the water pump boss. That way wouldn't the coolant have already passed through the radiator if it's exiting at that point? I'm not really familar with the way the system works but that water pump boss is just really confusing.
I just installed the RPM intake on the engine and really don't feel like removing it since the engine only has 500 miles on it. Besides, I don't have the time to spend on intake removal (fuel lines are real PITA with this TBI system). What are some options if I don't have a boss on my intake manifold? I do have 2 on each side of the thermo housing, can I do something with one of them? Thanks for the help.

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, Jon (350 TBI!)
91 Red RS w/grey int, sq stereo (Alpine v12, kicker solo, MB quart premium etc)

• Holley 670 TB unit w/ 1/2" spacer/adapter
• Edelbrock RPM vortec intake
• 350ho 330hp vortec crate motor
• 8" harm. balancer
• Stewart stage 2 water pump w/160 thermo
• SLP tri-y headers to full 3"
• Rebuilt trans w/ SLP shift kit
• Centerline 16x8's all around
• 36/24 mm sway bars
• Full poly bushings, even motor mounts
• SLP LCA and panhard
• Alston SFCs
• Edelbrock 3 point STB
• Global west steering brace aka wonderbar
• Eibach pro kit springs
• Bilstien high perf. struts and shocks
• All this and I still have AC

My websiteAny questions?

Damon

The valve everyone is referring to is to shut coolant flow OFF when you switch on "Max A/C". Nothing more. You can ditch it if you don't like it, just be sure to plug the vacuum line that closes it.

You can ALSO bypass the heater core if you want. It doesn almost NOTHING in terms of actual engine cooling, even with the heater at full blast.

The one thing you CAN'T just plug and be done with is the lines themselves. You HAVE to pass coolant from the inlet to the outlet of the heater hose bosses or you WILL have cooling problems.

JPrevost

My engine is running fine right now at 150 on highway and 160 idle with the heater hoses pluged at the radiator. There ISN'T a boss for the heater hose in the back of my manifold so I was wondering if I could just use one near the thermo housing.
Thanks for clearing up that heater switch thing. I think I'm just going to end up keeping the stock stuff since I did do the swap and kept AC. So the only question is if it's alright to run next to the thermo housing. Thanks

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, Jon (350 TBI! getting 23mpg highway)
91 Red RS w/grey int, sq stereo (Alpine v12, kicker solo, MB quart premium etc)

• Holley 670 TB unit w/ 1/2" spacer/adapter
• Edelbrock RPM vortec intake
• 350ho 330hp vortec crate motor
• 8" harm. balancer
• Stewart stage 2 water pump w/160 thermo
• SLP tri-y headers to full 3"
• Rebuilt trans w/ SLP shift kit
• Centerline 16x8's all around
• 36/24 mm sway bars
• Full poly bushings, even motor mounts
• SLP LCA and panhard
• Alston SFCs
• Edelbrock 3 point STB
• Global west steering brace aka wonderbar
• Eibach pro kit springs
• Bilstien high perf. struts and shocks
• All this and I still have AC

My websiteAny questions?

Bort62

Jp, Its simple

Run one line from the passenger side Boss on the intake to the Heater Core, and Another from the Top of the waterpump To the core.

It will come out of the intake, through the heater, and Into the waterpump. This is the stock setup on Most older vehicles anyhow.

Infact, that was the Stock setup On My 85.




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60 Ranchero - Project ( Money Hole )
85 Sport Coupe LG4 - Daily Driver

Just another Hot Rod kid, or thats what they all tell me.
Livin' the Stereotype

TomP

Bort's right; that's how my '86 is set up. When I buy a newer V8 third gen to play with, I'll do the same thing and eliminate that heater control valve.

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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

AustinT

Im working on the same thing only I dont have a Port on my edelbrock water pump for a heater Hose. I was going to go from the manifold to the core and then the core to the top of the radiator. Will it work Ok?

JPrevost

Thanks, hopefully that'll work the way I want it to. Do you think it'll hurt my max ac output much? If so I think it would be kind of stupid since I did to the engine swap to keep the ac.

------------------
, Jon (350 TBI! getting 23mpg highway)
91 Red RS w/grey int, sq stereo (Alpine v12, kicker solo, MB quart premium etc)

• Holley 670 TB unit w/ 1/2" spacer/adapter
• Edelbrock RPM vortec intake
• 350ho 330hp vortec crate motor
• 8" harm. balancer
• Stewart stage 2 water pump w/160 thermo
• SLP tri-y headers to full 3"
• Rebuilt trans w/ SLP shift kit
• Centerline 16x8's all around
• 36/24 mm sway bars
• Full poly bushings, even motor mounts
• SLP LCA and panhard
• Alston SFCs
• Edelbrock 3 point STB
• Global west steering brace aka wonderbar
• Eibach pro kit springs
• Bilstien high perf. struts and shocks
• All this and I still have AC

My websiteAny questions?