I was installing my new heater hose setup today when my dad noticed the K&N open element air cleaner I had. He told me that if any of those hoses sprung a leak, the coolant would get sucked right through the air filter and into the engine. He said that older cars had air cleaners that were enclosed except for an air intake on the drivers side. The intake, he said, was put on the drivers side just in case any of the heater hoses blew.

So is it likely that if a heater hose gets a major leak the coolant will get sucked into the engine? I plan on getting a ram air setup and was also wondering if water will get through the filter when it rains. Any insight into this would be greatly appreciated.

 

i think even if it did, it wouldn't matter much, either way you need to kill the engine before it overheats. maybe that would be a saftey, the coolant makes the engine shut off, thus preventing overheating....

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Hondas get all the girls.
Camaro's get all the women.

'89 Camaro RS T-top L03, T5, 3.08 10 bolt stock rear, Edelbrock Pro-Flow filter, more to come as the money flows....

 

"was put on the drivers side just in case any of the heater hoses blew."

Thats a new one to me, I dunno who told him that but...

Its not like heater hoses just all of a sudden blow out on a regular basis anyway. If it was a bad idea, would all of us TBI guys still be doing it, and all the carb guys too? IF and thats a BIG IF a hose blew, you'd have to be at total max throttle to even have a chance in hell if sucking fluid in. Don't worry about it.

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88 Camaro (The mighty LO3 SC!)
305TBI/700R4/2.73/125,XXX miles
10" Open Element and Flowmaster 80 seires
Bosch Platinum plugs
Double silicone Accel wires


Next up: headers and gears