So I have a trickflow headed 383 that I have ripped the heater out of so that I could smooth out the firewall. Now I want to run a smaller custom heater inside the car. I need a feed and return line for the coolant. I want to stay away from the water pump for aesthetic reasons. I have a plug on my rad that is not being used. I was thinking about using that. Only problem is that then to get to the firewall I need a long hose that I don't want to have to use.

Anyways, my main Q is can I use the head's 1/2 NPT holes for at least one of the 2 ports I need?

1.In one head, out the other? Possible?
2.In from one head out into the water pump?
3. In from head out to radiator?


I would really like to do my first option since it could be done with 90* fittings and be almost totally invisible.

I keep thinking that it doesn't really matter what I do as long as hot coolant gets to the heater's core, and the way it flows and so on will work itself out as long as there are no bubbles.

Please fill me in, thanks.

-Dennis

 

I can see a couple of problems tapping into the heads for coolant.
First problem is that the press will be pretty much equal between the two heads, so I doubt if you'll get any flow thru your heater.
Also, within the cyl heads is where the coolant system is supposed to pick up the most heat. The flow charactaristics are important for even cooling across the cyl head. If you divert/disturb coolent flow within the head, this could in theory cause unevening cooling and possible warpage.
Do you have a coolant port on the intake near the distributor? If so. I'd use that and return it to the radiator port you mentioned.

 

I've seen people connect the two heads with a line for max cooling but never seen a hook up a heater from them before.

I had to get a new water pump b/c my old one went bad and the new one had a place like on the pre 87 sbc where the coolant could be tapped from the pump.

If you have that plug then put in a threaded NPT and make that your source. Then for the return, I can't think of a good place for it right now. maybe somewhere on the block?

good luck

 

Yeah, I wanted to stay away from the pump if possible. I am really trying to keep the motor look "alone" and clean. So minimal hoses and wires.

You say you have seen from one head to the other to max cool?? I guess that means that if some people do that there must be some sort of flow from one to the other, making it an OK flow in and out for the heater.

If this makes no sense, chime in. I want a sanity check.

It would really make things a lot easier.

Also I am looking for a bulkhead to pass it all though. Billet specialties is the only one I can find and they list for $43. Says it has male 10-AN threads, but it looks like it doesn't have the cone on the top that makes the seal, so I am def missing something. Someone wanna clear that up for me?

 

I don't have a port back there.

It is a Edelbrock vic. jr. intake.

I really really don't see warpage as a possibility. I agree that it might not be the best idea and i will probably look at other options. I feel like there might not be even cooling but def not warping the motor...

I guess if I had to I could re-locate my temp sensor and tap into the front of the intake and use the water pump port as a return and have the lines be right next to each other. Not ideal, cuz the lines will have to be right on the motor, but i guess if it works, it works.

 

Start with the basics of how a heater works.

Heat flows from a hot place to a cold place.

Water flows from a place of high pressure to a place of low pressure.

Therefore, to make your heater work, you need hot water at high pressure (meaning, between the top of the heads and the thermostat); and you need a place for the cooled water to return to the cool side of the system, on the suction side of the water pump (between the radiator core and the water pump impeller).

Ideally, you want a place that doesn't create an imbalance between the heads in the flow through them.

Places that meet the 1st requirement are pretty much limited to .... the intake manifold. If you have a fitting at the rear near the dist, you could use that. (or drill one)

Places meeting the 2nd requirement are the cold tank of the radiator (the one that the lower hose hooks to), and the hole in the WP (which is on the suction side). That's about it.

No flow will occur between the heads, since the pressure is the same at those 2 points. Not to mention, the plumbing nightmare of trying to run heater hose through the headers and around spark plugs, using the holes that the temp gauge sender and the fan switch belong in. So that suggestion is unsuitable. Frankly, I doubt that ANY options involving the heads, will be practical.

Personally, I've never understood the "no wires or hoses" thing. I can't see any of that when I'm driving, and the people watching my taillights recede into the distance in front of them can't see it either. Not that my own preferences have much bearing on the situation..... but however all that may be, I like to have mine where they work, where they're secure, and where they're safe and out of harm's way. I don't see anything wrong with hooking stuff up where and how it's supposed to be hooked up. It's possible to get 90° fittings, 45° fittings, stainless steel fittings, anodized fittings, braided line, etc. etc. etc. to do both a visually pleasing AND a functional job of hooking it up.

 

Well I guess I am pretty much restricted to installing the feed line in the intake, and the return line in the water pump...

Just the way it seems to go. I will just get twit-tite fittings like I have been using and do it that way so it all looks consistent.

As for the way things work and getting other people as was mentioned...

I do all the aesthetic mods cuz "I" like it. Not cuz some bozo at a show thinks it looks cool. I have all my $ in my motor and drivetrain and almost nothing into the body cuz I don't car what others think of my car. I try to blend in if anything, thats why i got it painted white again.

I like working on my car and seeing the extra effort that I put into it months down the road when I pop my hood and look in and see that most of the "stuff" that clutters a SBC are out of the way.

On days when I have nothing to do cuz the car is running 100%, I think of ways to tuck stuff up and hide them better while still having the car work 100%. Spent 5 hours a couple weeks ago mounting my N20 to the firewall and away from the motor. Same length lines, and less heat in the parts. Looks much much better and cleaner. Just the way I like to do stuff I guess.

Oh and routing by my heads would be very easy. I have allen block offs in the heads right now and with a long allen in them I can get to them within 10 seconds, I can see them clearly and nothing is in their way. But you are right, if I go in to the heads, there won't be any flow.

Thanks for the heads up and I guess I am off to summit to drop my $200 bones to get this mini-project ordered up.

 

i know where you are coming from with the "clean" look, but hoses are a part of the engine and can be made to fit very well. You've probably seen these pics, but this is how i ran my heater hoses to the stock heater, nice and clean, in my opinion, and still off the engine enough to not seem cluttered.

 

very nice!!

 

Thanks for seeing my point of view. Your engine looks great! It doesn't matter all that much for me in the end since my car is pretty much my DD, but I still like to do what I can.

I guess I will tap into my intake and water pump and move my temp sensor to my head. Thanks.

I will post pics when I get mine all set up next week and you can let me know what you think.

 

Yeah, like I said, don't take my esthetic opinions too seriously... I'm pretty strictly a "form follows function" kind of guy. To me, if it works and fits right, it looks better than if it doesn't; all the rest of that stuff isn't something I'm equipped to comment on. It is meaningless to me, about like the difference between a snare drum and a tom-tom to a deaf person. I think maybe I have a birth defect, I was born without the "looks good" gene. And without the one that would enable me to tell if something else "looks good" or not, too.

86's is about like I'd expect one to look, done with braided hose. Doesn't seem too terribly cluttered or ugly or whatever to me.

 

//<86TA>\\, what kind of wire looms are those. i want to get some but summit and jegs menus are kinda not straight forward in telling me what I am buying. If you could tell me that would be great.

I am going to go ahead and order the heater, heater box, 10 -AN hose and twist-tite fittings from summit right now. This saturday is suppsosed to not get out of the 50's and I am not ready to put her away just yet I think the heater will make the car drivable well into the fall, as long as there is no snow.