Heater hose elimination?

Hey guys,
Im trying to get my motor buttoned up so I can attempt to start it, my question is with the heater hose routing?

I am not running a heater (for now), and I know if your heater core goes out you can loop the system until you fix it. My problem is that to me it doesnt look the best having a big loop of heater hose right on the front of the engine. Can you plug the water pump and intake ports without any adverse affects?

Ive tried to read articles on it and am getting 50/50 answers and cant really pinpoint the answer, so I figured Id just ask the forums.

Also, I am running a performer rpm on a 350 with no bells or whistles and am trying to find a schematic of all the ports and bolt holes on the intake so I can plug what i dont need or bolt up what I do need...anybody have any suggestions? Thanks guys!

 

No schematic but it's safe to simply plug/cap the water pump & intake manifold instead of looping the hose.

 

Brass plugs.

 

Yup - plug em the traditional way (short hoses and bolts clamped to ends), or the nice way (caps over the tube exits on the water pump.

As for the intake - you just need a port to the water system for your temp sender and a port to the intake system for vacuum. The rest can be plugged.

 

Here is my brass plug in the water pump. If it is a temporary deal you can still use the hose nipple with a short piece of hose that can be removed when you are ready for heat again.

 

Emphasis on BRASS. Put a steel plug into an aluminum manifold (or pump), and you risk galvanic corrosion, potentially locking the plug in, or tearing out the threads on removal.

 

Amen to that! The "gentleman" that plugged my motor before I bought it used steel plugs, no teflon or anything. I had quite a time removing the plugs especially in the manifold and then getting the new fitting not to leak.

 

if you use the plugs and start having any overheating problems replace the hose from manifold to water pump. you can use brass nipples to tighten the curve of the hose so it does not look bad.

 

Whether the heater hoses can be capped rather than looped depends on the engine. I believe your 350 is one that can be safely capped.

 

Brass + Aluminum is a worse combination than Steel + Aluminum.

Brass and Aluminum are farther apart on the anodic index, which determines the potential for galvanic corrosion, than are Steel and Aluminum.

http://engineersedge.com/galvanic_capatability.htm

 

Never had a brass plug stick in a manifold, or rip the threads out on removal, only with steel or stainless steel.

 

Just coat them with never seize.

 

Good thinking.


Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad

 

Re; "depends on the motor"....Didn't some GM engines use the heater core as a thermostat bypass circuit ? That set up also needed a special heater control valve, to shut off flow thru the heater, and route it back to the return ,.......

4TTRUK