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Ok first off I know this and my fuel pump question are really stupid / academic questions but in my defense this is only my second carbureted muscle car and first was a chevy ... Question is on my 425 it looks like a hose water pump to fire wall heater core , then one from the back of the manifold to firewall heater core. Do I just remove these hoses and cap both nipples on the fire wall, water pump, and back manifold ? Or do I have to route the back manifold to water pump for circulation ? Thanks !
In the 1960s you could order a heater delete option if you lived in an area that didn't have cold winters. When the factory deleted the heater, they just capped the two ports. People lose a LOT of sleep over this, yet why would it be so important to run a bypass hose to the rear passenger side, but not the rear driver side head? Just cap them. FYI, the caps that you can buy today are crap and will crack and start to leak after 18-24 months. Carry spares, or try to find silicone ones. Personally, I've tried and failed to find silicone caps.
In the 1960s you could order a heater delete option if you lived in an area that didn't have cold winters. When the factory deleted the heater, they just capped the two ports. People lose a LOT of sleep over this, yet why would it be so important to run a bypass hose to the rear passenger side, but not the rear driver side head? Just cap them. FYI, the caps that you can buy today are crap and will crack and start to leak after 18-24 months. Carry spares, or try to find silicone ones. Personally, I've tried and failed to find silicone caps.
great info thanks. So you need 4 caps correct ? 2 for firewall, 1 for water pump, & 1 for back of block . You wouldn't happen to know the sizes would you? Thanks
great info thanks. So you need 4 caps correct ? 2 for firewall, 1 for water pump, & 1 for back of block . You wouldn't happen to know the sizes would you? Thanks
No coolant flows through the heater core once you remove the hoses, so you only need two caps. The one at the back of the intake is 5/8". The one on the water pump is 3/4".
No coolant flows through the heater core once you remove the hoses, so you only need two caps. The one at the back of the intake is 5/8". The one on the water pump is 3/4".
Just cap them. FYI, the caps that you can buy today are crap and will crack and start to leak after 18-24 months. Carry spares, or try to find silicone ones. Personally, I've tried and failed to find silicone caps.
A thought....has anyone tried to find stainless steel pipe plugs at a place like Grainger, McMaster-Carr, Fastenal or another industrial supply ?
Last edited by OLDSter Ralph; Jun 17, 2018 at 12:00 AM.
Reason: additional information
A thought....has anyone tried to find stainless steel pipe plugs at a place like Grainger, McMaster-Carr, Fastenal or another industrial supply ?
That works for the intake but not the water pump. The pump has a pressed in hose barb. You have to extract the barb, tap the pump casting, and then install a plug.
That works for the intake but not the water pump. The pump has a pressed in hose barb. You have to extract the barb, tap the pump casting, and then install a plug.
I am wondering (haven't researched yet) it an expandable rubber.....like those used for engine block frost plugs ? Let me think on it and look around.
So I have no heater core. Took it out because it was leaking in the carpet. I removed the hose that goes from one tube on the heater core to the side of the water pump and plugged that port as well as the one on the back on the intake. Is that ok?
Removed the short one as well as the long and plugged everything off. Should be ok? No driving in the winter.
So I have no heater core. Took it out because it was leaking in the carpet. I removed the hose that goes from one tube on the heater core to the side of the water pump and plugged that port as well as the one on the back on the intake. Is that ok?
Removed the short one as well as the long and plugged everything off. Should be ok? No driving in the winter.
Yes, that's fine, and that's exactly what the factory did on heater-delete cars. The only problem is that the rubber caps sold today are really crap and typically will crack and leak after about a year or so. I've finally found silicone caps that last much longer.
That works for the intake but not the water pump. The pump has a pressed in hose barb. You have to extract the barb, tap the pump casting, and then install a plug.
On the cars I have done heater deletes on I remove the hose fitting, either by carefully pulling it out, or drilling it out in the case of cast aluminum pumps with the hose fitting cast into the pump. Then I head to Napa or other well stocked parts store and find a freeze plug that fits the hole. Drive it in, mix up some JB Weld, and put it over the freeze plug. A little sanding and paint, you will never know there was a fitting there.
Obviously this is best don’t with the pump off the car. The freeze plug won’t leak, the JB Weld ensures the plug stays out and looks good, and no worries of the sumptuous cheap rubber caps leaking.
Joe P is either very lucky, very optimistic, or has access to much better quality rubber caps than anyone I know!! I helped my next door neighbor put a radiator in his suburban, the replacement radiator included the rubber cap to plug off the unneeded heater hose fitting. Within a couple months, it split and started hemorrhaging coolant. I filled that fitting with JB Weld.
if it can’t be fixed with JB Weld, it’s REALLY broken!! 😁😁
Last edited by matt69olds; Jul 9, 2022 at 08:33 PM.
The freeze plug is a great idea. As for rubber caps, yeah, it took me a while, but I've finally found silicone caps for heater hose barbs. See the link I provided in Post #12 above.
The freeze plug is a great idea. As for rubber caps, yeah, it took me a while, but I've finally found silicone caps for heater hose barbs. See the link I provided in Post #12 above.
it would probably be far easier and faster to order those caps, as opposed to finding a well stocked parts store that has an assortment of freeze plugs.
Anout 5 years ago my local Napa store was bought by new owners. One of the first things they did was throw out all the old paper catalogs, Force out the old timers who know how to use catalogs, and replace them with new employees who were far cheaper, and the skills to justify the cheaper wages. Of course, all the dusty inventory was thrown out.
Anout 5 years ago my local Napa store was bought by new owners. One of the first things they did was throw out all the old paper catalogs, Force out the old timers who know how to use catalogs, and replace them with new employees who were far cheaper, and the skills to justify the cheaper wages. Of course, all the dusty inventory was thrown out.
