Inliners International Forums General Discussion Engines Intake Manifold Heat Water Plate

I am going to use Tom Langdon's manifold heating plate. Mr. Langdon suggested 3/8" hose. I have tapped my thermostat housing for 1/4" pipe thread for the feed side of the plate. Does anyone have any images of a "clean" install for the water return hose run. Mr. Langdon suggested going back into the return heater hose. That's fine, but I need some ideas for a clean run.
Thanks.
Ken

There are some pictures of a clean installation here some where. I'm going to take some pictures of mine and will post them as soon as possible, I'm using braided lines and AN fittings.

Jalopy,
I appreciate that.
Thanks.
Ken

I have a spacer that goes between the head and the water neck that is tapped for a fitting to install your hose. Since its behind the thermostat, you get heated water flowing before the stat opens instead of after,with it tapped into the housing. I'll give you one if you want to try it. Thanks

I'm not sure how clean you are looking for. I ran my other line to the back of the engine. It goes behind the head and along the firewall to the heater hose. The heater hose already had a "T" for a temp sender for the AC system. I tapped into that "T".

Richard,
Sounds like a plan. Do you have any pictures you can post?
Thanks.
Ken

CNC,
I appreciate the offer. Yes, I'd like to try it. If you want to discuss particulars you can email me at kenlfoy@yahoo.com.
Thanks.
Ken

Here's a link to a heat plate I made. http://s31.photobucket.com/albums/c355/chevy2inreno/Inliners/

I had a friend with a milling machine that let me hack way at a chunk of billet in his shop. I milled a big hole in the middle of the piece and then welded a plug on top. The water goes in, bounces aroud a little, then goes out the other side. I prefer water heat due to it's consistency and low corrosiveness, compared to exhaust heat. I noticed a big chance in drivability and an increase in mileage.

Dave

I have seen a "T" fitting used at the water temperature gauge hook-up on the head on the left side toward the back of the engine. This is a nice location because the distance from the heat plate outlet to this fitting is fairly close.
In effect, a run from the thermostat housing to the heat plate and from the heat plate to the temperature gauge fitting is a short, easy run which is easy to make look attractive.
Joe

On mine I have a tee on the temp sender side of the thermostat housing. The hose feeds the heated water to the manifold. I used braided steel with hose clamp end.




The return water just feed back into the water pump through the heat hose since I don't have a heater. The braided steel is 3/8" and feeds into the 1/2 heater hose. Would have been much cleaner if I could have run the braided all the way to the water pump. The inlet to the water pump could probably be tapped for a 3/8" pipe thread.

This pertains to the GMC. (I believe any head and size) All of the ones I have used have have two 1/2" pipe tap holes back at #6 and one a little farther forward. For many years I put the my temp guage in the rear one and plugged the one farther forward. At El Mirage and more at Bonneville I always showed high cylinder head temp; more than I wanted. About 10 years ago I spotted a stock 302 in a truck and noticed the rear taped hole fed water to the thermostat housing and the one farther forward went to a temp sender. All of a sudden a light went on in my head and I started plumbing all my stock head engines like this. All my "hot" head problems went away.

I am now in the process of assembling a mild street engine for our 40 coupe. I'm going to use this really neat old home made 3-2 log style manifold I purchased in 1974. It was for racing and I'm going to street it with hot water using those same lines. I'm considering welding in a 1/2" tube right thru the plenum chamber to heat up the air. The other way would be to weld the tube/pipe to the bottom of the intake plenum.

The intake was from the 50's and used with Nicson headers of which I have an original pair and planning to use. I plan on using one of the 302 heads I've been hoarding all these years since I normally run the 270H heads when racing. 25 years ago I was able to buy a set of 4-1/8" McGurk pop-up coated pistons still wrapped in 1955 newspaper and it's finally time to put them to good use. Now I just need to figure out a cam that will do good on the street. I'm looking to some of the RV grinds of the 70's and 80's to do the trick.........Good luck on your projects.............JD

I found a thermostat housing that has (3) holes,,one goes to the heater, 1 for the temp gauge, and the third runs the heat plate, then you can eliminate any tee's up front,,I found them on lots of late 70'S vans and trucks in the junk yard,,some have a fitting for the heater hose,, others have a nipple cast to them,,,the fitting one is iron, the casted one is alum,,

Do you have any pictures?

Thanks.

[quote=jimmy six #35]This pertains to the GMC. (I believe any head and size) All of the ones I have used have have two 1/2" pipe tap holes back at #6 and one a little farther forward. For many years I put the my temp guage in the rear one and plugged the one farther forward. At El Mirage and more at Bonneville I always showed high cylinder head temp; more than I wanted. About 10 years ago I spotted a stock 302 in a truck and noticed the rear taped hole fed water to the thermostat housing and the one farther forward went to a temp sender. All of a sudden a light went on in my head and I started plumbing all my stock head engines like this. All my "hot" head problems went away.

I have thought about this too. I wonder if the cylinder head temps are still the same, but there are different temps at different spots on the head. so if a guy changes the location of the thermostat, maybe it was lower all the time in this particular spot, and maybe the rear one is still the same temp as before but you are just taking the reading from a different place.

I dont know...

Tom, I don't think the temps are the same because you are moving water away from the #6 exhaust valve area. Without the flow back to the thermostat housing from that area I believe that spot of the head runs hotter because of the lack of good flow away from it. It may never have been a problem with a 228 or 248 in a pickup but a duece and a half loaded under a full load could have been a problem and GMC engineers fixed it with the tube.

Another point is when many of the guys mill a head, especialy over .100" they lose the small water directors/aimers which aim the water at the exhaust valves. I have always made sure mine stayed in place. Anyway since we added the line I've never had a heating problem at the drags with my coupe or running the roadster to the 3 mile with 9 gallon water tank starting at 120/130 degrees.

If I ever figure out how to put a picture in here I'll include one of that side of the engine...JD

please post a photo. I would love to see it and I know others would too.

I had a couple 261's that recirculated water but it was at the front of the engine with the water pump and thermostat housing. If it worked, I wonder why 235's never had this. Maybe its the same as you said: the load of a big truck as compared to the passenger cars.

Jimmy 6 #35

If you can email me the pics you want posted, I'll put them up for you.

I'll PM you my email address.

Here's JD's Pics, with a description by the man himself.

I'm attaching some photos of the way I did my water for the GMC. These are from my roadster so the line from the rear of the head is going directly to the water tank in the rear of the car. In my coupe the line would go to the capped fitting at the front of the head because I use a stock style radiator. If you could add this note I think it would help the guys looking. I also included a picture of the car......Thanks for posting them............. JD Tone #35













Fine lookin' ride and some snazzy lookin' hardware too.