Inliners International Forums General Discussion Engines Water heat to intake

I am getting ready to install my Offy 2x1 intake on my 292 with Langdon headers.It is in my 1930 chevy. My question is if I run a line from my thermostat housing to the intake can I then run a line and tie back into the drain plug at the bottom driver side of the block. Someone removed the plug and installed a hose fitting for some reason.Will this give the proper flow that is needed?? Or do I need to run back to the front, maybe to the heater hose fitting since I am not running a heater in it yet.
Any information would be great.Thank you
Greg

me2 me2 !!
What's the preferred/optimal way to plumb a water heated manifold on a 292 ?
Thanks for the question 30 chevy.
And keep us tuned up on the progress please!!

63ChevyII has a thermostat spacer he is using that routes water to the intake. I dont know if he is planning to make a return to the block or not. Maybe he can show some pics of it.

If you don't get a definitive answer here I suggest you call Tom Langdon, he is great on the phone...and you are using his exhaust. (He would be glad to tell you even if you weren't..a really nice guy when I've ordered stuff).

Thanks for the info. I tried Tom Langdon last week, he is out of town for a week.I will try him again. I have talked with him before on motor mounts. He is always ready to help.I will update when I decide how to route it.
Thanks again!!

"Or do I need to run back to the front, maybe to the heater hose fitting since I am not running a heater in it yet.
Any information would be great.Thank you
Greg[/quote] "

Why not run it back to the by-pass fitting on the waterpump. The suction will help the flow.

I did this less than 6 months ago after talking to Tom Langdon. He advised to 'tee' it into the heater hose.
I bought the heater plate from Langdon's and it came a direction sheet that was very helpful (eliminated all the guessing.)

I just looked for a pic or two, but I haven't retrieved them from the camera yet. I'll attach a couple tomorrow to illustrate. I used a thermostat housing from mid 70's Nova that I was able to drill and tap for the supply fitting to the manifold.
It works great and has never leaked.

If a thermostatic valve is in the heater loop, the manifold won't get any water until the heater does, so it needs a separate bypass line to avoid this.
The highest manifold temperature will be obtained by directing all water for the heater into the manifold first, then to the heater.
The next (lower temperature) by using the return line from the heater, since some heat is already lost to the interior.
A "T" in the heater line will reduce the heating effect of the water by splitting the water between the 2, proportionate to the relative areas of the fittings. Example: a 5/8" fitting on both legs is 50/50, a 5/8" to the heater and a 1/2" to the manifold is about 3-2 ratio, etc.

It is completed!!!THANKS to everyone that respond with help and suggestions on running hot water heat to my newly installed 2x1 Offy intake with Carter-Webers from Tom Langdon and his exhaust headers.I would post some pictures so anyone that wanted could review how I did it.I tried to read the FAQ on how to do it but I don't understand enough about the process.I am better at bolting things together than understanding the computer I think.
Thanks again

I would be interested to know how you did it

what is the point of water heating an intake? It seems like you would want to keep it cool so that the air would be compact (because when it's hot, it spreads out and it's not as dense) so that you could get more in to the cylinder per stroke. That's the point of COLD-air intakes.

Without heat in most climates fuel will puddle on the intake floor. This is why GM mated the exhaust manifold to the intake and why the clifford and offy intakes have provisions for coolant flow. If you run headers or Langdons cast exhaust the manifold needs added heat; easiest way is with coolant.

Just some FYI,
I am in SoCal
I have never used any devise to heat up my intake manifolds.
I have always used headers.

I never had cold starting problems,I actually wanted to make my intake manifolds cooler,it picks up plenty of heat from the headers.

Probably because of where I live the weather does not play a role in needing intake manifold heating.

When set-up for mileage,I was able to get decent mileage of 22-24 MPG w/a small hyd camshaft & a 5 speed manual trans,all done w/out any carb or intake manifold heating.

Just ,my personal experience,others will have different outcome & am sure.

MBHD

You can also think of a heated manifold as a COOLED manifold... really it's a temperature-stabilized manifold. I too live in Los Angeles, and to be honest, I've never detected any difference in carb behavior hot or cold here. But I imagine manufacturers selling cars in Alaska and Florida can tell.

I was really curious about intake charge temperature so I measured it! Info is about 2/3rds down this page: http://wps.com/AMC/195.6OHV/Intake/index.html

Can anyone see a problem using a box to flow coolant through? My intake is a very old Clifford which has a squarish machined area on the bottom, with four tapped holes, presumably to use with the old exhaust heat riser. I built an alminum "heat box" to bolt to the underside of the intake to run coolant through, as opposed to welding tubing to it that would run the entire manifold length. I imagine this will centralize the heat at the base of the carb. Any thpoughts? Is there a possibility of the intake harge getting too hot with this kind of setup?

I made a plate that bolts to the area under the carb. I machined a pocket in the top of plate and welded two fittings on the bottom. Plumbed water to the fittings so water flows through the pocket. This was an aftermarket iron manifold, not Clifford but should work the same.

You want the largest contact area to increase heat transfer, both machined flat, no gasket.

I have made many water boxes for the older clifford intake single and his dual 4b and welded them to the intakes.Alum soaks up the water heat very well.Along with the exhaust heat.from what ever cast or header tubes.