SS hose and AN fittings for heater hoses?
01-28-2007, 07:41 PM
#1
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SS hose and AN fittings for heater hoses?
I want to replace my rubber heater hoses with SS hoses and AN fittings, so I bought all the parts I thought I needed to get the job done, but I have run into a few potential problems.
Problem#1:
For the water pump fittings, I bought a -12AN to 1/2" NPT fitting and a -12AN straight fitting like these:
The problem is that the hex on the adaptor fitting is too big to clear the water pump body, I cannot even get it started because of the interference; BTW I have an Edelbrock Victor water pump, so I don't know if that is a contributing factor. Does anyone make a fitting like this one below that has -12AN fittings on the other end:
If not, I guess I will have to use a short 1/2" NPT nipple and a NPT coupling before the NPT-AN adaptor and the AN fitting, but I want to avoid that many potential points of leaks, not to mention I think it will look ugly!
Problem#2:
I have an old heater core, so I tried both the -10 and -12 hoses on it, and I could barely get them on! In fact, I had to push and turn and fight so hard that the tubes became damaged where they join the body of the core! I obviously don't want to do this to the core on the car, so is there an easier way to do this? Would heating up the SS hose make it any easier? I did spray silicon lube on the hose and tube when I was trying to do this, and it was still very difficult.
Problem#3:
Will standard hose clamps on the heater core end be enough to keep the connections sealed? I am wondering if I will be able to squeeze the SS braid and hose hard enough to get a good seal.
Has anyone done this?
Problem#1:
For the water pump fittings, I bought a -12AN to 1/2" NPT fitting and a -12AN straight fitting like these:
The problem is that the hex on the adaptor fitting is too big to clear the water pump body, I cannot even get it started because of the interference; BTW I have an Edelbrock Victor water pump, so I don't know if that is a contributing factor. Does anyone make a fitting like this one below that has -12AN fittings on the other end:
If not, I guess I will have to use a short 1/2" NPT nipple and a NPT coupling before the NPT-AN adaptor and the AN fitting, but I want to avoid that many potential points of leaks, not to mention I think it will look ugly!
Problem#2:
I have an old heater core, so I tried both the -10 and -12 hoses on it, and I could barely get them on! In fact, I had to push and turn and fight so hard that the tubes became damaged where they join the body of the core! I obviously don't want to do this to the core on the car, so is there an easier way to do this? Would heating up the SS hose make it any easier? I did spray silicon lube on the hose and tube when I was trying to do this, and it was still very difficult.
Problem#3:
Will standard hose clamps on the heater core end be enough to keep the connections sealed? I am wondering if I will be able to squeeze the SS braid and hose hard enough to get a good seal.
Has anyone done this?
Last edited by 7t2vette; 01-28-2007 at 07:46 PM.
01-28-2007, 10:29 PM
#2
Race Director
As far as the fitting goes, maybe find someone that can tig the 1/2"mp nipple to the an fitting and then re-machine if it isn't pretty enough for you. A good welder can do an impeccable job.
You might be able to get the hose as hot as possible with boiling water etc and make it fit. The hose you have is slightly undersized. Alternately, the hose for the push on -an fittings are the actual nominal sizes eg 3/4" id etc. You may be able to make them work with the fittings you have or you may have to go to push on -an fitting. Not much pressure to worry about 20psi max.
Hose clamps should work on the heater core. you can also use 2 on each. The ABA stainless clamps are argueably the best. These came standard on BMW etc.
Lastly you can get a plated copper sleeve or stainless sleeve in sizes to fit stock heater hose just for looks. These look just like the braided hose you have.
You might be able to get the hose as hot as possible with boiling water etc and make it fit. The hose you have is slightly undersized. Alternately, the hose for the push on -an fittings are the actual nominal sizes eg 3/4" id etc. You may be able to make them work with the fittings you have or you may have to go to push on -an fitting. Not much pressure to worry about 20psi max.
Hose clamps should work on the heater core. you can also use 2 on each. The ABA stainless clamps are argueably the best. These came standard on BMW etc.
Lastly you can get a plated copper sleeve or stainless sleeve in sizes to fit stock heater hose just for looks. These look just like the braided hose you have.
01-28-2007, 10:59 PM
#3
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Member Since: Oct 2000
Location: Toronto Ontario
Posts: 10,009
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As far as the fitting goes, maybe find someone that can tig the 1/2"mp nipple to the an fitting and then re-machine if it isn't pretty enough for you. A good welder can do an impeccable job.
You might be able to get the hose as hot as possible with boiling water etc and make it fit. The hose you have is slightly undersized. Alternately, the hose for the push on -an fittings are the actual nominal sizes eg 3/4" id etc. You may be able to make them work with the fittings you have or you may have to go to push on -an fitting. Not much pressure to worry about 20psi max.
Hose clamps should work on the heater core. you can also use 2 on each. The ABA stainless clamps are argueably the best. These came standard on BMW etc.
Lastly you can get a plated copper sleeve or stainless sleeve in sizes to fit stock heater hose just for looks. These look just like the braided hose you have.
You might be able to get the hose as hot as possible with boiling water etc and make it fit. The hose you have is slightly undersized. Alternately, the hose for the push on -an fittings are the actual nominal sizes eg 3/4" id etc. You may be able to make them work with the fittings you have or you may have to go to push on -an fitting. Not much pressure to worry about 20psi max.
Hose clamps should work on the heater core. you can also use 2 on each. The ABA stainless clamps are argueably the best. These came standard on BMW etc.
Lastly you can get a plated copper sleeve or stainless sleeve in sizes to fit stock heater hose just for looks. These look just like the braided hose you have.
01-28-2007, 11:30 PM
#5
Race Director
01-28-2007, 11:47 PM
#6
Burning Brakes
glycerin based soap
Get you some hand soap to lube hoses up. I use calgon pink hand soap out at work, unfortunately it is not available to consumers as it is a commercial soap sold to big factories schools etc. Anyway find a real slippery hand soap and you may have better luck.
01-29-2007, 05:38 AM
#7
Melting Slicks
As said in an earlier reply, problem #1 can be solved by welding a steel AN fitting to a stock type nipple. Remove the n.p.t. part of the AN and the end of the nipple and have them tig welded. As far as using SS hose, I don't think the heater core tubing can hold the weight of the hose, hose ends, and fittings. Even if you used some lightweight hose like Earl's prolite 350. If you still have your heart set on SS heater hose, why not use the SS overbraid and hose end look alikes over standrd heater hose?
Mark
Mark
01-29-2007, 09:25 AM
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You could always get some copper adapters from the hardware store that you could solder to the heater core tubes that would have pipe threads on the one end. Then you could thread in your an adapters and not have to use hose clamps at all.
There is your answer. That way you can use a regular AN adapter and your in business
