LT1 conversion Coolant lines
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,110
Likes: 1
From: Geneseo Illinois
St. Jude Donor '06
LT1 conversion Coolant lines
I am doing the LT1 conversion on my 90 L98. Concerned about the heater and coolant line connections. the old intake design has a Thrttle body heater line and a line running off the back of the intake to the fill and overflow lines.
The LT1 intake does not have coolant running thru it. the modified intake has two coolant ports located in the rear, which go to an external thermostat neck. Apart from the line going from the neck to the radiator, there is one more line available. I am thinking that this would go to the heater core. But what to do with the lines from the rear of the old intake to the overflow
Is it possible to ignore the line going to the throttle body heater? I do not need to heat the throttle body for sure. seems like that can be eliminated.
Anyway, would appreciate any assistance in the routing of these lines.
I am planning on bypassing the heater core for now, and running the extra hose to the line that orig came from the rear of the intake.
The LT1 intake does not have coolant running thru it. the modified intake has two coolant ports located in the rear, which go to an external thermostat neck. Apart from the line going from the neck to the radiator, there is one more line available. I am thinking that this would go to the heater core. But what to do with the lines from the rear of the old intake to the overflow
Is it possible to ignore the line going to the throttle body heater? I do not need to heat the throttle body for sure. seems like that can be eliminated.
Anyway, would appreciate any assistance in the routing of these lines.
I am planning on bypassing the heater core for now, and running the extra hose to the line that orig came from the rear of the intake.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 3,599
Likes: 24
From: Orange County NY
St. Jude Donor '10-'11-'12-'13
Hey Mark -
I'm not sure I completely understand all the lines you are referring to. But if it helps any, on my Mini Ram set up, I only have:
1. Thermostat housing to radiator
2. Radiator to water pump
3. Water pump to heater core
4. Heater core to intake manifold
You definitely don't need the coolant line running through the throttle body.
I'm not sure I completely understand all the lines you are referring to. But if it helps any, on my Mini Ram set up, I only have:
1. Thermostat housing to radiator
2. Radiator to water pump
3. Water pump to heater core
4. Heater core to intake manifold
You definitely don't need the coolant line running through the throttle body.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,110
Likes: 1
From: Geneseo Illinois
St. Jude Donor '06
Hi Dan
thanks. am i correct that the tbody heating goes in from the heater core and passes thru the tbody and then immediately back out? I am also doing the heater core delete.
so what does the mini ram do with the passage from the rear of the intake to the overlflow and reservoir? it is some kind of air relief passage.
mark
thanks. am i correct that the tbody heating goes in from the heater core and passes thru the tbody and then immediately back out? I am also doing the heater core delete.
so what does the mini ram do with the passage from the rear of the intake to the overlflow and reservoir? it is some kind of air relief passage.
mark
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 3,599
Likes: 24
From: Orange County NY
St. Jude Donor '10-'11-'12-'13
.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,753
Likes: 15
From: backwoods upstate ny
relax
we've got a flock of these lt1 intake/sbc-1 conversions running around here, most on 4x4 ''pickers'' (some really ''lovely'' work on a few of those) and all have little/no probs...we have added 3/8'' hose water outlets to the front sides of the lt1 manifold in response to one picker that would intermittently boil out a bit of coolant at idle + following the lead of current race manifolds with ''4-corner'' cooling + logic (one of the locals does have ''pointy'' ears under his long hair) that front of cyl head is above rear outlets and may trap air/steam, excluding coolant.
assuming your rear outlets are tapped the typical 1/2'' NPT, use ugly (but cheap) 1/2'' galv iron 90* ells on short pipe nipples at those to exit/ turn toward front -- those ''ugly'' 90* ells flow much better than the ''pretty'' machined ones.
water pump feeds the heater but that circuit also serves as pressure relief before thermostat opens...if no heater, pipe flow from pump's heater feed back to t-stat remote housing downstream from t-stat, or upstream side of t-stat if t-stat is ''drilled'' (highly recommended--two 3/16'' holes)
assuming your rear outlets are tapped the typical 1/2'' NPT, use ugly (but cheap) 1/2'' galv iron 90* ells on short pipe nipples at those to exit/ turn toward front -- those ''ugly'' 90* ells flow much better than the ''pretty'' machined ones.
water pump feeds the heater but that circuit also serves as pressure relief before thermostat opens...if no heater, pipe flow from pump's heater feed back to t-stat remote housing downstream from t-stat, or upstream side of t-stat if t-stat is ''drilled'' (highly recommended--two 3/16'' holes)
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,110
Likes: 1
From: Geneseo Illinois
St. Jude Donor '06
thanks redrose, Dan. I think i got it whipped with your assistance. will drill the t stat. eliminating heater core and hooking up to the upper and lower ports of the fill reservoir with the water pump and tneck; as well as the rear ports on the LT1 to the external t neck. eliminating the air deal at the rear of the standard intake.
