Removed heating system from bugeye....Questions

[BugeyeNJ58]

After I removed the heater box and its hoses, I did the following:
(1) Turned off heater valve at box of engine (near firewall)
(2) Plugged up the feeder hose that comes out of the radiator hose (this is the one that connects to the heater box.

Can this cause any problems? I'm working on an overheating problem and wonder if I may have caused a problem.

Thanks...

 

[BugeyeNJ58]

Just did some reading and it looks like I shouldroute a hose from the heater valve at the bank of the engine up to the feeder hose into the raditor.

Opinions?

 

[Whitephrog]

Is this what you are talking about?

www.spritespot.com/gallery/view_photo.ph...Hose_Reroute001

 

[Deleted member 8987]

In other marques, when a core blows, you jumper one of the hoses across the pressure and suction side of the engine.

Just because it's easier on the side of the road than finding plugs.

Now:

What happens when you turn your heater control/flow valve off?

My LBC has such a "tap", factory.

You have zero flow.

So, that would make no difference in cooling over plugging the lines.

Your particular car does turn off the water, when you close the valve.


IF you have manifild pre-heat as shown in the linked photo above, then yes, you could use a jumper.

Is this temporary or permanent?

 

[BugeyeNJ58]

So, as in the photo, turning off the water stop the flow from the cylinder head back to the radiator, same as if I just turned off the valve. So it makes sense there's no affect on cooling.

I'm been running straight water, I'll try a mix tomorrow of 50/50 water and anti-freeze, that should make a difference.

Probably keeping this permanent, don't drive car in winter and there's enough heat for me just from the engine.

 

[Deleted member 8987]

I am guessing this is in relation to an overheat situation?

Had the radiator flow-tested?
Cap good?
What t-stat (and you do need one at speed...even if it's only the guts of one).

Fan belt slipping?

 

[mightymidget]

actually the heater core and piping should give you additional cooling fluid and movement to enhance cooling

 

[BugeyeNJ58]

What pressure should the radiator cap be rated at? I think mine is 4 lbs.

 

[Deleted member 8987]

actually the heater core and piping should give you additional cooling fluid and movement to enhance cooling

Having BTDT with a 3/4 race 50 Merc flathead in a street rod climbing up Indian Joe out of Vantage with a pop-up camping trailer, the ONLY extra cooling you get from the heater is with it FULL ON and the blower going FULL BLAST, and in outside temperatures of over 100, no thanks.

All it does is cycle the water, no real assist in cooling, and if you're running in summer, you have the valve off anyway.

 

[lesingepsycho]

Holy <span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline">COOLANT </span></span></span>batman!!! Straight <span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold">WATER</span></span>!! That's a MAJOR NO-NO!! ABSOLUTELY get a mix of <span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold">COOLANT </span></span></span>in there before you blow that head gasket sky high! If the <span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold">COOLING </span></span></span>system is working properly, it shouldn't matter whether you shut the valve and block it, or reroute it around. However, and I advise anyone who thinks they only need "antifreeze" when it's freezing out, <span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold">COOLANT </span></span></span>is absolutely NECESSARY to the proper function of the <span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold">COOLING </span></span></span>system.

I hope I've made the point clearly enough. Trust me, I've learned from mine AND my dad's mistakes. He was too cheap to buy <span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold">COOLANT</span></span></span>. He only ever used water. You might think $8.00/gal is expensive for <span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold">COOLANT </span></span>but it sure beats the heck out of replacing a head gasket.

JACK

 

[smaceng]

Jack,
I can see that you are a strong believer in COOLANT, right?
Most people use a glycol solution so that the cooling system does not freeze in the winter. It really does not do that much for the boiling point. Each psi of pressure on the radiator cap increases the boiling point of stright water about 2.2 deg.
So a 7# cap, like on my BE, raises the boiling point from 212 F. to about 227. A 50/50 glycol mixture raises the boiling point about 3.5 deg. per # of pressure. With a 7# cap, that would boil at about 236. The main advantage to using say stright water with just a ounce of glycol, is that water will cool more efficiently than a 50/50 glycol mix. They say about 50% better. The small amount of glycol is to lubricate the water pump bearing. So I know you love COOLANT, in reality, it probably has very little to do directly with overheating and possible heat gasket problems. If water is primarily used, one has to drain and flush the system often, probably every year, to avoid RUST. Running straight water, like my Dad did on the 1956 Buick Century, made the coolant run red as tomato soup with rust, when it clogged and eventually overheated.
Thanks for your post!
Scott in CA

 

[BugeyeNJ58]

I'm using water only until I straighten things out,then I'll go 50/50. I'm not going to use any extra 'plumping', because seems like it doesn't matter, the water flow will be the same

Interesting fact about glycol and it's lubrication of the water pump bearings.

Thanks all for the advice.

 

[jlaird]

I looked at the pic and.......................I wonder why he did not orentate the valve so the hose would run direct to the manifold rather than around the barn. Gesh.

 

[Whitephrog]

Temporary routing until things check out mechanically. Heater will be installed after that. Valve is oriented for for the ultimate configuration with the heater in place.

 

[lesingepsycho]

Scott,
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]"It really does not do that much for the boiling point." [/QUOTE]
I think this is a pretty misleading and disingenuous statement since antifreeze/coolant raises the boiling point almost 1 degree for every 1 degree by which it lowers the freezing point.

I definitely am a big believer in coolant. It comes from practical experience. I don't challenge your numbers, but I know in the real world application, it makes a BIG difference. Just remember, going from 2.2 to 3.5 deg. per # of pressure is an increase of 60%. I think somebody who is having trouble running on straight water could probably use a 60% increase in cooling capacity. It just might solve all their problems. It did for me.

I've never had any cooling problems since I started running a coolant mixture in my Midget. The textbook and "what they say" might tell you water is better but I'm just offering my real world experience to the OP. Heck, you might still be driving that '56 Buick if it didn't overheat on straight water.
Thanks for your response!
JACK

 

[jlaird]

Was out and about with Miss Agatha today visiting some buds. Temp stayed at 180 the whole time, outside temp in the mid to highish 90s. I run 50 50 mix, have never ever had a heating prob.

 

[BugeyeNJ58]

I put a 50/50 mix in and its better, but still overheats..just at a higher temperature. I also tightened the fan belt.

So next steps are to replace the 4 blade metal fan with the six blade yellow plastic fan. Does that only mount one way? I want to make sure it's a 'pusher' and not a 'puller'.

thanks...

 

[Billm]

If it is overheating at speed on the open road than It is doubtful that the bigger fan will help much- sounds more like a leaking head gasket or lean mixture (or clogged radiator.
To answer your question- yes- it will fit if you put a 1/4" spacer behind it but just be sure that the blade curves are like the original fan (ASSUMING THAT IT WASN'T A PUSHER).
Can you post a picture of the plastic fan?
BillM

 

[jlaird]

I think he needs the radiator professionaly cleaned, ie taken apart roded and diped.

 

[BugeyeNJ58]

Billm....a lean mixture can cause overheating? I can richen it up and go for a ride. The car doesn't overheat if I'm trying along in open traffic. But as soon as I stop for a few minute in traffic, the temp. clims. A leaking head gasket...wouldn't there be a lot of oil lost at that point? There's also no sign of 'mayonaise' in the oil. I do need to retorque the cylinder head, as this is a rebuild. Was waiting to get 2 - 300 mile on the car.

Jack--definitely looking into getting the radiator into a shop. But wouldn't it get great if it were definitely just from a lean mixture. What are other signsw of too lean a mixture?