Routing LT1 coolant/steam lines from back of heads?

[Samckitt]

Originally I routed mine to a fitting on the radiator. It was a 3/4" hole or so that I screwed an adapter fitting into to allow me to connect the 3/16 or so hose to. My problem is I changed radiators & this one has plastic tanks & the fitting is now a molded plastic connection & I cannot use the adapter fitting. And I can't find one that goes between the two sizes. So what have you done? Drilled into the waterpump casting for a fitting or what?



Thanks

[GeoffP]

Mine is hooked into one of the heater hoses using a T-fitting from Napa.

[Samckitt]

Hmmm... I don't have any of the heater hoses hooked up. I guess I am going to have to have the pump drilled & tapped.

[69LT1Nova]

Hmmm... I don't have any of the heater hoses hooked up. I guess I am going to have to have the pump drilled & tapped.

This is what I'm doing. Nice and clean installation. 1/4" NPT to 3/8" hose 90* fitting installed on the driver's side of the water pump. Then run a 3/8" hose to the steam line from the back of the heads (bypass the TB of course).

[Samckitt]

This is what I'm doing. Nice and clean installation. 1/4" NPT to 3/8" hose 90* fitting installed on the driver's side of the water pump. Then run a 3/8" hose to the steam line from the back of the heads (bypass the TB of course).

That is exactly what I had decided too. I already was bypassing the TB by using a steam line from a 93 F'bird. It goes strait to the radiator. I too decided on the drivers side of the water pump, in the housing right at the fitting for the hose that goes back to the radiator. That means I have to take the f'ing water pump off.

[69LT1Nova]

That is exactly what I had decided too. I already was bypassing the TB by using a steam line from a 93 F'bird. It goes strait to the radiator. I too decided on the drivers side of the water pump, in the housing right at the fitting for the hose that goes back to the radiator. That means I have to take the f'ing water pump off.

Well... that depends on how daring you are. You could always jam a rag in the water pump (to catch chips) and do the drill and tap with it still on the car. This was what I was planning on doing. Hope it works I just have to take it easy and drill a pilot hole first to keep the larger drill bit from walking.

[69LT1Nova]

From Street & Performance:

[Samckitt]

OK then, whoever does it first, post their luck, good or bad.

[130fe]

I also used the 90 degree fitting in the water pump and haven't had any problems in the 6 years it has been running. I used S&P for the reference.

[Steve1968LS2]

Mine goes into my water pump.. a much cleaner installation like that.

[Samckitt]

Mine goes into my water pump.. a much cleaner installation like that.

That looks like an "LS" series motor, a little different, but I think I am going to route it into the waterpump on an LT1 also.

[69LT1Nova]

That looks like an "LS" series motor, a little different, but I think I am going to route it into the waterpump on an LT1 also.

I was like "WTF kinda LT1 water pump is that? The steam lines are all funky."

Good call! But daaaang that is one clean engine!

[paul67]

I've run mine down the right hand side between injectors and manifold to the front by the waterpump then connected into the heater hose as shown,this is a 94 vette LT1.

[Samckitt]

I have pulled out the pressed in tube fittings in the pump, tapped them & plugged them with pipe plugs. I guess I could use one of those with an An-pipe fitting & route it to there. Anyone know which one on the pump is a return/inlet, not an out to the heater?

[Samckitt]

Anyone see any reason why I couldn't use the fitting that the hand is on in the picture below:



It would direct the water to the area right below the thermostat.

[69LT1Nova]

Wouldn't that be on the wrong side of the pump? You'd be putting hot coolant/steam from the heads to the cold side of the pump? Time to find a coolant flow diagram...

[69LT1Nova]

Nevermind... I found this by doing a Google search. Looks like you aren't the only one with this idea.

[Samckitt]

Found these, I can't tell whether it is an outlet or an inlet connection.




In the second picture, hose #9 is the one that connects to the steam line & then to the throttle body.

[69LT1Nova]

Yep, heater outlet. From the previous post, apparently they changed the 93-94 configuration to the 95-up. Odd... this is different from the B-body LT1 that I have. Gotta love the consistancy at GM!!

[Samckitt]

Yep, heater outlet. From the previous post, apparently they changed the 93-94 configuration to the 95-up. Odd... this is different from the B-body LT1 that I have. Gotta love the consistancy at GM!!

So the fitting I want to use is an outlet from the pump (high pressure) going to the heater? My motor is a 95 F body motor.