The traditional SBC has the radiator hose at the highest point of the engine.

I think being able to pull the intake manifold without taking an antifreeze bath is a worthwhile improvement.

I run prestone in mine.

 

[QUOTE=Pop N Wood;14712900]The traditional SBC has the radiator hose at the highest point of the engine.[QUOTE]

Absolutely, the highest point collects any air/steam. This is why I did not go with the water pump mod.

 

On the silverado pickups the tube is plumbed back into the radiator about half way down on the tank. I would think as long as you have the tube on the side of the cooling system that's drawing coolant out of the block, it should work.

 

It really shouldn't be called a steam pipe. If there is any steam in there then you have a problem, no matter where it is plumbed. I think once you get the air out of the system the vent isn't needed anymore. That is why people get away with blocking them off.

 

x2

 

can i just block all off if i'm not running a radiator? my boat setup runs open cooling

 

Yes you can block it off on your boat. DexCool was the big reason this was needed.

 

Thanks

 

Since everyone else has voiced their opinion on this, I guess I can also. Everyone has figured out that the air bubbles collect at the highest point in the engine which is obviously at the front where the small ports exit,(steam ports?) I don't think it matters if you tap in to the water pump or the radiator for the simple reason that the water pump is PUSHING the water through the engine. (think blow through a straw). As long as there is an exit for the air bubbles, the water pressure will PUSH them out. To me, blocking them off is a bad move, even if you open them while you are filling the engine,because there is always some amount of air moving through the system. A sealed system with a purge tank will eventually get rid of most of it but it would be hard to evacuate what was trapped at the high point in the heads. The picture showing the line run to the thermostat housing does'nt look like a good plan to me either. Although it will work, since the water and air is being PUSHED out, it seems silly to me to pump 200* water back into the system without cooling it first in the radiator. Not counting what it does to the operation of the thermostat. Ron

 

I really don't think they should be blocked off.

I was reading an article in Hot Rod (May '09 p. 102) about a GM executive who in his spare time built a high dollar big-time LS1 with 800+ hp. The article mentions the special attention given to the coolant crossover tube plumbing.

I figure this guy knows a lot more than me....

 

If you are running DexCool then it is certainly wise to use them.