If I remember correctly...the steam tube drains water back to the passenger side of the radiator. Why does it drain hot water back to the side of the radiator that has cooled water in it? It looks like it should drain to the side that the top radiator tube drains to - since that is coolant that is waiting to be ran through radiator core to be cooled. I could be missing something very obvious though.

 

The cold side of the radiator is the low pressure side of the radiator (pump suction)...

if the steam tube was plumbed to the high pressure side then it would be non-functional (i.e. no coolant would flow due to insufficient pressure difference).

The volume of hot coolant from the steam tube is insignificant compared to the volume of "cooled" coolant on the cold side of the radiator.

 

So what do you think of plumbing them into the top of the waterpump like you see some do?

 

Same thing... the pressure at the top of the pump (which is the outlet from the block) is almost the same as at the steam tube connection at the front of the heads...

[ coolant exits the front of the heads and goes back thru the block and then immediately out to the waterpump casting ]

some people say this plumbing works, so there must be something to it, but I would like to see results of this experiment:

two pressure gauges would be installed (one at the steam tube connection, the other at the top of the pump casting) and any pressure difference noted between the gauges [ coolant can't flow without a pressure difference ].

 

joecar...that makes sense to me. I wondered why it was like that. I did have the plumbing draining to the top of the pump - but with the new pump I put on I plumbed it to the radiator like it is stock. So, I cannot say which worked better. I am having some overheating issues and have changed things...but I changed multiple things at the same time, so it is hard to say what - if anything made a difference.

I have been told that the top of the pump is where coolant flows in...I know that is not right though.

I am also going to try steam tubes in the rear of the heads as well to see if that helps out at all as I heard it does seem to help.

 

I think steam tube in rear is a good idea... it can be tee-d to the front steam tube to feed to the radiator neck.

If overheating do these things:

- bleed air from steam tube (remove hose while engine warms up), attach a clear tube so you can catch coolant in a bottle, you will see air/coolant at first, and then only coolant;

- pressure test cooling system (AutoZone has loaner pump up tester), should hold 18 psi for at least 30 minutes;

- pressure test the cap;

- cap cannot easily be vacuum tested, so replace cap every 1-2 years anyway;

- before starting engine cold, radiator level should be full, and overflow bottle should be at the same mark every time; if either change then there's a leak and/or cap is faulty; check this daily for a week so so.

 

Cool man...thanks for the help!!