LT1 Steam Vent Tube Washers Needed
07-01-2009, 03:29 PM
#1
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LT1 Steam Vent Tube Washers Needed I need a replacement washer for the steam vent tube that attaches to the rear of the heads on a 96 LT1.
I've been doing a search but keep coming up empty. My local Chevy dealer can't get them.
Does anyone know where I can find one or, maybe a work around?
Thanks,
Jake
West Point ROCKS!
I've been doing a search but keep coming up empty. My local Chevy dealer can't get them.
Does anyone know where I can find one or, maybe a work around?
Thanks,
Jake
West Point ROCKS!
07-01-2009, 03:41 PM
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07-02-2009, 07:52 AM
#11
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You, as well... 
The engine is not an old SBC. Since the heads are cooled, first, the formation of steam is a real possibility. That is why the lines are there (obviously there was enough evidence for the engineers to add them). Uneven heating of the head could lead to gasket failure or compromised performance.
The engine is not an old SBC. Since the heads are cooled, first, the formation of steam is a real possibility. That is why the lines are there (obviously there was enough evidence for the engineers to add them). Uneven heating of the head could lead to gasket failure or compromised performance. 
07-02-2009, 08:30 AM
#13
We will just assume you have spent the possible tens of thousands of dollars on research and development to reach your conclusion. We will again, assume that you have performed the possible thousands of hours of dyno time testing under all conditions to determine, whether or not the the steam pipe is vital to engine longevity.
Really not trying to be a dick, but telling the board that the steam pipe is not needed is extremely irresponsible based on your experience of not having a problem with several of your own engines. You may have gotten lucky with you particular setup and conditions but you don't know the setup and conditions of the other folks who you advise. Also I doubt you will back your statement up with dollars if someone you advise warps a head or blows a gasket as a result of the deletion.
I can assure you that GM has a damn good reason (which we already know) for installing the steam pipe on the LT1. I can also assure you that if it was not vital, then GM would have removed it in favor of saving a buck or two per car. The auto makers will cut pennies when they can and nothing on the production level car can be considered NON vital. Again it has its purpose.
My personal 2 cents. The washers cost practically nothing. The steam pipes installs in minutes. The risk of hot spotting the heads is tremendously reduced. And the car is closer to OEM GM specification which is always a good thing.
Although GM did not focus on making stupid big power on the LT1 like we do (because it comes at the expense of efficiency and longevity), very precious few of us on this board have the LT1 engineering background and knowledge that would allow one to make the statement that you did and have ultimate credibility doing so.
Do what you want to your own motor. Dont advise others to do the same based on what knowledge you have brought to the discussion or what you have provided in this thread.
I will get off my stump now.
Last edited by wrd1972; 07-02-2009 at 08:45 AM.
07-02-2009, 09:54 AM
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Statements like this **** me off.
We will just assume you have spent the possible tens of thousands of dollars on research and development to reach your conclusion. We will again, assume that you have performed the possible thousands of hours of dyno time testing under all conditions to determine, whether or not the the steam pipe is vital to engine longevity.
Really not trying to be a dick, but telling the board that the steam pipe is not needed is extremely irresponsible based on your experience of not having a problem with several of your own engines. You may have gotten lucky with you particular setup and conditions but you don't know the setup and conditions of the other folks who you advise. Also I doubt you will back your statement up with dollars if someone you advise warps a head or blows a gasket as a result of the deletion.
I can assure you that GM has a damn good reason (which we already know) for installing the steam pipe on the LT1. I can also assure you that if it was not vital, then GM would have removed it in favor of saving a buck or two per car. The auto makers will cut pennies when they can and nothing on the production level car can be considered NON vital. Again it has its purpose.
My personal 2 cents. The washers cost practically nothing. The steam pipes installs in minutes. The risk of hot spotting the heads is tremendously reduced. And the car is closer to OEM GM specification which is always a good thing.
Although GM did not focus on making stupid big power on the LT1 like we do (because it comes at the expense of efficiency and longevity), very precious few of us on this board have the LT1 engineering background and knowledge that would allow one to make the statement that you did and have ultimate credibility doing so.
Do what you want to your own motor. Dont advise others to do the same based on what knowledge you have brought to the discussion or what you have provided in this thread.
I will get off my stump now.
We will just assume you have spent the possible tens of thousands of dollars on research and development to reach your conclusion. We will again, assume that you have performed the possible thousands of hours of dyno time testing under all conditions to determine, whether or not the the steam pipe is vital to engine longevity.
Really not trying to be a dick, but telling the board that the steam pipe is not needed is extremely irresponsible based on your experience of not having a problem with several of your own engines. You may have gotten lucky with you particular setup and conditions but you don't know the setup and conditions of the other folks who you advise. Also I doubt you will back your statement up with dollars if someone you advise warps a head or blows a gasket as a result of the deletion.
I can assure you that GM has a damn good reason (which we already know) for installing the steam pipe on the LT1. I can also assure you that if it was not vital, then GM would have removed it in favor of saving a buck or two per car. The auto makers will cut pennies when they can and nothing on the production level car can be considered NON vital. Again it has its purpose.
My personal 2 cents. The washers cost practically nothing. The steam pipes installs in minutes. The risk of hot spotting the heads is tremendously reduced. And the car is closer to OEM GM specification which is always a good thing.
Although GM did not focus on making stupid big power on the LT1 like we do (because it comes at the expense of efficiency and longevity), very precious few of us on this board have the LT1 engineering background and knowledge that would allow one to make the statement that you did and have ultimate credibility doing so.
Do what you want to your own motor. Dont advise others to do the same based on what knowledge you have brought to the discussion or what you have provided in this thread.
I will get off my stump now.
07-02-2009, 11:01 AM
#15
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Statements like this **** me off.
We will just assume you have spent the possible tens of thousands of dollars on research and development to reach your conclusion. We will again, assume that you have performed the possible thousands of hours of dyno time testing under all conditions to determine, whether or not the the steam pipe is vital to engine longevity.
Really not trying to be a dick, but telling the board that the steam pipe is not needed is extremely irresponsible based on your experience of not having a problem with several of your own engines. You may have gotten lucky with you particular setup and conditions but you don't know the setup and conditions of the other folks who you advise. Also I doubt you will back your statement up with dollars if someone you advise warps a head or blows a gasket as a result of the deletion.
I can assure you that GM has a damn good reason (which we already know) for installing the steam pipe on the LT1. I can also assure you that if it was not vital, then GM would have removed it in favor of saving a buck or two per car. The auto makers will cut pennies when they can and nothing on the production level car can be considered NON vital. Again it has its purpose.
My personal 2 cents. The washers cost practically nothing. The steam pipes installs in minutes. The risk of hot spotting the heads is tremendously reduced. And the car is closer to OEM GM specification which is always a good thing.
Although GM did not focus on making stupid big power on the LT1 like we do (because it comes at the expense of efficiency and longevity), very precious few of us on this board have the LT1 engineering background and knowledge that would allow one to make the statement that you did and have ultimate credibility doing so.
Do what you want to your own motor. Dont advise others to do the same based on what knowledge you have brought to the discussion or what you have provided in this thread.
I will get off my stump now.
We will just assume you have spent the possible tens of thousands of dollars on research and development to reach your conclusion. We will again, assume that you have performed the possible thousands of hours of dyno time testing under all conditions to determine, whether or not the the steam pipe is vital to engine longevity.
Really not trying to be a dick, but telling the board that the steam pipe is not needed is extremely irresponsible based on your experience of not having a problem with several of your own engines. You may have gotten lucky with you particular setup and conditions but you don't know the setup and conditions of the other folks who you advise. Also I doubt you will back your statement up with dollars if someone you advise warps a head or blows a gasket as a result of the deletion.
I can assure you that GM has a damn good reason (which we already know) for installing the steam pipe on the LT1. I can also assure you that if it was not vital, then GM would have removed it in favor of saving a buck or two per car. The auto makers will cut pennies when they can and nothing on the production level car can be considered NON vital. Again it has its purpose.
My personal 2 cents. The washers cost practically nothing. The steam pipes installs in minutes. The risk of hot spotting the heads is tremendously reduced. And the car is closer to OEM GM specification which is always a good thing.
Although GM did not focus on making stupid big power on the LT1 like we do (because it comes at the expense of efficiency and longevity), very precious few of us on this board have the LT1 engineering background and knowledge that would allow one to make the statement that you did and have ultimate credibility doing so.
Do what you want to your own motor. Dont advise others to do the same based on what knowledge you have brought to the discussion or what you have provided in this thread.
I will get off my stump now.
Please re-read what I typed and show me where I gave advice for EVERYBODY to follow? Guess what, you won't find it.
Your ill attempt at grandstanding just fortifies the belief that this board is going downhill thanks to senseless arguments/statements like yours.
Last edited by tomcowle; 07-02-2009 at 11:07 AM.
07-02-2009, 12:16 PM
#17
I pretty much agree with you until you said the following.
To dispute a statement from shbox usually comes from ignorance. Nothing personal.
I agree with wrd1972 that the steam pipe is simple and easy to install. If there is nothing to gain from deleting it, why do so?
To dispute a statement from shbox usually comes from ignorance. Nothing personal.
I agree with wrd1972 that the steam pipe is simple and easy to install. If there is nothing to gain from deleting it, why do so?
07-02-2009, 12:23 PM
#18
TECH Veteran
People can have opinions. It's no big deal. We all know that not every single piece of stock equipment has to be on the car. Many things can be deleted without ill effect. I just don't think that the steams lines are one of them.
07-02-2009, 01:11 PM
#19
The steamlines are a requirement. They allow for a small amount of coolant to recirculate to the radiator, thus getting rid of any trapped air in the heads. If they are not used you *WILL* (notice, this is a solid statement, not a questionable idea) get air trapped inside the heads. The heads themselves are a high-point in the cooling system, thus you get air trapped in them. Note, there is NO WAY to avoid this. Let me repeat: AIR WILL GET TRAPPED IN THE HEADS IF YOU REMOVE THE STEAMPIPING!!!
Now, if you hookup a bleeder valve off each head, then it is NOT the same as sealing them off. But you should bleed them with the engine hot and pressurized on a regular basis.
The key point here is that air has many places it can get trapped in the cooling system. There are areas of the block, the heads, the waterpump, etc that can get air bubbles in them. They will eventually work themselves up to the highest points and, if you have noticed, the factory has allowed for proepr bleeding of those points in either an automatic (ie the steampipes) or manual fashion (ie the thermostat housing bleeder, the heater return hose bleeder and on the early LT1s the throttlebody bleeder).
Now the reason the manual bleeders are there is not only to expedite the purging of air from the system, but also to prevent an air-lock situation where the air trapped there would potentially prevent the flow of coolent upon initial startup after refilling a drained system. Once they are initially used to purge air and once coolent is flowing throughout the system they do not need to be opened again as any further air bubbles will be purged through the STEAMPIPES!
The steampipes are an integral part of the cooling system to allow it to purge itself. Just like the system is pressurized with a given 16-18psi cap and vented to a coolent reservoir that allows for any air collected into the radiator to be purged out after a cold start when the coolent expands. Thus there should never be air in the cooling system as when the system cools down and fluid is drawn back out of the reservoir it draws from the bottom of the reservoir, thus only coolent, not air goes back into the radiator.
Saying the steampipes aren't needed is just as bad as some that try to run without a reservoir. I have seen morons do that and wonder why thier system ends up cracking radiators or blowing headgaskets. Fluid expands as it heats up and contracts as it cools down. Pressurized coolant has a higher boiling point, thus preventing the formation of steam compared to unpressurized coolant. Liquid coolant has a much higher thermal efficiency over a gaseous (ie, steam) form. Thus the idea is keeping the coolant pressurized to keep it in liquid form so it can do it's job of absorbing the heat generated by the engine and transferring it, via the coolant, to the radiator to be cooled down. Gotta love thermal dynamics applied, especially when it works in our favor.
Oh, and I hope those motors are all yours, as in if they are someone else, your half-witted idea of removing the steampipes might just cost someone a headgasket or an overheated and warped head. Also, once an aluminum head overheats, it can also soften, at which point it is fubar'd.
I also laugh at your comment that this place is going downhill due to misinformation, due to the fact that you, yourself is one of the major contributors of such misinformation as you jsut posted in this thread.
Now, if you hookup a bleeder valve off each head, then it is NOT the same as sealing them off. But you should bleed them with the engine hot and pressurized on a regular basis.
The key point here is that air has many places it can get trapped in the cooling system. There are areas of the block, the heads, the waterpump, etc that can get air bubbles in them. They will eventually work themselves up to the highest points and, if you have noticed, the factory has allowed for proepr bleeding of those points in either an automatic (ie the steampipes) or manual fashion (ie the thermostat housing bleeder, the heater return hose bleeder and on the early LT1s the throttlebody bleeder).
Now the reason the manual bleeders are there is not only to expedite the purging of air from the system, but also to prevent an air-lock situation where the air trapped there would potentially prevent the flow of coolent upon initial startup after refilling a drained system. Once they are initially used to purge air and once coolent is flowing throughout the system they do not need to be opened again as any further air bubbles will be purged through the STEAMPIPES!
The steampipes are an integral part of the cooling system to allow it to purge itself. Just like the system is pressurized with a given 16-18psi cap and vented to a coolent reservoir that allows for any air collected into the radiator to be purged out after a cold start when the coolent expands. Thus there should never be air in the cooling system as when the system cools down and fluid is drawn back out of the reservoir it draws from the bottom of the reservoir, thus only coolent, not air goes back into the radiator.
Saying the steampipes aren't needed is just as bad as some that try to run without a reservoir. I have seen morons do that and wonder why thier system ends up cracking radiators or blowing headgaskets. Fluid expands as it heats up and contracts as it cools down. Pressurized coolant has a higher boiling point, thus preventing the formation of steam compared to unpressurized coolant. Liquid coolant has a much higher thermal efficiency over a gaseous (ie, steam) form. Thus the idea is keeping the coolant pressurized to keep it in liquid form so it can do it's job of absorbing the heat generated by the engine and transferring it, via the coolant, to the radiator to be cooled down. Gotta love thermal dynamics applied, especially when it works in our favor.
Oh, and I hope those motors are all yours, as in if they are someone else, your half-witted idea of removing the steampipes might just cost someone a headgasket or an overheated and warped head. Also, once an aluminum head overheats, it can also soften, at which point it is fubar'd.
I also laugh at your comment that this place is going downhill due to misinformation, due to the fact that you, yourself is one of the major contributors of such misinformation as you jsut posted in this thread.