T/A KID

iTrader: (12)

Guys I am trying to get everything figured in for the motor buildup going in at the beggining of the year and I have a few simple questions.

I am running 1/2 90 degree fittings in the back of the heads for the steam line into a T coming up toward the front of the motor, I am planning on buying this Radiator http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku I am cutting the front support to add Room, I need a smaller rad than stock)
The rad I have seen used on build ups before and it does not come with a provision for a coolant sensor (no big deal), Provision for the Oil cooler connection back to Radiator (no big deal either, will block off at pump), Or a spot where the Steam line Vents to after the TB bypass or like the 93-94 LT1 F-body's.

I am wanting to know if I could run the steam line to a hose in the rad with a connection like a "T" Fitting.

Here is the stock configuration
http://shbox.com/1/95-97_hoses.jpg

Here is my Edited version

I will delete the Green, blue, and the black hoses, since the provisions are not there on the rad and vent the Steam line hose (RED) into the driverside hose.

I thought there could be a problem introducing the steam line into the driverside hose but it still goes into the RADIATOR first, then out the radiator into the Thermostat into the motor back out the heads. Thats the system in a whole.

thesoundandthefury

iTrader: (3)

I'm in the process of modifying my steam line and coolant configuration at the moment too. Instead of running the return line out of the "Tee" back over the intake manifold and into the radiator, I'm plumbing it directly into the heater core. I did a little research and the early LT1 Corvettes had their cooling system configured similar to this. This is why the water pump on a 92 Vette LT1 only has 1 heater hose barb.

On my setup, the heater hose from the heads is the inlet, and the other heater hose that's the return line is routed to the bottom left hose barb on the water pump. Since the steam line is now the heater hose inlet, it allowed me to eliminate the stock upper heater hose on the water pump, in addition to not needing to run anything to the steam line return port on the radiator.

T/A KID

iTrader: (12)

From the pic below are you running it in the Below port???
I assume you are keeping your Heater?? I am, so I need to reatain that, but if you are explain this more to me. I almost assume you are since it came on the 92 LT1 vette.
http://lt1info.com/TECH/Cooling%20Sy...ms/DSC1272.gif


So your deleting the top port and running the steam line into that port, right?
So what do you do with the extra heater hose, T it into the bottom heater hose or just delete it. If we delete it will the sytem work effecient?

T/A KID

iTrader: (12)

I fixed the top link pic I edited

thesoundandthefury

iTrader: (3)

I goofed when I said "lower" hose in my reply. The actual lower hose barb on my pump has been gone for such a long time that it slipped my mind that there used to be one there and I had it in my brain to say "lower" when referring to the one just below the thermostat housing on the left. Glad you asked about that. But yeah, the basic idea here is that the steam pipe now becomes an inlet heater hose, and there is only the one return outlet heater hose connected to the pump.

I'm drilling out the steam holes in the heads to accept a 3/8" NPT fitting, who's I.D." matches perfectly to an off the shelf 5/8" heater hose nipple. On the passenger's side head, I have a 3/8" NPT female "Tee" junction screwed directly into the head via a two-way male 3/8 NPT fitting, and have the hose from the driver's side head feeding into the second port on the "Tee" and the 5/8" heater hose nipple screwed into the third port.

I've read posts from guys who build competition LT1's that enlarging the steam holes allows the rear cylinders to run cooler since the heat transfered into the water can exit the head quicker. Nice little side benefit to this project.

thesoundandthefury

iTrader: (3)

In that pic, the green hose is the continuation of the steam pipe. The metal line that runs over the intake manifold feeds into the IAC in stock configuration. Deleting the green hose in that pic and running a hose from the metal pipe directly to the radiator is the famous "throttle body bypass" mod.

T/A KID

iTrader: (12)

Which port are you rederecting the steam line to (take a look at this pic)
http://lt1info.com/TECH/Cooling%20S...ams/DSC1272.gif

Is one hose enough for the heater system???

I assume your talking about the hose that is normally vented to the oil cooler then to rad on the 94 cars?

Thats actually a really good idea, tuning, compression, power, etc I would do this but I really don't want to mess something up knowing myself, lol

T/A KID

iTrader: (12)

Well the thing is i can't run the steam line straight into the rad like you could on the 93-95 Lt1's below the radiator cap since the radiator I plan on getting doesn't have that provision. So instead I was going to run it into the driverside hose that goes to the radiator (I figured it would basically be the same thing).

Alex94TAGT

T/A Kid,

Few thoughts:

1) The Blue hose in your original image is the steam pipe outlet (from cylinder heads) connecting to the passenger-side throttle body fitting (TB inlet). The Green hose is then the other side of the throttle body (TB outlet fitting on the driver's side), if you follow me. Coolant would traditionally flow from the back of the cylinder heads, through the throttle body, to a fitting a few inches below the radiator cap. Just so you know.

2) I was trying to help someone on another board with this quite a while ago, and pretty much reached the same conclusion -- trying to "tee" the cylinder head steam pipe into that Red "#14" radiator return hose. The idea behind this was that we didn't want to reintroduce possible air/steam pockets back into the waterpump and into the engine again. This way any air pockets will theoretically condense in the radiator before getting recirculated.

FYI, the 1992-1994 LT1 uses a different "Red #14" hose. Instead of being a straight hose, it actually has a rubber-molded T-junction in the middle, which incorporates into the 1994 hose routing. If this setup would work, that 1994-style hose might come in handy if you can find appropriate reducers. The alternative would be to buy an aftermarket (metal) T-fitting to splice the hoses.

I have not personally set it up this way, so I can't really comment further. Naturally, you'll have to proceed with caution.

-------------------------------

SoundofFury:

Do you have that setup running yet? I'm just curious how it performs, because it seems you are reversing the flow of coolant through the heater core, yet the way you worded it, I originally thought you had two "outlets" connecting together.

If I'm understanding you correctly, you're splicing the "new" heater core outlet hose (old core inlet hose) into the main waterpump inlet line (t-stat housing)? Correct? [Edit] Whoops, I guess that's not correct. I misread.

Couldn't you instead connect the "new" heater core outlet in the same fashion the factory heater core outlet was routed? That is, the factory heater core outlet / waterpump inlet connection -- (the vertical pipe on the top passenger side of the waterpump)?

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding...

the_merv

iTrader: (88)

Just do the TB Bypass, and leave it at that. I re-did that Steam line with brass fittings.

thesoundandthefury

iTrader: (3)

I'm still waiting on a shipment of AN fittings to arrive. Once I get them and am able to get it put together, I'll post pics of how I have it set up so it's easier for people to understand.

T/A KID

iTrader: (12)

So buy routing the steam line into the red #14 hose would work b/c the air from the steam line STILL ENTERS THE RADIATOR, and is not recirculated into the motor???

the_merv I have already done the TB bypass, but the Radiator I am wanting does not have the provision for the spot below the radiator cap to connect to, so the best thing I could think of was 'T' it into the line which Flows into the Radiator.

Alex94TAGT

As I understand it, the entire purpose of the steam line is to eliminate air pockets in the cylinder heads, which would cause hot-spots and other adverse effects. I believe that's why they routed the factory steam pipe to that location near the radiator cap -- so that any possible air pockets would get trapped there and stay out of the engine.

So, yes, if your options are limited, I think it'd be best to at least have the steam pipe remain routed to the radiator... as opposed to back into the waterpump & engine.

Whatever you do, you must retain the steam lines.

the_merv

iTrader: (88)

You can make a provision for it, if you have the stuff to do it. It wouldn't be that hard, all that line does it function as a return.

T/A KID

iTrader: (12)

Well its either Aluminum Weld on a Port, or use a fitting to connect it to the #14 hose.
I know that Reverse cool, cools the heads first instead of the block.
So the flow starts at the #14 hose -----> Radiator------> to Thermostat where it opens and closes---------> through the motor and heads where it exits the steam lines and the cycle continues.

Yea I think your right, I may leave the heater hoses left alone and route it into the #14 hose.

the_merv

iTrader: (88)

It has to vent it out of the Heads and go somewhere in the Coolant system. That is the minimum..