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Rerouting the heater hose-- a journey into excessive obsession


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I don't like that the heater hose lays across the steering column (rubby) and routes dangerously close to the exhaust manifold (melty)... plus, when I get an idea in my head, I have an excessive obsession to "seeing it through."  So, when the idea popped into my head, here's where it took me...

 

I decided to do a hard line out of the water pump, and run it between valve cover and water neck, then parallel to the valve cover, back to the firewall.  This was a piece of scrap 3/8" tube I bent up just to get a visualization of it.  The bump in the middle of the tube isn't part of the plan.  It was already in the scrap tube I used.

 

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My first step was to thread a fitting into the water pump.  I went with a Fragola 45° pipe-to-AN fitting #402308-BL, which is pipe on the water pump end, and -8 AN on the other end.  I threaded that in place so I could begin my measurements.  Since I drive this truck, I needed to make it easy to take apart with each fitment, so I added a metal stub to the AN fitting so I could still use the rubber hose.

 

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The first problem I ran into was trying to make 2 90° bends so close together.  I needed one bend to take me from the vertical coming off the water pump, toward the firewall, then in less than 1", bend AGAIN to the right side of the truck.  This simply CAN'T be done with benders...

 

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So, I decided I would have to piece this together with parts.  I made a copper mockup.  Note: the problem with simply running the copper piece is that copper is "pipe," which is 1/2" ID, while I needed "tube," which is 1/2" ID.  Blame it on the steamfitters and industrial engineers not working out their differences a couple hundred years ago for the incompatible standards :(

 

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Since I was going to weld, I didn't need the flanges, so I cut them off, then cut the 180° [piece in half because the "180°" I needed also had a 90° on-axis rotation).  I then stick built it with Scotch tape on the truck, and marked all the parts to keep axes aligned.

 

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Still to do... I need to install it on the truck again, and then make a couple of brackets to support the long end.  My plan is to do some simple angles that come up from the head studs (see first pic in this thread).  I'll either weld them to the tube, or do a through-hole and grommet setup.  I haven't decided which.  Then, when it's all solidly mounted, I'll dig through the parts bin at my local auto parts store for a small 1/2" ID S-bend hose (these are VERY common for bypass hoses on modern cars, so I shouldn't have any problem finding one... will just require looking at hoses, and not talking to counter bozo who will want to know year/make/model before he can engage brain).

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Yeah that excessive. :lol: :lol:

 

The first problem I ran into was trying to make 2 90° bends so close together.  I needed one bend to take me from the vertical coming off the water pump, toward the firewall, then in less than 1", bend AGAIN to the right side of the truck.  This simply CAN'T be done with benders...

 

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Just fill the tube with dry sand and try the bender.

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Just fill the tube with dry sand and try the bender.

 

I've been around the barn a few times (and spoke with DOZENS of experts across the country during this particular project as well)... it doesn't work that way.  The problem isn't crush, it's that there is no place for the bender to grab the tube after you've made the first bend.  The ONLY bender on the planet that is capable of doing this bend in one piece is the NISSIN bender.. See--

 

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...but unfortunately, the smallest it is designed to do is 3/4"... and setup cost is on the order of $500.

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Beautiful design and fabrication.

What is your connection design for the heater core at the firewall?

 

Thanks.  I'll use a generic heater bypass hose... sort of like this one from a quick GIS...

 

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I ran the tube long since I haven't finalized which hose I'll be using.  I'll trim it as needed.

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wow you took it to a whole nother level . nice very clean looking but im going with a unicoil

this is a spring that fits over hose and allows it to be bent with out kinking. but dont get me wrong I like your design

but im going with a hose bent at 90 then run the same way your hard line is. I think some of the 411 j1300s

are like this . thanks for info

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wow you took it to a whole nother level . nice very clean looking but im going with a unicoil

this is a spring that fits over hose and allows it to be bent with out kinking. but dont get me wrong I like your design

but im going with a hose bent at 90 then run the same way your hard line is. 

 

Believe me, your approach is a MUCH better way to go in terms of simplicity.  If I told you how much money I have in this little project (not to mention TIME), you would probably have a mild heart attack and hit your head on the keyboard.  Hint: a SINGLE stainless elbow is $30... I have 3, plus straight tubing, plus the aluminum tube I started with, plus the copper parts, plus AN fittings, plus, plus, plus...  :w00t:

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Fab work can be alot of fun and it will look great. You could throw a bend towards heater core

just after last bracket .I think then bulk heater hose would work or match the steel braid like your

other hose. Then if you in Rocky Point Mexico and your heater hose blows you can get one at

the hardware store . This will save valuable beer drinking time at JJs Cantina. I think I need

a Vacation.

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Fab work can be alot of fun and it will look great. You could throw a bend towards heater core

just after last bracket .I think then bulk heater hose would work or match the steel braid like your

other hose. Then if you in Rocky Point Mexico and your heater hose blows you can get one at

the hardware store . This will save valuable beer drinking time at JJs Cantina. I think I need

a Vacation.

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Bracket is made.  Tube is fully functional by looping back the original rubber hose at this point.  When I get my seat back, I'll run it up to the auto parts store and find an s-bend hose to finish it off.

 

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Search in the "how to" section for my heater outlet to fixed engine hose fabrication [half inch fittings] including part numbers and photos.  Done for my NLA RL411 heater installation but useable for your 520.  Great job on the solid piping!  It looks first class.  As lazy as I am I would have stopped at the copper tubing version.

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