SP3 coolant passages at rear of intake

Discussion in 'Small Block Tech' started by Fox's Den, May 20, 2017.

  1. Fox's Den

    Fox's Den 355Xrs

    I would like to connect the back of the intake coolant passages that connect the heads to the front of the intake at the coolant passage there. They are all 3/4" threads. Has anyone thought about how they would hook this up and how would you do it.

    I thought about using the Aeroquip socket less hose set up but would this stay together under pressure? Would you trust the socket less set up?

    On the BPG site gsjohnny has his set up this way but on his homemade intake set up he has the hose running under the intake runners to a pipe fitting at the thermostat. I looked to try and go under the runners but it looked like it would be too hard to get up past the thermostat assembly.

    I was looking for a lower cost to do this as the fittings and adapters to make the connections can be costly with the aeroquip set up but it would be a lot cleaner looking. I want to try and go down the drivers side to connect the ports.

    Thanks for your input
    Guy

    I put in a couple of pics so you can see the water ports. IMG_0602.jpg IMG_0603.jpg

    In the top photo the two water ports are on the right side of pic and they connect to the heads

    In the bottom picture the other connection I want to use is the one right next to the thermostat housing on the right side of it and it is the larger fitting there. I would have put arrows but I took the pics a while back.

    I was thinking about going around the outside of the intake runners on the drivers side.
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2017
  2. Gallagher

    Gallagher Founders Club Member

    Tag for answers.
     
  3. hugger

    hugger Well-Known Member

    Socketless hose is rated to like 200psi maybe more, i wouldn't give it a second thought

    Looks like 4 3/4npt to -8 fittings with 4 90° hose ends and done
     
  4. Fox's Den

    Fox's Den 355Xrs

    I was thinking about connecting the two at the back with a "tee" then going to the one in the front.
     
    alec296 likes this.
  5. 436'd Skylark

    436'd Skylark Sweet Fancy Moses!!!!!

    not sure what your gaining besides having some more an stuff under the hood. i wonder if you would be able to bleed the air out of it? i think the top of it would be air bound since the coolant wouldn't flow across it any.
     
  6. Mart

    Mart Gold level member

    What does T/A recommend? They are the ones that added those coolant provisions to the rear. How did Mike Jr. connect his?
    They must have had an idea as to benefiting the cooling some with those additional connections?

    You could get a tee from the hardware, but you you would have to grind it down & smooth it up, so it doesn't look like something that should be on your water heater or gas sediment trap!:D:D
     
  7. Jim Weise

    Jim Weise EFI/DIS 482

    I would imagine those ports were added for more options for both heater hose placement, as well as access to the coolant jacket for sensors and gauges.

    The best use for those, would be a bleeder valve to insure that no air is trapped in the rear of the heads. I have drilled and Tapped many TA intake manifolds in race applications in the rear, over the coolant ports, and added Petcocks to use as air bleeds. This is useful in bleeding the air out of a motor in a chassis car, where the crank centerline is parallel to the ground. Because the motor is not tipped the normal 3-5 degrees to the rear, air can get trapped in the back of the cylinder head.

    Not that they would be required in a factory type installation, but they would give you concrete proof that the entire motor is full of coolant.

    There would be no cooling advantage to connecting those together in an unfilled block. He may have added them to facilitate the addition of cold water to the rear of the engine, in a filled block situation.
     
    blyons79 likes this.
  8. Fox's Den

    Fox's Den 355Xrs

    I should call TA and ask them about those two coolant passages and see what they say. Jim might have the best idea and just use them as a bleeder valve for air.

    I thought by connecting the back of the heads to the front would aid in cooling or at least help to keep junk from accumulating in the back of the heads and cut down on cooling.

    I do not know if gsjohnny used any block fill on his motor, I just know water lines are connected to the front. He has a pic of it on the BPG site in his small block section.

    This sounds like it is not useful to make the connection, plus it is not going to be easy or cheap, and it is another place for water to leak or burst a hose.

    If a petcock is the right idea what would you use for that.
     
  9. 300sbb_overkill

    300sbb_overkill WWG1WGA. MAGA

    Instead of a petcock back there you could tee the 2 ports together and send that hot water to your heater core. Seeing how your car is mostly a fair weather street driven car you might as well use the heater core for something. Plus with water flowing in that area there would be less of a chance an air pocket forms there.



    Derek
     
  10. gsjohnny1

    gsjohnny1 Well-Known Member

    found the rear connection for mopar racers. think I did connections across and across/front on different intakes at different times. you would have to ask the mopar racers, roundi-round I think, to see if there is a benefit. I run a s/c and they produce heat. don't ask me why I took so long to do it, but last year I finally check the head temp at racing. with the little Honda radiator, I was getting 150-160* across the heads. is it because of the mopar connection, I don't know, but I am happy with the temps.
    btw, anybody have a spare 1968 fed frame kicking around? kinda need one.
     
  11. Fox's Den

    Fox's Den 355Xrs

    I would like to connect it to the heater core but mine is leaking now and is disconnected. I have a air condition car and now you know why it is not fixed yet.

    Does the connection need to be made from the intake to the water pump. The heater core is in the middle of this system. I currently have the hose going from the intake to the water pump, basically like the stock set up only the heater core is not there. Can I just plug this system off till I get a heater core in, which may take forever.

    That would mean plugging the hose connection to the water pump. In the stock system with Air Cond. there is a valve before the heater core but after the intake that plugs the water off when the air conditioner is on. So it would make sense to me that I could plug this part of system.

    It also seems to make sense to me to connect the back of the heads with the front to keep cooling more even from front to back of the heads.

    Anybody else know what their plan is to use the extra holes in the intake, did you just plug it, or think outside the box?
     
  12. Mark Demko

    Mark Demko Well-Known Member

    IMG_1491.JPG Hey Guy, not quite sure what all your trying to do, but I had my SP3 water ports hooked up this way: My heater control valve I moved to the rear port on the SP3
    IMG_1491.JPG IMG_1491.JPG
     
  13. 300sbb_overkill

    300sbb_overkill WWG1WGA. MAGA

    Yeah Guy, if the heater core is bypassed then just hook the hose up from the back to where the heater core exits into, so basically remove from front, plug front and hook to back. I like going from the back with this connection because the heater hose is relocated away from the fuel lines going into a Holley style carb.




    Derek
     
  14. Mark Demko

    Mark Demko Well-Known Member

    Thank you Derek!!
    I WAS going to post this pic for Guy, but was wondering why the heck I HAD hooked up the heater control valve to the front port, THEN ultimately going to the rear port, it was because of the HOLLEY STYLE FUEL LINE:confused:
    Thanks again Derek, I was beginning to question my memory!
     
  15. Fox's Den

    Fox's Den 355Xrs

    Then how about hooking up both lines at the back to go thru the heater core then back to the motor. This would pull the water from both heads at the back, run thru the heater core then back to the water pump. I don't have a heater core I want to connect the two lines to the front at the thermostat. What I want to know is would you trust the socket less hose to make this connection or would the pressure be too great for this, and would it hold up to a overheating condition. looks like I just may set it up and then close up the fittings at the source till I get this figured out.
     
  16. 300sbb_overkill

    300sbb_overkill WWG1WGA. MAGA

    Get a 90* fitting for the drivers side and get a sideways T fitting for the passenger side. A short hose to sideways T from drivers side and the long hose to where you have the bypass emptying into, done.

    If and or when you get a new heater core installed, passengers side hose to heater core inlet then the heater core exit to where the bypass is hooked to now. Should be all your non-filled block needs for a little bit extra coolant flow to the rear of the block to help keep all cylinders closer to the same temp.



    Derek
     
  17. Jim Weise

    Jim Weise EFI/DIS 482

    Water, even under pressure, takes the path of least resistance.. so if you were to hook this up and run it thru your heater core, the connections and hose length from each side have to be exactly the same in length and dimension, otherwise you will pull water from just the side with lower resistance to flow.

    But unless your looking for the heater in the car to work, there is no reason to do this.

    JW
     
  18. 300sbb_overkill

    300sbb_overkill WWG1WGA. MAGA

    For one, IIRC Guy runs a Holley style carb so hooking to the rear makes room for the fuel line up front.

    And for two, you're right about the least resistance, so two 90* fittings going to center of intake with an upside down T in the center to the heater core or to the bypass exit and should remove from both sides closer to equal.

    Or just one out the passenger side in the back instead of front so that isn't in the way of the fuel line for the Holley style carb and don't worry about it.




    Derek
     
  19. Jim Weise

    Jim Weise EFI/DIS 482

    Ya, I understand, but he previously said the heater core is leaking, so you don't need any heater hoses. If he does get a new core, then yes, one hose from the RH rear outlet would be best,

    JW
     
  20. 300sbb_overkill

    300sbb_overkill WWG1WGA. MAGA

    If its bypassed then both sides need plugged, the exit and the entrance to eliminate the bypass. IIRC the heater core dumps into the water pump so that would need plugged. I need to go out and look at my sbb 350 I have in the garage to refresh my memory.


    Derek
     

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