Author Topic: Heater Coolant Flow?? (Read 9191 times)

Genious · « **on:** December 07, 2006, 06:51:30 pm »

Hi all!! This is my first time posting on this board. I have a 1.6L TD that I have installed in my 88 Suzuki Samurai. When I did the install I decided that (for right now) I didn't need a heater. So when I did the install, I just ran a hose from the end of the head to the middle intake on the water pump housing. Now I am having some cooling issued and was wondering if having that much recirculation of the hot coolant from the head might be some of my problem. To test this I want to cut off the hose to see if my cooling improves, but I don't want to damage the head in my little test.

So I guess my direct question is....Can I totally cutoff this return line, or if I can't cut it off totally, how much could I safely restrict it?

TIA, Jim

burn_your_money · « **Reply #1 on:** December 08, 2006, 04:30:35 am »

I'm pretty sure you can completely block it off. I beleive that when the heater is turned off on a stock car that coolant fow from the end of the head is completely restricted. Have someone verify that first though...

Genious · « **Reply #2 on:** December 08, 2006, 03:15:01 pm »

Thanks for the reply. If I get some more feedback saying the same thing I will cut it off tomorrow and monitor the head temps with my IR thermometer.

burn_your_money · « **Reply #3 on:** December 08, 2006, 04:50:17 pm »

If I remeber I'll pop the hood on my car and just have a look, it's tucked away for the night right now though

Genious · « **Reply #4 on:** December 08, 2006, 06:45:43 pm »

Thanks man. I am checking through any online refrences I can find about the VW heating system/FSM/Bently. I am even searching the Samurai manuals, because most guys do have their heaters hooked up to the stock Samurai system. If I can find that the Samuri controlls also completely cut off the flow when it is not heating, then I will fell alot more confident capping off both ends. (Until I decide I need heat :roll: )

wolfsburgnut · « **Reply #5 on:** December 08, 2006, 07:51:36 pm »

On a Golf/Jetta I/II/III setup, the coolant is circulating through the heater core constantly and heating is controlled by dampers. You should NOT clamp the line from the end of the head to the middle port on the water pump!

Peter

Genious · « **Reply #6 on:** December 09, 2006, 04:46:41 am »

wolfsburgnut, if it isn't completely cut off, what is the smallest passage that you think it goes through? If I can't cut it off completely, I would want to at least restrict it as much as it is when the heater isn't being used.

jtanguay · « **Reply #7 on:** December 09, 2006, 06:00:23 am »

i dont know too much on this subject, but i will share some of my findings.

when i ran my heater on to cool my motor in the summer (fan not working... bad thermoswitch), i switched back to a/c, and it took a really really long time to become cool... about 3-4 minutes. this tells me that the coolant hose was blocked, and my a/c was working hard to cool off my heater core & the liquid inside it.

Genious · « **Reply #8 on:** December 09, 2006, 08:36:19 am »

I was just looking through the Bently manual and it LOOKS like the thermostat is long enough that when it pops open to allow the raqdiator coolant to flow, it also partially blocks the top recirulating flow. If this is the case I really need to get a new thermostat.

Genious · « **Reply #9 on:** December 09, 2006, 08:41:51 am »

I don't have it in right now. I have been taking it in and out with other changes to see what makes a difference in the cooling ability.

RabbitJockey · « **Reply #10 on:** December 09, 2006, 12:49:19 pm »

yeah i think you all forgot about the hose that foes from the front of head directly to the waterpump.

Genious · « **Reply #11 on:** December 09, 2006, 01:36:48 pm »

I didn't forget about the front hose, I just am worried that if I use it exclusively to move coolant through the head I might create a hot area in the head or block because of improper flow if I cut off the flow from the end of the head.

I wil be getting a new t-stat to replace my present one. Maybe it is bad along with my other hose routing problem.

Genious · « **Reply #12 on:** December 09, 2006, 08:10:27 pm »

Sorry, I am interested in the hose that goes from the end of the head to the heater core. I am just trying to determine if it needs some level of flow or can be completely eliminated until I choose to reinstall my heater.

jtanguay · « **Reply #13 on:** December 10, 2006, 07:58:56 am »

Quote from: libbybapa

To sum up in English:

lol... as if we were speaking anything else? :wink: :lol:

one of my pet peeves is when people say stuff like "explain that in english." rather than saying something like... "i'm a complete knob...?!"

many thanks to libbypapa for help that everyone SHOULD[/u] understand...

i did a cooling system flush with the thermostat out... thats okay right? :oops:

Genious · « **Reply #14 on:** December 10, 2006, 08:04:22 am »

danke schön!