hahaha nah.not know that you stated you for sure made up your mind.

i edited some in when you were typing.
i'll dig around to see which line is out and in again cus i can't remember.we'll figure this out.

 

i had to go look at mine.
mines the one thats backwards brother.
i need to swap around the lines on my filter head.
your all good.

the one from the water pump (which is the one that comes up around the alt,and has the T for auto trans) should be the one thats pumping out of course since it comes from the WP.some reason i have going into my outlet of my filter.been backwards technically since i installed it.

edit.
i still said that wrong.
the one that comes from the WP is OUT,but it's NOT the one with the T.
so like you,i have mine on the return too (we're entering/exiting the HC opposite of each other i think.but either way for that is fine)
IN (return) line is the one with the T (for auto trans) which goes back to the block (and down to radiator.)
my ports are backwards on the filter head still though.i hope i have enough hose length to just swap 'em.

 

Ford I saw your edits,

You are using the other heater hose, I ran mine from the water pump to heater core hose, but I think my connections are right.



I used the NAPA filter head.



It seems that one of has it backwards, even though yours is on the other hose. that in itself doesn't matter it just means my filter is before the heater core and yours is after, but the water pump hose should be the supply side which would go to the inlet port, and the outlet would go to the block hose it would seem to me. I guess the question is, is the water pump hose drawing water in or is it pressuring water out?

I need to get back to work, but Ill check back later.

Mac.

 

oh i see.you are on the pump out side.yeah,you did it the way i had wanted to start with,but i frigged up and used the wrong line.that's why my ports are backwards.
since mine is coming back to the block,from the core,i need to hook my core line to my IN port on the filter,and then OUT port of filter head to block.im glad you posted pics,or i might not have ever payed attention and caught my mistake.though,i doubt it's all that big of a deal.it obviously flows either way,but im sure it should be corrected.
edit,
right.unless im now thinking backwards and that the water pump side sucks inwards,then im before the HC with correct flow and yours is backwards lmao.

 

Ford, Wasn't it you who cut open a filter and had sand and sediment on the outside of the element? if that is the case then yours is right. If you think about it, the hose could be pushing or pulling water depending on where it is on the pump, right? Don't change anything until we get this figured out. I might have mine backwards. It would make sense that the block line would supply the heater core, because one would think that water would be hotter, thus being more effective for heating, which is its purpose. I guess one way to tell would be to remove the inlet hose and see which way coolant is going?!? sounds messy, maybe what I will do is temporarily install a small piece of clear 5/8 tube in that line, and I'll be able to see the direction of flow. I will need some parts from the Depot, stay tuned.

Mac.

P.S. I still need to get back to work!!!

 

Ha Ha, Brilliant minds think alike, we are both typing the same train of thought at the same time it would seem. I will get the parts today and install the clear plastic tube and find out for sure.

Now back to work, the good thing about working for your mom for free, is you can't get fired! LOL.

 

yeah thats right.i did and the crap was everywhere though.but i guess mainly on the outside.
that makes sense if it does suck inward to the pump,cus that would give better heat in the cab.
im sure someone (probably a lot) know for sure,and will put us out of our misery shortly,and let us know who's is backwards lol.
if all else fails,like you say we can make a mess and find out for sure easy enough.
funny googling "does does a water pump push or suck for heater core line" or "heater core flow direction" doesn't yield a very quick and easy answer.seems we're not alone at least wondering.

 

ok so it was bugging me to no end that i couldn't remember this.



"The passenger compartment heater is a part of the cooling system, coolant is being circulated as needed for comfort. Hot coolant (thermostat rating) is picked up in the area adjacent to the thermostat and pushed through the heater core where the fan removes the heat from the core in the same fashion that the engine fan removes heat from the radiator. Once the heat has been exchanged into the passenger compartment, the coolant returns to the engine through the water pump return fitting."

Cooling System Function and Operation Part 3

so that heater core port,is called the "return" fitting.so she's drawing in from there.

so looks like im setup properly.out from block-into filter-out from filter-into heater core-out from heater core-into water pump.
i thought it strange i wouldn't have researched first.i must have but forgotten i did,got lucky,or just plain didn't have a clue to start with -that ones likely right.

so yours is backwards after all Mac.
being after the core like that id say is ok.it's going to clean up the system quick anyway,so it doesn't matter much.but you just need to know,that flow is coming out of your heater core there-into your filter.so your two lines need to be swapped is all.
that's a bugger too,cus im not sure you have enough hose on either side to reach.but you can just use a couple couplings to extend them i suppose.some short hose,and double hose clamps on each side,is going to clutter up that clean install though.
hmm.maybe fake it,and use shut off valves for a clean,well planned look lol.but that'll cost more than just replacing a couple hoses probably,but you'd have super clean filter changes.

 

Cool Ford,

I didn't put too much thought into it, it just seemed reasonable that the water pump would be the supply line, but then when we started dissecting this it occurred to me that it could be either pushing or pulling water depending on where it is on the pump, and in thinking further, it would make more sense that the water pump is pulling through that small hose, because the water in the block is pressurized by the pump, so there would already be pressure out at the block port, with a line in on the low pressure side of the water pump, the water would circulate freely, and the hottest water, direct from the engine block, would go to the heater core, as discussed before. I bought the things I need for the line test I mentioned, I am going to throw it in real quick tomorrow, and post a vid. on youtube to confirm our beliefs.

I think that I will be able to swap the two hoses pretty easily. If I turn the fittings to face the right way, the hose to the cab should be about the same length, and the one to the water pump should make it because I will be taking out the turn up to get it to the intake port. If not I'll go get some more hose. I like how clean it looks there.

Here's a side tickler for you. I went out to play volleyball today, and when I got there I looked under my truck and it was urinating red coolant all over the place! Turns out that in my hurry to get done, I forgot to put the clamp on the very hose we are discussing! The clamp at the water pump was still about three inches up on the hose, the hose was laying across the motor and there was a geyser blowing out the water pump. Fortunately, It blew close to my destination, and I was able to get the hose and clamp back on, and get the truck home! The good news is that it didn't blow Monday night on my 20 mile trip home! tomorrow I will get some more coolant and see just how much I lost! Dhooo!

Did you see my post about the trans cooler line fittings? I really want to find a way to stop all the little leaks under there! Your thoughts?

Mac.

 

Swap the lines when it's time to change the filter or you're going to push all the caught crud from inside the filter and blow it back into the system.

Mike

 

Good looking out Mike, I had not thought of that. I bought two filters when I ordered the head, maybe I'll just change it out. They aren't too expensive.

 

Well,

This pretty much settles it!

7.3 IDI Diesel coolant filter. - YouTube

I will swap my lines, and put in a fresh cooler to change my flow direction.

Thanks again to all the input.

Mac.

 

well ya can't beat proof.nice going Mac.
i wouldn't bother with replacing the filter already.it takes a few thousand miles to plug up the first one.what little bit of the factory sand casting that might be in there,will just back flush,but so what really? it'll just come back around to get trapped again and a many idi never removed the junk with a filter,and it's all been in there for several years,so what's a few more miles? that filter is still plenty good (brand new) to trap the bulk of the sand casting.id run it for at least an oil change or two worth of miles,or until you check the heat in the cab to see if it's hardly blowing any,then swap it out.replacing it already,would just be a waste of a perfectly good filter imho.

 

So I was able to easily swap the hoses, it looks even cleaner this way with the help of a couple black zip ties!





I did not bother to change out the filter, I have only been about 25 to 30 miles on it backwards. I figure whatever was in it was already in the system to begin with, and I drained the block and installed new coolant and water also, can't be that bad.

The results are in, I lost about a gallon of coolant due to my hose clamp blunder. I figure bygones. It could have been a lot worse!

 

what size is the heater hose again? i need to buy some ball valves