Lower radiator hose and water pump connections
 

Do they not make lower radiator hoses with the spring in them anymore? I can't find one for my 82 w/ a 351w. I checked all the parts stores and none have springs in the hoses. They don't seem to have changed the hoses any to keep them from collapsing and I think mine is at high rpm on the highway. My temperature is going up on the highway and down just putting around at low rpm.

The 5/8" nipples on the water pump... Which one goes to the bypass on the t-stat housing and which one goes to the heater core? I've heard the top nipple is for the bypass but I can't hook up the heater hose to the bottom nipple because it's straight and the alternator bracket is in the way, the hose will just kink. The molded bypass hose works there because it's got the bend in it.

Thanks

You will have to use a longer hose for the heater so that you can allow more bend or get yourself a piece of copper tubing to form that bend. Flare the ends of the copper slightly so that the radiator clamps will hold securely.

John :)

So the top nipple on the pump has to go to the t-stat housing? The pre molded bypass hose wants to go straight to the bottom nipple.

It's working hooked up this way, just don't know if it's right.

Here's a pic of how it's hooked up. You can see the bypass hose doesn't want to go to the top one.

http://members.cox.net/tgore3/Picture.jpg

That is the right way.

John :)

I use stainless steel Tig rod that I wrap around pipe to get the right diameter then install in the hoses. Over the years many hoses have been replaced but the same springs reused, works for me.

.....=o&o>.....

I thought it had to go that way, I just couldn't remember and somewhere else it was said to connect them the other way.

Pretty neat idea on using the TIG wire. The new pump came with that rubber bushing for the one, I used that. Why they don't make the nipples the right size just confuses me.