Hose from thermostat to swirl-pot top...
Discussion
Is there some essential reason why the hose from the 'stat housing to the swirl-pot has a high point above the level of the swirl-pot (on mine the hose runs down-hill from a 90 deg kink into the pot and the pot feed pipe is angled too)?
I would like to re-route this hose at a generally lower level to make room for something else but that will leave the top of the swirl pot as the highest point (I will need to shorten the pot feed pipe too). Anyone see a problem?
Whilst on the subject, are there alternative thermostat housings available with different outlet angles, anyone know?
I would like to re-route this hose at a generally lower level to make room for something else but that will leave the top of the swirl pot as the highest point (I will need to shorten the pot feed pipe too). Anyone see a problem?
Whilst on the subject, are there alternative thermostat housings available with different outlet angles, anyone know?
I've pondered this one too Pupp.
It does seem like they did it that way for a reason but I'm beggered if I can see why that top hose needs to ark up like that to become the highest point?
It's not like there's a bleed nipple in that high point on the hose
Actually I always thought it just creates a great place for a pocket of air to sit.
I'd say there would be no harm in losing the arched top hose & replacing with something that suits your packaging requirements better.
I'd be tempted to add an 1/2" BSP radiator bleed valve in the top of the swirl pot to aid bleeding the system up.
For angled thermostat housings I'd be looking to the States, I know you can get 360 degree swivel housings for the SBC.
What I don't know is if the bolt hole centres are the same as the RV8, but it wouldn't surprise me if it turns out they are.
Obviously you'll also need to make sure the mating face of the swivel housing will seal properly with the face of the RV8 inlet manifold.
You can even get 45 degree & 90 degree versions of these swivel housings, if those hole centres are the same these housings are so cheap you could buy both angles and have a play to see which works best.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SBC-Chevy-Polished-Aluminu...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SBC-Chevy-Polished-Aluminu...
Let us know what you find out about SBC & RV8 thermostat housing hole centres & mating faces, if they turn out to be the same the swivel housings will give you the ultimate flexibility.
Good luck with it, Dave
It does seem like they did it that way for a reason but I'm beggered if I can see why that top hose needs to ark up like that to become the highest point?
It's not like there's a bleed nipple in that high point on the hose
Actually I always thought it just creates a great place for a pocket of air to sit.
I'd say there would be no harm in losing the arched top hose & replacing with something that suits your packaging requirements better.
I'd be tempted to add an 1/2" BSP radiator bleed valve in the top of the swirl pot to aid bleeding the system up.
For angled thermostat housings I'd be looking to the States, I know you can get 360 degree swivel housings for the SBC.
What I don't know is if the bolt hole centres are the same as the RV8, but it wouldn't surprise me if it turns out they are.
Obviously you'll also need to make sure the mating face of the swivel housing will seal properly with the face of the RV8 inlet manifold.
You can even get 45 degree & 90 degree versions of these swivel housings, if those hole centres are the same these housings are so cheap you could buy both angles and have a play to see which works best.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SBC-Chevy-Polished-Aluminu...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SBC-Chevy-Polished-Aluminu...
Let us know what you find out about SBC & RV8 thermostat housing hole centres & mating faces, if they turn out to be the same the swivel housings will give you the ultimate flexibility.
Good luck with it, Dave
Pupp said:
Is there some essential reason why the hose from the 'stat housing to the swirl-pot has a high point above the level of the swirl-pot (on mine the hose runs down-hill from a 90 deg kink into the pot and the pot feed pipe is angled too)?
I would like to re-route this hose at a generally lower level to make room for something else but that will leave the top of the swirl pot as the highest point (I will need to shorten the pot feed pipe too). Anyone see a problem?
Whilst on the subject, are there alternative thermostat housings available with different outlet angles, anyone know?
Pupp - I don't know about the high point but I do know the new engine I had from John Eales had a different housing to my previous engine - one was straight the other had an elbow. I had to fabricate the swirl pot to line up a straight hose and have not had any problems with the swirl pot being the higher point- having IT probs at the moment, will try to upload pics laterI would like to re-route this hose at a generally lower level to make room for something else but that will leave the top of the swirl pot as the highest point (I will need to shorten the pot feed pipe too). Anyone see a problem?
Whilst on the subject, are there alternative thermostat housings available with different outlet angles, anyone know?
It appears they have routed the top hose that way simply to clear the distributor cap and leads. As chimpongas suggested if there was any air in the system it would gather at this point. Presumably the flow from the water pump is sufficient to flush any air out of this high point and into the swirl pot where it can be bled out. I can't see a problem with re-routing the top hose as long as the swirl pot ends up being the highest point. I have in the past transplanted engines into cars where the thermostat housing ends up being the highest point. In these cases a bleeder fitted to the top of the housing does the trick nicely you just have to remember to open the bleeder, then fill the system with coolant via the usual filler point, fit the cap and run the engine to expand the coolant until it flows from your bleeder (highest point) job done.
This new billet ally swivel housing from D&D Fabrications is made specifically for the Rover V8.
D&D Fabrications are Rover V8 specialists based just north of Detroit, they do a lot of little bits (like their swivel housing) that are designed to help make putting a Rover V8 in an MGB or kit car a lot easier.
http://www.aluminumv8.com/new/newstuff.htm
Altering the angle of the swirl pot pipe will help too, combine this with the swivel thermostat housing and you'll have all the adjustability you could ever wish for.
Selecting the right hose will then become easy, the result being all your packaging issues are completely resolved.
Viper Performance offer a wide range of very high quality hoses with 15,45,60,90 & even 120 degree bends.
http://www.viperperformance.co.uk/subcats.php?xctI...
But if you spend your time adjusting the swivel thermostat housing & having you local Tig welder modify the swirl pot pipe to the perfect angle, I doubt you'll need anything more radical than a 15 degree bend.
More than likely you'll actually be able to do the job with a straight hose, which is always preferable
D&D Fabrications are Rover V8 specialists based just north of Detroit, they do a lot of little bits (like their swivel housing) that are designed to help make putting a Rover V8 in an MGB or kit car a lot easier.
http://www.aluminumv8.com/new/newstuff.htm
Altering the angle of the swirl pot pipe will help too, combine this with the swivel thermostat housing and you'll have all the adjustability you could ever wish for.
Selecting the right hose will then become easy, the result being all your packaging issues are completely resolved.
Viper Performance offer a wide range of very high quality hoses with 15,45,60,90 & even 120 degree bends.
http://www.viperperformance.co.uk/subcats.php?xctI...
But if you spend your time adjusting the swivel thermostat housing & having you local Tig welder modify the swirl pot pipe to the perfect angle, I doubt you'll need anything more radical than a 15 degree bend.
More than likely you'll actually be able to do the job with a straight hose, which is always preferable
![](http://thumbsnap.com/sc/sZtPZdYd.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/92Azxjo0" Target="_blank">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/92Azxjo0.jpg)
Hmmm, the only problem that I can see Ian is that swirl pot top could do with a bit of a clean!
Back to subject, that design always looks wrong, especially if you have lost the dizzy.
A revised pot for dizzyless installations would be good although it would serve very little purpose apart from aethetics imo.
Back to subject, that design always looks wrong, especially if you have lost the dizzy.
A revised pot for dizzyless installations would be good although it would serve very little purpose apart from aethetics imo.
[quote=phazed
Back to subject, that design always looks wrong, especially if you have lost the dizzy.
A revised pot for dizzyless installations would be good although it would serve very little purpose apart from aethetics imo.
[/quote] This ^ the only reason the hose faced upwards from the stat housing is to avoid the HT leads and dizzy cap it serves no function whatsoever
Back to subject, that design always looks wrong, especially if you have lost the dizzy.
A revised pot for dizzyless installations would be good although it would serve very little purpose apart from aethetics imo.
[/quote] This ^ the only reason the hose faced upwards from the stat housing is to avoid the HT leads and dizzy cap it serves no function whatsoever
There are a few more reasons:
The hose needs to clear the drive belts (PAS pump...)
When the stat finally opens the hot coolant rises (by nature) hence aiding getting the flow started (think water pump straining with stat closed?). Obviously if pump fails the hot coolant needs to be going up rather than staying in the heads which this design helps with?
The bottom of the swirl tank is a useful way of getting round the Y piece
There are plenty of ways to modify the cooling system, my favourites:
Get rid of stat & fit a remote bypass stat ala cerbs (& most modern cars)
Provide a high expansion/filler tank at plenum level.
Link vents from rad bleed + swirl tank to expansion tank.
Drain expansion tank into inlet manifold (take off for throttle heater & preferably add tails into rear of inlet manifold to fill at blinded off head coolant galleries)
I'd like to shorten the swirl pot & that hose height, but ensuring it forms a 'weir' over which boiling water can escape maybe an essential 'gotcha'?
The hose needs to clear the drive belts (PAS pump...)
When the stat finally opens the hot coolant rises (by nature) hence aiding getting the flow started (think water pump straining with stat closed?). Obviously if pump fails the hot coolant needs to be going up rather than staying in the heads which this design helps with?
The bottom of the swirl tank is a useful way of getting round the Y piece
There are plenty of ways to modify the cooling system, my favourites:
Get rid of stat & fit a remote bypass stat ala cerbs (& most modern cars)
Provide a high expansion/filler tank at plenum level.
Link vents from rad bleed + swirl tank to expansion tank.
Drain expansion tank into inlet manifold (take off for throttle heater & preferably add tails into rear of inlet manifold to fill at blinded off head coolant galleries)
I'd like to shorten the swirl pot & that hose height, but ensuring it forms a 'weir' over which boiling water can escape maybe an essential 'gotcha'?
The swirl pot of all supercharged cars is reduced in height by 18mm to give clearance for the supercharger outlet. When split, the upper section is also rotated and the inlet revised to improve hose alignment. This change works successfully without detrimental affect to coolant flow. I would keep hose run above the swirlpot inlet so flow rate is not inhibited.
ChimpOnGas said:
I've pondered this one too Pupp.
Actually I always thought it just creates a great place for a pocket of air to sit.
I'd say there would be no harm in losing the arched top hose & replacing with something that suits your packaging requirements better.
I'd be tempted to add an 1/2" BSP radiator bleed valve in the top of the swirl pot to aid bleeding the system up.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rover-V8-Cooling-System-...Actually I always thought it just creates a great place for a pocket of air to sit.
I'd say there would be no harm in losing the arched top hose & replacing with something that suits your packaging requirements better.
I'd be tempted to add an 1/2" BSP radiator bleed valve in the top of the swirl pot to aid bleeding the system up.
Gassing Station | Chimaera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff