Yet Another Heater Hose Routing Subject

[D.B Cooper]

I have a 63 Hardtop and have been on a gillion sites having to do with the routing of heater hoses and with all the FE Fords that are out there be is a Pickup, Bronco, Mustang or Galaxy or whatever everyone seems to have a different way to route heater hoses and none of them look as cluttered as the do on a stock 63 Thunderbird with a 390. Maybe I have had too many SBC's in the past but all of them had a straight forward way to run heater hoses from the water pump to the heater core. And in my way of thinking is much, much cleanser then having hoses run all over the engine compartment. OK, my question is it possible on a Thunderbird with a 390 of this vintage to delete the carburetor space plate put plugs in the intake that are now coolant passages and run the hoses straight to the water pump with the use of a heater control valve?

[jopizz]

Yes, you can delete the heated carb spacer plate. By 1966 Ford had done away with it as it obviously didn't do as intended. Just replace it with a plain spacer of the same height and run the heater hoses directly from the intake and water pump to the heater core. You will need something to replace the port in the spacer for the vent tube.

John

[simplyconnected]

Heated fuel has always been a thorn in engines of every make. Chrysler used the Thermal Quad which essentially had a plastic base. You have a cooled spacer.

Since those days, things have changed. We took the lead out of gasoline and added 10% ethanol. Then, they raised the coolant/engine temperature for more complete burn. Bad, bad, bad... Ethanol has a lower boiling point and is more prone to vapor lock. Lead lubricates valves and prevents them from receding. Then they eliminated zinc and phosphorus from our motor oil.

To remedy these changes, they used aluminum to transfer heat four times faster than iron, they used roller cams and they went to EFI. EFI retrofit kits are available and they pay for themselves in fuel savings IF you use your classic car. EFI requires pressurized fuel, so no more vapor lock.

Where does all this leave classic car owners? You're on your own to either modernize your engine or use expensive additives. If I were to eliminate my 'cooled' spacer plate, I would look for a phenolic spacer plate. Too many complain that their float bowl is dry at startup because of engine heat, causing excessive cranking just to pump more fuel to the carb. Again, EFI eliminates this problem because the pump is electric and it turns on with the key, not engine motion.

I run my heater hoses from the intake manifold to the bottom of my heater core. The return goes to the water pump. This ensures that any air in the heater core will burp out the top.
- Dave

[D.B Cooper]

Thank you both for the info, I am feeling much better now. OK, I'm going to clean up my eng. compartment and run the hoses to the heater core without all of the the hoses running all over. But...one additional question? OK I will replace the carb. spacer, any idea on what replacement and from whom that will work? This site is just too mucken fuch!

[jopizz]

The issue you will have finding a replacement spacer is that your factory spacer is tapered. It's 1 1/4" at the front and 7/8" at the rear. You can certainly keep it and just not use the coolant ports. It will operate just like any other spacer. If you want a cleaner look you can just get a 1" spacer. You'll probably have to replace the studs in the manifold though. Your carb will also tilt slightly down but that's only on level ground. I don't think it's that big an issue.

John

[D.B Cooper]

John,

Thanks for you sharp mind for dealing with this issue. I am just about there and have replaced the spacer with an aftermarket one and am getting ready to re-rout the hoses, but.....You say: You will need something to replace the port in the spacer for the vent tube. Like what? can I just plug it off or what?

Again, Much Thanks.....

[jopizz]

Your intake manifold has a PCV style vent tube. You should connect that to a vacuum source. The original spacer had a port in the back that it was connected to. What carburetor are you using? If it's an aftermarket carb it should have a PCV port.

John

[D.B Cooper]

I haven't had this car long and have been changing things just trying to get the Micky out of the Bird. Someone as some point in time but an Edlebrock Carb on it. Since I was going to replace the carb spacer I went with an Edlebrock. The spacer that is on the now, that being the sock one measures 1 1/2" inches tall and the closes that I could get to that is 2'.

Thanks,
John

[jopizz]

The spacer that is on the now, that being the sock one measures 1 1/2" inches tall and the closes that I could get to that is 2'.

Just make sure the hood closes and doesn't hit the air cleaner. It's pretty close with the stock spacer.

John

[D.B Cooper]

Will do John, thanks for the help. Recently found and bought a stock air cleaner and if I have a problem with clearence I'll have to look for a different spacer.

John