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I have an Edmund's dual 1bbl intake that uses water to heat the intake.

I was looking at an old Hot Rod magazine an noticed that they ran the water from somewhere up front through the intake and back into the engine where the temperature gauge goes back into the head.

Is anyone out there doing this?

Where would I need to start the water source from? I have two choices water pump and one of Tom Langdon's spacers with the tap in the side.

It seems like if I used Tom's spacer and ran the water back to the head, I'm not really pumping water to the intake.

All comments welcome.

I think the water heating is very important. Sure made mine run better. I have the heater hose tee'd as the inlet and the return is back to the gooseneck through the spacer you spoke of. From what others here have said a 261 gooseneck already has the extra hole for the fitting if you can find one. 3/8" heater hose on some barb fittings and worm clamps and your in business.

Hi Bill -

I just had a discussion this past week concerning this subject.

There seems to be several thoughts on the best way to do this.

Tom Langdon will suggest you take the water at the thermostat housing with his spacer with the threaded fitter in it, or use the thermostat housing from a GMC truck which has a tapped outlet on the left side. He suggests you send the water through the intake and take it around the block back to the water pump fitting using a rubber hose. Others have different ideas.

To me the shortest route is the best. I've been told it isn't because the water won't circulate unless you take it back into the system at the heater connection on the water pump. If you're not running a heater that may be OK, but if you are, then you got to rig up a "T", etc.

I suggest you take the water at the thermostat housing - on the right side, run it under the housing, over the top of the timing cover and around into the front of the intake. I then would run it out the back and, with the use of a nice brass "T" fitting, into the engine at the temperature sending unit on the head. I have been told that won't work very well, but why wouldn't it? The water pump and the water system won't know it's going in and out the manifold. It is just another route for the water to go. An argument could be made to send it out of the back of the intake and under the intake around the left front corner of the block and back in at the heater fitter on the water pump. The idea here is that it might move faster because it's being "sucked" back into the water pump. Whatever! I'm sure that will work fine. And I'm sure that a pleasing looking "T" could be made up there. It's just that spot is kind of awkward to fit a "T" into to me.

The one thing I do know, the best, and only place, to take the water to the intake is at the thermostat housing. The water is at it's hottest there just before it goes into the top of the radiator. I would return it to the system to the best place that works for your truck and engine, depending on heater requirements, etc.

The other thing I would do is run the water in stainless tubing or nickle plated copper tubing. With nickle plated copper tubing, you can use compression fittings. Metal is the only way to rest assured that you won't spring a leak because of a cracked hose.

Hope some of my ramblings help a little!

Joe

Joe,

Well I guess you have been doing some thinking on ths matter. Thanks.

Right now I have Tom Langdon's spacer and the water hooked up to that and over to the intake manifold. I guess we can agree that is the best place to start the process. Again, right now. I have the a very awkward return. I have a long piece of tubing circling back between the headers and under the manifolds to the front of the engine. Then I have a 90 degree elbow and a peice of tubing that runs over the timing cover and under the thermostat housing back to a fitting in the water pump.

When I started I thought I had to connect to the water pump at some point to create a loop like the one for the heater.

But I saw the pictures in Hot Rod and thought about my long return and I thought the best thing was too eliminate this long awkward tube and return the water into the head at the temperature guage opening.

I guess I am stuck on whether this will circulate enough water.

I am not running a heater, so I don't have a place to reconnect the intake water in the back of the engine.

Thanks for the reply.

Trying to go in at the gauge outlet would not work. It has the same pressure as the therm. housing. You would get little or no circulation.

Wrenchbender Ret -

I disagree. If there is little or NO CIRCULATION at the temperature guage, that means the guage is of no use in indicating the engine temperature. According to the illustration in the shop manual, there is a definite movement of water through the system of a Chevrolet inline 216, 235 or 261. The flow is there. That's what the water pump is for. I personally think the flow is probably best at the water pump, but as Bill states, it is awkward looking. It is just a matter of how you want the set up to look and how well you want it to work, but as long as it is circulating, and it will with a functioning water pump, either choice should work.

Bill Schickling -

If it was me and I had it set up to work the way you do, I would leave it. After you fire the truck up, you can see how it works and if you want to try the other method, for the sake of looking better, then that's a choice you may want to make at that time.

Joe

Bill, check out these pics at http://community.webshots.com/user/doctasuds . Using info from some guys here, I used a pump and therm. housing from a 261, a collection of 90 degree fittings and 5/16" brake line. I'm happy with the way it turned out. It looks like it was meant to be there. Being that you don't have a heater, you could do the same with your existing pump and housing. The brake line was easy to bend with a $9. bender from chevyduty. Making the inverted flares is also easy if you have or can find a good swaging set. I painted the lines with stainless manifold coating (high heat) also from chevyduty. I couldn't agree more with 6 cylinders about using metal - not just because it's a better material for durability, mostly because it looks SO much better. Good luck!

I didn,t mean you have no circulation at the temp. gauge outlet. I believe with a setup like that you would not get any circulation through the manifold heater.

Here is what my setup currently looks like.

http://home.twcny.rr.com/schickling/1940Chevy/images/DSCN2109.JPG

http://home.twcny.rr.com/schickling/1940Chevy/images/DSCN2110.JPG

http://home.twcny.rr.com/schickling/1940Chevy/images/DSCN2111.JPG

http://home.twcny.rr.com/schickling/1940Chevy/images/DSCN2112.JPG

http://home.twcny.rr.com/schickling/1940Chevy/images/DSCN2113.JPG

Bill Schickling

Dang, that's sure is a purdy motor, Bill. I love the copper tubing. Nice Job.

Thanks,

I looked far and wide for the Edmund's Valve cover. I got the idea for the copper tubing from a flathead I saw. You have to watch it and replace it every so often because it gets hard and brittle. But my Austin Healey Sprite has a 45 year old copper vacuum and oil pressure tubing and it is in great shape.

Bill Schickling

Wow Bill! I stand humbled That looks amazing! Isn't that the 261 waterpump with 2 holes for fittings? I was assuming you had a 235. Is that a 261? I just lost out on and edmonds intake on Ebay last week. I'll have to live vicariously thru you for now. btw, I think your set up as is will work as good as it gets for water heat. Nice job!

WOW Bill What a very nice looking set~up. I had thought about the copper on my 292 but thought about the work hardening and went w/ steel and brass compression fitting. I hope you continue to provide us photos of the wonderful project. Very nice workmanship.

Good question and thanks for bring it up...
I have my plumbing set up, but my new 292 engine and drivetrain is getting installed into my 51-3100. I should remind everyone that the 292 setup is quite different from the 235/250. If my memory is correct the Langdon plate fitting is for 235 & 250ci and the 292 can get that same effect by drilling /tapping a new NPT @ the thermo housing as I did. So when I asked this question to a local racer and olde member of Inliner(s) he suggested tapping into (as I did drill a hole and tap another NPT (below the thermostat) on the right side of the thermo housing where there is room). His suggestion was to have one at the thermo housing and the other water tube located at the rear of the 6th cylinder base just infront of the engine/bell housing mount but low in the water block housing. There is a factory 1/4'' NPT and if you're very careful you can extract that allen head plug (it ain't easy) and screw in a very clever custom made 90 degree brass compression fitting so you can bend the steel tube along the block and around the exhaust manifold header and to the rear of the carb intake water jacket. I used all steel 3/8'' brake/fuel tubing and brass compression fittings. Bend and tighten when installed. Not having done the steel on brass compression fitting b4, if I have to I'll simply silver solder the comp. rings on to the steel lines. I do not yet have a (double flaring tool (I believe the flare to be quite a good use here)) only the single. This ... if it works is a very clean way on a 292.
Comments from owners please??
gooday
jim

The engine is a 235. a 1960 from a Chevy Biscayne. The short shaft water pump I got from one of the catalog vendors. Can't remember which one.

Geez I just got another Edmunds from Ebay about 3-4 weeks ago. I paid $375.00 for it.

Bill

Well, Bill, just when I think I've seen everything that can be done to a 235, you show me something different!!!!!

That is one beautiful engine, but having veiwed all the other things you have done to your truck so far, it doesn't surprise me at all!!!! Just plain BEAUTIFUL!!!!! I wouldn't re-do or change anything about it. It looks great!!!!!


Joe

Yes Bill, it is an awesome sight! The copper tubes look fantastic, I'd leave it alone.

Mike