Hi Everyone -

This should be simple, but I just can't seem to find the answer.

My '69 has a 400 installed with an Edelbrock Performer intake manifold. At the back of the engine to the passenger side of the distributor is a port that, according to the manuals, looks like it should be the line to the heater core at the firewall. That port has been capped off in a really ugly fashion and the line to the heater core is attached to the port on the intake manifold to the passenger side of the thermostat housing.

I've seen photos that have shown engines hooked up in both configurations. Can anyone tell me what is correct for this car and what the difference is?

Thanks,

Riv

The heater hose is connected to the bib at the back of the engine RH side near distributor. From there it goes to the heater core. A return line goes to the front of the engine (LH side) and connects to front timing cover and ultimately to the water pump. You need to circulate the water from one end of the engine to the other. People don't like the heat that is generated in the heater box even though the heat temp setting is set low so they attempt to block the hose and thus screw up the engine cooling. I better device is a valve that controls the flow of the water to the heater box. When closed the valve bypasses the heater box but allows it to continue to the block. When valve is open water goes to the heater core.

Thanks for the response!

This makes sense to me, although it's not the way that my car is currently configured. Right now there is a really ugly bodge blocking off the rear port and the heater hose is instead hooked up to the intake manifold port. I'm assuming that this would be why the heat never really worked well in this car, but could it also be a contributing factor to the engine running warmer than it should?

I'm sorting out several issues with this car, some of which are cooling related. Should I re-route that hose and then block off the port in the intake?

Riv

Looks like the TVS is missing so they put the heater hose in that spot.

Note that 400s (and AC cars) from the factory had baffles that channeled air from the front into the radiator to help cooling. I see that yours does not have the top baffles and may not have the others on the bottom and sides either. Also, 400s had a heavy duty four row radiator.

Yes, I would fix your hose issues. Jim mentions the TVS. This goes in the manifold fitting you currently have your heater hose connected to.

There is a shot of the baffles for 400 and A/C cars

Thanks guys!

I know that the baffles are missing and I plan to replace those as part of the process. Also, I've got an undersized fan installed. I'd be replacing that, but first I need to sort out why my fan is not centered in the shroud.

These are all issues that I inherited when I bought the car. I bought it in 2006 or so and then was forced to sell it in 2012. I spent years looking for it, just found it, and bought it back virtually untouched. So, I'm trying to sort out the issues that I didn't have the resources to handle previously.

If you notice, I'm also missing the diagonal support bars.

Can anyone give me their thoughts on what the result might be of running without the TVS? Hoping that replacing it will improve my power and maybe my milage... ;-)