wierd cooling system problem & noise ? long read but lots of details UPDATE : i think we got it

[sweetk30]

yep now i have seen that i will be adding this in for sure .

but even skipping that and doing it threw the heater core plumbing it should do it even better as there is no flow restictor like the intake port for this has .

 

[diesel4me]

A thermostat with a lower temperature will only open sooner,it most likely will act just the same once the engine is up to temperature,whether its a 195 or a 180..anything GM made after 1968 uses a 195 stat..computerized engines require a 195 too...

In other words,in most cases of overheating,a lower temp thermostat only delays the eventual overheating,not solve it--unless of course the original thermostat wasn't operating correctly and staying half shut or not opening at the right temperature..

 

[sweetk30]

so the local parts store is getting me another water pump and doing a defective return . figure if i am going to pull it to check stuff might as well swap it under warranty . . . .

also going to add in the bypass hose like a bbc or sbf engine would have to help mimic the vortec flow setup . i got a napa 7296 molded rubber hose the fitment list is MASSIVE to say the least . . . its a 5/8" id hose both ends and a big radius molded 90* hose . so it should give me just what i need to work with on this one .

i have barb fittings already to use in this so we should be good to go . i am going to leave the 195* t-stat in for now and also flip the heater core flow back around to the original since i cant be hooking both to the water pump now and expect full suction flow from the intake .

 

[Wes Harden]

wow I would have never thought the post 96 sbc would be that different than gen 1. I found this looking around. https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/cooling/569138-vortec-heads-cooling-issue.html

Sounds like you have it figured out. 1 thing I was gonna throw out there, GM uses a surge bottle that is under pressure on some applications.

 

[sweetk30]

wow I would have never thought the post 96 sbc would be that different than gen 1. I found this looking around. https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/cooling/569138-vortec-heads-cooling-issue.html

Sounds like you have it figured out. 1 thing I was gonna throw out there, GM uses a surge bottle that is under pressure on some applications.

great find my friend . sounds about 99% of what i have .

 

[sweetk30]

well i rigged up a test fitting today .

the 3/8" pipe thread port in the front of the vortec intake from edelbrock is for a bypass hose port if your using a vortec pump and i am NOT .

so i took the 1/2" pipe to 3/4" barb fitting out of the water pump today and swapped it for a 1/2" pipe to 5/8" barb fitting . then i used a 3/8" pipe to 3/8" brass compression fitting 90* to go in the intake bypass port hole . then a 5/8" molded 90* bypass hose was used from napa #7296 to link them together .

i did find a fitting on line thats going to make the hook up a lot better and more snug a fit on the hose for the intake end and help the bend over angle of the hose to keep it from closing off . reason is the water pump port is angled up 45* ish and over to the pass side . the intake manifold port is straight out the front and to the left of the water pump port location .

here is a few pics of the hose and fitting i will order and use when i do some other swapping around soon and have the system drained . https://www.ebay.com/itm/5-8-HOSE-B...REE-Pipe-Fitting-Thread-Gas-Fuel/191761802124

the hose size or fitting size do not matter to much as the intake has a smaller hole back in before it goes in to the crossover just below the t-stat location . so it only pulls the fluid volume it needs and its the same basic size as the older blocks and water pumps bypass port on the mounting face at the block on the pass side . here is the rpm edelbrock vortec pattern intake front drawing view . note the pipe thread port location bigger hose and closer to center . the smaller hole is for mounting brackets to it .

i warmed the truck up to mid 140* range and capped the rad off / topped off the over flow bottle and took her for a road test for almost 20 min driving . 30-50mph ranges and not 1 burp / girggle / sound from the system . got the tinyest wiff of coolant smell early on was all and nothing after the fact . temp gauge was a lot more steady and didn't do as big a swings from open to cold . so cross my fingers i think its 99% solved but not sure until more road time .

last pic of my test setup .

 

[sweetk30]

guy on another site posted these pics up .

old gen 1 sbc 55-95 range . note the welding tig rod threw the block face 3rd port and lines up with pic 2 head port . but NOT on vortec heads . this seems to be a key point in the bypass problem if you dont ever play with this mi

 

[Wes Harden]

That hose looks pretty good, did you say has a 3/8 90* hose nipple? That may leak after a bit.
Looks like you got sorted thanks for the up date

 

[sweetk30]

for now its a brass 90* 3/8 pipe to 3/8" comp fitting . then a std 1/2" to 5/8" barb in the pump with the molded hose .

i got a 45* and 90* correct barb fittings coming for next week .

and i will be making a purchase in the next few days that will require me to remove the intake . so i will toss in the best option fitting then and be good to go .

 

[frankin5]

Edlebrock to the rescue!!!!!

 

[sweetk30]

Edlebrock to the rescue!!!!!

shhh dont tell anyone . .

 

[sweetk30]

so i did a bunch of driving around town today and its cold out so she got cooled off a few times and had to warm back up also .

happy to say zero smell in cab / more stable temp gauge / no sounds of the burping - girggling from the rad cap .