heater hose

[roadster601@aol.com]

hello all, I need some help please. I pulled the heater hoses and forgot where they go, its a 55 Chevy belair 265 thanks guys...

[BamaNomad]

Do you have a service manual for your car?

I haven't done this on a '55 Chevy in a long while, but I'm pretty sure the '55 is the same as *most* Chevrolets and there are TWO heater hoses (one of them 5/8" ID and the other 3/4" ID). One of these goes from the intake manifold fitting to the heater connection on the firewall, and the other goes from the water pump to the firewall connection. The sizes of the hoses and nipples are your guide! A diagram can be found in the 1955 AIM in FOA 101 sheet 1.

11362

The complete AIM can be downloaded from the web onto your computer for easy access, OR you can purchase a printed copy from most trifive vendors.

[markm]

I too an rusty on this but on 55 and 56 I believe one hose in 1/2 id and other is 5/8. Or are they both 1/2.

[Rick_L]

Heater hose is sold by OD at the auto supply, and the hoses for a 55-57 (and most Chevys) are 3/4" and 5/8".

[markm]

Heater hose is sold by OD at the auto supply, and the hoses for a 55-57 (and most Chevys) are 3/4" and 5/8".

I do not believe that this is true until 1957. maybe both are 5/8 something different.

[Troy]

I just checked my 55 and they are both 5/8" ID. One goes to the intake manifold just below the thermostat and the other to the water pump.

[markm]

Thanks Troy, I knew something was different than 57 later.

[roadster601@aol.com]

thanks you guys, done this a hundred times, got a senior moment CRS.....

[roadster601@aol.com]

hey bama I do have a a aim book, I looked after I posted sorry thanks again...

[BamaNomad]

The errors in my response are due to my 'reliance on my old memory'.. rather than checking.. :) but I WAS trying to help.. :) I was trying to recall if both hoses were the same in '55 ?? or if they were like the later years and different diameters. ... Can I plead that it was late at night and I was tired? :)

[Rick_L]

Yes, Rick is right, they are measured in OD not ID...

Actually I blew it. I'm the one who should plead tired. Heater hose is sold in ID.

My apologies to all.

[Tabasco]

On 55 and 56 the lower hose from the heater goes to the higher fitting on the engine, the intake. The upper hose from the heater goes to the lower fitting on the engine, the water pump.

[BamaNomad]

Actually I blew it. I'm the one who should plead tired. Heater hose is sold in ID.

My apologies to all.

I posted this last night (IN THE WRONG THREAD!).. so I was tired last night too!

"Well... let's just agree that we all blew that one! :-) "

Fortunately we had Tabasco to pull us out of the fire! :)

[markm]

Don't feel bad Bama, I was a little rusty on this one, I just knew they were different than 57 up.

[Troy]

On 55 and 56 the lower hose from the heater goes to the higher fitting on the engine, the intake. The upper hose from the heater goes to the lower fitting on the engine, the water pump.

Mine were hooked up just the opposite so that they looked nice and parallel. Why would it matter Tabasco?

[roadster601@aol.com]

its all about the correct flow....

[roadster601@aol.com]

this is all good stuff...

[Histoy56]

Our '56 is routed backwards too.

[BamaNomad]

I doubt the heated air coming thru the heater cares which way the hot water is flowing thru the heater core.. :)

[Rustaddict]

Mine were hooked up just the opposite so that they looked nice and parallel. Why would it matter Tabasco?

Because the water pump pushes water and it returns to the radiator through the intake manifold. The water has an easier path through the heater core if it is pushed through the top and flows down through the core to be returned to the water returning to the radiator through the intake manifold.

[Tabasco]

I doubt the heated air coming thru the heater cares which way the hot water is flowing thru the heater core.. :)
As roadster601 said "its all about the correct flow...."

Here is how I see it, let me know if I am wrong. If hooked up correctly, hot water flows from the engine directly to the heater control valve and if the valve is shut, then no hot water is in the heater core. If hooked up incorrectly, the hot water flows into the heater core then reaches the control valve so the core has hot water in it even when the heater is turned off.

[Histoy56]

Yes, it does

[Rick_L]

If hooked up correctly, hot water flows from the engine directly to the heater control valve and if the valve is shut, then no hot water is in the heater core. If hooked up incorrectly, the hot water flows into the heater core then reaches the control valve so the core has hot water in it even when the heater is turned off.

You've nailed their logic. That means the heater core will have water with a temperature close to that of the cold side of the radiator. Maybe 30-50° cooler than the hot side of the radiator.

[BamaNomad]

As roadster601 said "its all about the correct flow...."

Here is how I see it, let me know if I am wrong. If hooked up correctly, hot water flows from the engine directly to the heater control valve and if the valve is shut, then no hot water is in the heater core. If hooked up incorrectly, the hot water flows into the heater core then reaches the control valve so the core has hot water in it even when the heater is turned off.

and Rick replied:
You've nailed their logic. That means the heater core will have water with a temperature close to that of the cold side of the radiator. Maybe 30-50° cooler than the hot side of the radiator.


Tabasco and Rick are both right; you want the hot water from the engine to be controlled by the valve BEFORE it gets to the heater core, to prevent heat from the engine to 'seep' into the passenger compartment in the summer months (when heater control is OFF).