Electric plenum heater experiment (single carb)

[dan filipi]

sgq700 » Sun Feb 09, 2014 7:30 pm[/url]":22rubaah]
I forgot something that is Very Important! If you do yours like mine, when you drill and tap the tube and water manif. They are very thin alum ! don't drill any larger than you have to and do not run the tap any more than you need to start the threads of your npt(pipe) fittings. I also sealed my threads with good old hard #1 permatex sealant YES!! Those are the places!!!

Can ya get a picture of that feed and return?
Wondering how you did it and still get flow.

 

[sgq700]

Howdy Dan! The next time i take it apart, i will take pic's! I'm guessing that just the natural flow of the coolant is working as i did not restrict the return flow of the tube, however, the center(plenum) of the intake stay's as hot as the water return tubes from the heads. With my heat gun they all run around 185 deg F.

 

[dan filipi]

Just a picture of the coolant tube tap at the head and into rear of the center coolant housing would be helpful. Should be able to get that without taking anything apart.

 

[skiri251]

I am thinking that flow rate is not that important as far as there is some.
It all depends on heat exchange efficiency of the given heater.
Given the same efficiency,
If flow rate is high, temp drop will be low.
If flow rate is low, temp drop will be high.
Same end result. because flow x temp drop = heat transferred
The only way to increase heat transfer efficiency is to increase the surface area e.g. radiator like structure or miles of pipes running inside the chamber like an intestine.

 

[dan filipi]

Skiri, if your willing I could run down to your place this weekend and help you out.
I learned quite a bit from the 3 setups I've run so far and all the posts I've read on the net.

 

[skiri251]

dan filipi » Mon Feb 10, 2014 11:11 am[/url]":2xk4tmj2]
Skiri, if your willing I could run down to your place this weekend and help you out.
I learned quite a bit from the 3 setups I've run so far and all the posts I've read on the net.

Thanks for an offer, Dan!

My son and I will be camping at El Mirage dry lake bed this 3 day weekend.
It's a mixture of beer (only for me of course), dirt bikes, and RC gliders. :hihihi:

 

[sgq700]

I just went out and looked, every thing is hidden under the intake. Next weekend i plan on removing it for paint so i'll take pic's and post them then!! k:

 

[canuckxxxx]

Wow, those tubes from the heads to the centre thing are very thin walled. I can't imagine drilling a hole into one the size for a 3/8" NPT is a good idea. Also the pressure difference between the 2 points you describe would be almost none so very little flow.

I would suggest running from the back of the centre section, through the plenum and make the return down by the pump suction. Will flow better and do less damage to your existing cooling system.

Brian

 

[skiri251]

canuckxxxx » Mon Feb 10, 2014 5:57 pm[/url]":1s38ltr5]
Wow, those tubes from the heads to the centre thing are very thin walled. I can't imagine drilling a hole into one the size for a 3/8" NPT is a good idea. Also the pressure difference between the 2 points you describe would be almost none so very little flow.

I would suggest running from the back of the centre section, through the plenum and make the return down by the pump suction. Will flow better and do less damage to your existing cooling system.

Brian

I don't think flow is an issue.
As for the drilling, I will take it apart and think about it.
In order to remove the center piece, I need to remove the radiator and heat shield, right?
That's one thing I want to avoid. Just being lazy but..

What if I remove that thin walled tube from the head to the center piece completely and replace it with new plumbing which goes through the plenum heater? That way it is guaranteed that ALL the coolant from the head goes through the heater and I don't have to do anything at the water pump. As an added benefit, I don't have to remove the center piece. :hihihi:

How is the thin walled tube connected to the center piece?
Can I pull it apart if I remove two bolts at the head?

 

[sgq700]

"O" rings. i did all mine on the bike.. that tube is very thin!, but i wasn't scared...

 

[skiri251]

sgq700 » Mon Feb 10, 2014 7:42 pm[/url]":ekie6w5h]
"O" rings. i did all mine on the bike.. that tube is very thin!, but i wasn't scared...

So if I can find the same OD tube and add hose fittings both ends I can intercept the coolant flow completely.

 

[sgq700]

10-4!! 100% of that side return! I never thought of that!

 

[canuckxxxx]

skiri251 » Mon Feb 10, 2014 7:57 pm[/url]":3jaefe0v]

sgq700 » Mon Feb 10, 2014 7:42 pm[/url]":3jaefe0v]
"O" rings. i did all mine on the bike.. that tube is very thin!, but i wasn't scared...

So if I can find the same OD tube and add hose fittings both ends I can intercept the coolant flow completely.

You will see when you take it apart that the tube is captured, or held in place, between the fitting on the head and the centre piece because it is solid straight piece and the end fittings are fixed. As soon as you cut the tube there is nothing holding it in the fittings.

But if you can figure a way around that, the routing you suggest would work very well and would easy to do. All the flow from that one head would go through the plenum.

I put new oil cooler lines on my pickup and the tubing ends that went into the radiator just pushed in and then a clip was pushed into a couple of slots that held the tube in. That kind of thing might work for you here. I'll see if I can find a picture of that.

Brian

 

[sgq700]

That will work great Brian! Just drill a path on each side for a cotter pin to grab the flange of the tube! the "o" ring does the seal so if you secure each side of each end, you are good to go! I am going to redo mine next weekend when i have it apart.. Great idea..

 

[skiri251]

Great!
It seems I don't have to drill anything to hook up the heater and get a decent flow.

 

[canuckxxxx]

Here is a picture of a GM oil line connector. See how the bends of that clip sticks down into the bore to hold the shoulder of the tube (which is not shown)

oil cooler line fitting

• canuckxxxx
• Feb 10, 2014

 

[Joep]

Been following this discussion... what about using heavy wall copper and sweating the plenium take off into it and the return tapped into the temperature sensor with a "t" adapter for the sensor and return? .. just my thought process.. trying to keep from unsupported pipes if you cut them and have to reconfigure the head side ends for secure fitting.....

 

[canuckxxxx]

Joep » Mon Feb 10, 2014 9:03 pm[/url]":3hvb6rqr]
Been following this discussion... what about using heavy wall copper and sweating the plenium take off into it and the return tapped into the temperature sensor with a "t" adapter for the sensor and return? .. just my thought process.. trying to keep from unsupported pipes if you cut them and have to reconfigure the head side ends for secure fitting.....

Joep,
Do you mean to replace that head-to-centre tube with a copper tube with a "T" soldered in for plenum take off? The OEM tubes have ridges on the end to hold the O rings.

What are the OEM tubes made of...aluminum?

 

[sgq700]

yes, aluminum

 

[Joep]

Yeah.. I hadn't had to work on the cross overs do want aware ofc the connections just was concerned about the wobble that would eventually be a concern with the vibrations that occur... and a pressured system. That could blow out the tube... when the span is still basically intact the blow out of the time it's less likely to occur and was thinking this would keep the pipe in place.. thanks for pointing out they are notched and o ringed..