Heater installation 5.7 GXI

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Cameron351

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Oct 21, 2010
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I am in the process of installing a heater in my boat and I need to tie into the engine cooling system and was looking for a little guidance from the experts. I don't see the conventional car type heater hose connections so I am not sure where I should tie my heater core in. Thermostat housing has I think four hoses coming and going. 1. The larger hose for the engines water pump 2. Hose from the crank driven cold water pump 3. Smaller maybe 5/8" hose from the right and left sides of the engine. I am guessing one of these smaller hoses but I am not sure. My boat doesn't have a heat exchanger or anything like that, it looks like the thermostat blends cold water with recirculated water (at least that is my guess) I don't know much about this cooling system.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance.
 
Bondo

Bondo

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Cameron351 said:
I am in the process of installing a heater in my boat and I need to tie into the engine cooling system and was looking for a little guidance from the experts. I don't see the conventional car type heater hose connections so I am not sure where I should tie my heater core in. Thermostat housing has I think four hoses coming and going. 1. The larger hose for the engines water pump 2. Hose from the crank driven cold water pump 3. Smaller maybe 5/8" hose from the right and left sides of the engine. I am guessing one of these smaller hoses but I am not sure. My boat doesn't have a heat exchanger or anything like that, it looks like the thermostat blends cold water with recirculated water (at least that is my guess) I don't know much about this cooling system.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance.
Click to expand...

Ayuh,..... Odds are yer gonna need a couple of pipe to hose, nipple adapters,....

The Hot water feed, comes from the Intake manifold, behind the t-stat, you should see a 1/2" pipe plug in that area, 'n that's where ya get the Hot water from,.....

The Cold water return goes directly into the circulatin' water pump,....
There should be a 1/2" pipe plug, or 2 in the circulatin' water pump housin',.....
 
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Cameron351

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Great, so it is the same type of connection as it would be in an auto. Thank you for the information and thank you for the links. Very useful information. In a lot of circumstances; marine applications look like an auto but is way different and can cause major problems thinking like a car guy. Thank you again for keeping me out of the weeds.
Cameron
 
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Cameron351

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Ok, I attached the water to the right front of the intake under the water temp sensor and to the top of the water pump. It seams to work but not enough heat. It looks like the engine gets up to 160F when driving across the lake. I was thinking of installing a 192F thermostat but I wasn't sure of a few things.
1. Am I hooked up correctly?
2. Should my 5.7 GXI run at 160F, it has always run here but was never an issue until I wanted heat
3. Can I run a 192F thermostat in my engine and will it hurt anything?
4. Am I missing something else?

Thank you in advance,
Cameron
 
bruceb58

bruceb58

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Stay with the 160. That is the temperature that the fuel injection system is designed to run at.
 
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Cameron351

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I don't know much about this fuel injection system but most of them have temperature input and the computer compensates for the temperature as it changes, mostly during warm up. I am thinking that maybe 160 is more efficient than warmer but I don't know for sure. I was just looking to all of you for a hard reason why I shouldn't experiment with the temperature. I am not hearing anything real solid so I might try a 180 for a trip and see if I notice anything change. Maybe the answer is to change it back in the summer. I don't run my engine at full throttle or hot rod it around so, I shouldn't experience any "pushing it to the limit" failures like detonation.
I will report back with the results in a few weeks.
 
Bondo

Bondo

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Ayuh,.... Are ya boatin' in sweetwater, or the brine,..??
 
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