Is this a cool idea ?

[31Abone]

Can't see how this water hose setup would help ?? sc

[Maclab58]

Yikes!

[newshirt]

Could be somebody's solution to water spitting out the radiator cap.

[Purdy Swoft]

It wouldn't help. This is probably a setup to block off hot water heater connections after the heater was removed for summer.

[Fred]

Originally Posted by 31Abone

Can't see how this water hose setup would help ?? sc

Well, It kind of fits in with the wiring job !!..

[Y-Blockhead]

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Used to see something similar on later cars when the heater core started leaking water all over the interior floor and front passenger's feet!! A quick fix to bypass the heater. Probably not a good idea as you are putting HOT water back into the engine, bypassing the radiator.

Interesting how the "bypass" hose is connected to the radiator hoses...

[Joe K]

I can see how it would work - it's all a matter of "throughput" through the engine. The bypass limits throughput by recycling hot flow to the inlet.

Just as an inserted orifice, or cutting down the impeller limits throughput.

And thermally, the result is identical.

Yup. Probably done as an alternative to either above - but certainly could have been noticed had the car's owner started to have overflow problems when he disconnected the heater in the summer.

"Hmm. Now I have overflow problems - what has changed and how can I simulate the heater being in place without the heater being in place?"

Joe K

[C26Pinelake]

I like the detailing on the motor ! ( lol )
Wayne

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by newshirt

Could be somebody's solution to water spitting out the radiator cap.

Yep, that would be my bet since I don't see any heater hose holes in the firewall. Of course I plan to use hot water heat and run my heater under the floorboards and this guy may have done the same. I'd bet he has a partially plugged radiator and this is the solution to keep the coolant in the cooling system.

Even though it would recycle hot water, this is better than running low on water.

[hardtimes]

An obvious attempt to help out an overheating/overflowing problem. Look closely at the firewall...kinda looks same color as engine !

'attempt'...does not mean that it works !

[ursus]

It is clearly one of those speed accessories once available from J.C. Whitney - the Coolant Flux Incapacitator - good for an additional 2 HP.

[Purdy Swoft]

I can't see how it would help over heating or overflowing. My thought is that it would make problems worse by sending hot water back into the engine by bypassing the radiator.

[Y-Blockhead]

Originally Posted by Purdy Swoft

I can't see how it would help over heating or overflowing. My thought is that it would make problems worse by sending hot water back into the engine by bypassing the radiator.

Exactly!! That's what I stated above. The pump will pump HOT water into the inlet to the engine.

[J Franklin]

Hillbilly thermostat.

[Jim/GA]

I have seen this on cars that also have a thermostat installed in the upper hose, up closer to the radiator.

During engine warm-up, when the thermostat has not opened yet, water circulates through this hose back into the block. This helps the block warm up much more uniformly, compared to having all the water trapped in the block until the thermostat opens. Once the thrmostat opens, the majority of the hot water out of the engine goes into the radiator.

This scheme has been used in car with thermostats for over 50 years. It is a good design.

[Purdy Swoft]

It will warm the engine quicker for sure. after that I can't see the benefit . The way that an unmodified model A water pump pumps there will still be enough hot water entering the upper radiator tank to overflow as badly as ever. The hot water will take the path of least resistance up the large upper hose and into the upper tank. The small amount that detours back up the side water inlet will be hot water that has bypassed the radiator and can only cause the engine to run at higher temps. The model A cooling system can't be compared to modern cars that operate under pressure at higher engine temps.

[SeaSlugs]

instead of an overheating problem could this be someones "lets see what happens" fix for an over-cooling problem? such as dead of winter in North Dakota...

[Tinker]

How would the water circulate before the thermostat opened. Water at the top of the block wouldn't find its way back down that low to make a difference or at least before the thermostat opened.

I think it was an interesting attempt to add more cooling. Guessing by the 4 blade fan.

[larrys40]

I agree Purdy that it won't do anything to omprove at all except bypass the engine and starve it from proper flow - path if least resistance
There were many farmer/hillbilly fixes of the day, someday sense , some didnt . This falls in the latter category , neverthe less it is an interesting observation .
Larry

[eagle]

Originally Posted by [B

I'd bet he has a partially plugged radiator and this is the solution to keep the coolant in the cooling system.[/B]

How would this keep water from overflowing? I can't see how this would help the impeller from cavitating as its on the output side of the pump. Impeller cavitation is what causes the coolant to overflow. Cavitation occurs when the pump creates too much vacuum on the suction side, not too much pressure on the output side.
What is Cavitation?
Cavitation occurs when the local static pressure (negative pressure, or vacuum) in a fluid reach a level below the vapor pressure of the liquid at the actual temperature.

According to the Bernoulli Equation this may happen when the fluid accelerates in a control valve or around a pump impeller.

You don't suppose that there could have been a circulating block heater on this car at one time and the hose was just put on to replace the missing block heater? The old farm tractors all had the circulating block heaters on them, really makes a difference in cold weather.