More V8 conversion questions..., ...the rebuild continues Options

[neo914-6]

A few questions:

1) Harmonic Balancer bolt spacer: Is this supposed to fit "in" the hole (there's a countersink)? If I used the bolt that came as a set, it would be too long. Plus the head was long. Those two stacked stick out the front of the car ~ .635". I know there is little space between the firewall and the front of the engine. It should be fine if it is positioned above the shelf where there is more space in the center but I think it is below.

[914GT]

Scott is right ... you don't want a kink in your hose or an area in a hose that is susceptable to kinking. An area on the verge of kinking can close off completely once the system gets hot and softens the hose. This can happen after you've driven the car for 15 -20 minutes then shut the car off. The hose gets hot and soft, then as the system cools down a slight vacuum occurs as it draws coolant out of the overflow tank. But the hose is still soft and anywhere there is a tendancy to kink it will now start to close off. When you start the car back up the flow is reduced and the engine may run hotter than usual until the pressure is enough to bulge the hose back out.

Either re-route or lengthen the hose to eliminate the kink, use a spiral wire to reinforce the area or a hose with built-in reinforcement, or maybe a section of bent rigid tubing in the area. I have a place next to my radiator that is marginal that I want to take care of while the engine is out.