Can't find heater hose!! Options

[1bad914]

I'm going crazy trying to find heater hose for the V8. I guess in hind site I should have ordered the gates green, but you would think that I would be able to find it locally, I have only found 3/4 ID hose, nothing larger, I need 1 inch and 1 1/4 inch. Everybody looks at me like I'm nuts and tries to sell me a preformed hose...grrrrr! I even tried Lowes...3/4 id...FLAPS...3/4 id. Yes I am venting, I wanted to put the engine in this weekend, but it looks like I'll wait some more while I order it from RH. *&%&^)*&%(&$$#^% Okay I've now vented!!!! Wait a sec... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/headbang.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/ar15.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/headbang.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/ar15.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/headbang.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/ar15.gif) That's better!

[Terryst1]

RandyD:

First off, the whole idea of DIFFERENT diameter hoses on the cooling system is NONSENSE. Per my bud, the Graduate Mechanical Engineer: the cooling system is a closed-loop sytem, so water movement is the SAME at ANY part of the system.

2ndly, the HIGHEST efficiency occurs by flowing coolant at
the highest rate possible since the Transfer of heat (Delta-T is highest). There are a lot of ERRONEOUS "back-yard" theories about the coolant needing to SLOW DOWN in the radiator to tranfer heat better....WRONG!

The constant flow rate at any point in the system means that the flow speed SLOWS in all the large cross-sectional area of the radiator, while it has to move very fast in a constricted section,such as the 1" hose. This restriction can result in slowing the cooling flow for the whole system and running at high temps.

I am running a 500 HP 383 and cooling via 1-1/4" copper
piped coming & going. I consistently run 180 or LESS on the street and 200 on the track in the SoCal hot desert.

My suggestion is that you run the largest hose you can on both the outlet and inlet side of the engine. Look at it this way: while I KNOW there is a benefit, but you can be GUARANTEED that there is NO DOWN-SIDE.

Best of luck,

Terry