So I installed everything last night and noticed I'm leaking coolant. Figured it was where the lines originally connected to the plenum but are now on the throttle body heater. I was thinking that it would do it but I didn't see anything the instructions as far as sealing the old connections. Is there something that I missed or I'm supposed to do that I'm not aware of or a missing part to seal the old lines?

Any help would be appreciated to those who've installed it.

 

 

 

Cant be leaking bad---All that should be there is old coolent---If u can get to them, blow them out or cap them with the black rubber caps that are used on Carbs ---Any supply place will have them

 

Ahhh okay. Well it was definitely still leaking this morning and I installed it last night. I guess to be safe I'll go see if I can find something to cover the ends.

 

Why on earth would you install a TB heater living in Louisiana? If you lived along the Canadian border I'd understand, but not in Louisiana. Remove the TB heater and attach the hoses together using a double male nipple and a couple of hose clamps. You don't need coolant running through your plenum or a TB heater.

 

I know it sounds odd but its been getting pretty cold here lately. Then again... I was going by the 55 degree recommendation Motordyne said although its been getting in the 20s a few times this past week.

 

U can always put a valve on it, but its really not a bad idea to have a TB heater even in warm weather, it helps atomize the fuel somewhat, But heating the whole plenum is just too much.

 

You don't need to seal up the tubes on the plenum. There is only a short passage through it and it doesn't go anywhere else.

If you have coolant leaking, there could be a hose unpluged somewhere. I would check the lines to see where it is.

Dont drive anywhere untill you get it squared away.

 

I took off the stock air intake tube to double check. The coolant is definitely leaking from the old connections from the plenum because I've actually watched it drip from that location.

I've check my water level and it hasn't really dropped much. Car has been running normal temperature so far also.

 

There is only about 1 tablespoon of fluid in that section of the plenum coolant passage.

If you have anything more than that comming out, you didn't disconnect the other line connected to it. Be sure to check all the lines and make sure they are properly routed and connected.

 

Will double check. Thanks for the responses guys

 

There should be 2 old and 2 new lines for the 2 hoses. Make sure you don't have 1 in the new and 1 in the old. It's hard to see in there but look from multiple angles and use a bright flash light.

Also, I think Tony recommended using silicone sealant around the copper fittings to prevent leaks around them...

 

There should not be any hoses connected to the two hose nipples shown by the arrows in the picture above.

Both hoses should be connected to the copper nipples only.

 

Yeah, I think it may be possible that I have one in each because I didn't have much light hehe. I know for sure I have one right, just gonna have to check out the one on the bottom because its really hard to see that one.

 

Absolutely not. Nothing you do anywhere near the TB has anything to do with atomizing fuel. Heaters, spacers or spirals don't help atomize fuel on MPI cars. On old TBI cars, yes... to a certain extent.

If you're driving when it's 20 degrees, then I'd go ahead and run the heater. But if it's dropping to the 20's at the coldest part of the night and going above 37 degrees before you drive, don't bother with it. You only need coolant heating the TB if you regularly drive in sub 37 degree weather.

 

lol need? barely. I dont have one. Its been in the 20s here. Its an unneccary protection for much colder temperatures or in cases where the TB is not clean and gets gunked.

 

ya, just unplug the lines and run a little splice piece with hose clamps. cost ya about $3 at most. the only time you need a tb heater is when temps are well below freezing. in all the testing the manufacturers do, only a few tb's would ever get stuck in like 50 below type weather. but it forced them to have to do it on any car to be sure. nearly any climate in the u.s would not require a tb heater.

 

heating the fuel will not help it atomize better. you never want to heat fuel. same as air, the colder the denser. watch old trans am racing where they would get the fuel so cold it was like a slushy when they refueled so they could actually hold more fuel in the tank than if the fuel was ambient temps and make a denser intake charge. but on a larger note, how much fuel do you think will be running through that area on a port injected motor, lol.
sorry man, ya made it easy for me on that one, lol.