[chiphead]

Did a search and didn't find what I was looking for.

I've got those rubber caps blocking the heater hose nipples on my 400. The one on the timing cover has begun weeping coolant. Is there another option to block off the nipples, besides those clamp-on caps?

[PAUL K]

The timing cover is easy. You can tap it for 3/8 NPT. The one in the head can be plugged like the opposite side head. But can be difficult task when the engine it together and in the car.

[Skip Fix]

Originally Posted by PAUL K

The timing cover is easy. You can tap it for 3/8 NPT. The one in the head can be plugged like the opposite side head. But can be difficult task when the engine it together and in the car.

What he said.

Those rubber caps are made of crap rubber so check them often!

[East]

I used those a long time ago when I removed the A/C suitcase from the engine compartment. It may have been my imagination but I always felt like it made my engine run hotter.

[b-man]

Ugly way but much better if you can’t do it the way Paul suggests would be to find both a 3/4” and 5/8” stainless bolt that has about an inch of shank on it and saw off the threaded portion.

Cut short lengths of heater hose that’s not going to rot the second you look away from it and just hose clamp everything to plug it off.

I tried using those rubber caps about 30 years ago and they were rotted within a few miles so they’ve always been crap. Don’t use them even for a short time.

[Held for Ransom]

When the former owner of my '73 paid to get it running again, they bypassed the leaking heater core and connected the two hoses using something like this...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/402531725861

[jamaca85]

caps
suck I change mine every year..lol

[Don 79 TA]

i got some really nice caps off amazon. i don't recall the name, but its VERY well made.
it was twice as expensive and just for one, but its a nice piece
silicone cap instead of that dorman crap.... the dormans hardly lasted a year for me..... the silicone one has been on for over a decade and still looks so nice
i want to say mine might have been AEM or something like that, and a nice blue/black color too
something like this if i am not mistaken
https://www.amazon.com/Partuto-Unive...%2C314&sr=8-18

[Don 79 TA]

Originally Posted by jamaca85

caps
suck I change mine every year..lol

thats what i did when i used to dorman ones
now i use the silicone style and so much better
see post above

[jamesq]

Originally Posted by Held for Ransom

When the former owner of my '73 paid to get it running again, they bypassed the leaking heater core and connected the two hoses using something like this...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/402531725861

This,
I used the reducer to connect the heater hoses together and it works very well.

James Q

[lust4speed]

Bart's short lengths of hose is the best solution and will last for years. Had a friend that had the caps rot out before the project was able to hit the street. Worse of the worse Chinese rubber.

Careful drilling and tapping the timing cover housing. The heater hose nipple is thin and the stock cast aluminum cannot take much pressure at all before splitting.

Every drop of water that leaves the passenger side head at the rear is coolant not available to travel forward and cool the head. Pontiac did it correct on the old engines and pulled it off the front crossover but the bean counters won and to save some 3' of heater hose moved the hose feed to the rear of the passenger side head. I've read that some people are worried about how plugging it affects cooling but just remind them that the driver's side head does fine with being capped off.

[Dragncar]

Short chunk of hose. Cut the treads off a bolt and use 2 hose clamps with a little RTV under the head of the bolt.

[Formulas]

if you guys notice the dorman caps do not have the integral fiber reinforcement some of the ones linked DO..

Dorkman should be used for painting and storage

[burd]

Make plugs from alum, leave the hoses on. Looks factory.