E36 LSX coolant hoses?

[shaggsM3]

How did you guys route your coolant hoses? Did you use the stock radiator and use custom or found hoses, or did you use stock hoses with a custom or found radiator?


I want to use the stock radiator since it is fairly new, and I'm pretty sure that it'll be good enough, but I don't have a clue where to even begin to look for the right hoses


Help?

[MikeJTR]

Hi,
I have been working on some E36 V8 swap components for the low budget swaps.
I'm pretty sure that you can use the Camaro LS1 upper hose, and splice it to the E36 6-cylinder upper hose, using a hose 1-5/16" splicer.
The same goes for the lower hose. Camaro LS1 lower hose sliced to BMW 6-cylinder lower hose.
We are now making transitional hose splicers, which can go from a 1-5/16" hose to a 1-9/16 hose, so that you don't have to use reducer bushings. These parts are not yet on the website. We have our own CNC lathe so we can make any size splicer you need.

I recently sent some hose splicer parts to BRAAP, who is now working on an LSx swap, and maybe he can provide some more info. I have asked him to tell me what hose fittings will work best with his swap, as he is using the stock BMW radiator.
Also, RAO can probably provide more information about which radiator hoses he is using.

Some of the parts we show on the website:
http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/Par...g_LSI-tee.html

http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/Par...oseSplice.html

[dcskate102]

^ you need vendor status...

[Demon Speed]

I used a PWR direct fit radiator (stock configuration). For for the top hose I'm using the LS1 hose off the engine into the stock LS1 power steering cooler (water to fluid cooler) and then I hacked up one of the left over E36 cooling hoses I had to make the 90 into the radiator.

The bottom hose was a real pain. I took some picture and dimensions, then went to the part store and went through all their hoses. I found one that I think will work and had to cut it. I'll get the part number for you.

I hope to have my car on the road today or tomorrow so I'll let you know how they hold up too.

[garretvs]

Use Mike at JTR for hose adapter splices, and a nifty fitting for the upper radiator hose that includes a place to route the 3/8dia steam vent hose and a place to mount a bleeder valve. You can just make out this fitting in our sig pic.

We made-up hoses from several we found at NAPA. We went to the NAPA store, told them what we were up to, and they let us go behind the counter and look at all of the hoses they had hanging on the hose wall. Take a 1-5/16 and a 1-9/16 splice from Mike at JTR in order make sure you get the right sizes

Mike also sells a very nice collection of aluminum tubes and rubber elbows of various sizes for the inlet ducting.

[Demon Speed]

Use Mike at JTR for hose adapter splices, and a nifty fitting for the upper radiator hose that includes a place to route the 3/8dia steam vent hose and a place to mount a bleeder valve. You can just make out this fitting in our sig pic.

We made-up hoses from several we found at NAPA. We went to the NAPA store, told them what we were up to, and they let us go behind the counter and look at all of the hoses they had hanging on the hose wall. Take a 1-5/16 and a 1-9/16 splice from Mike at JTR in order make sure you get the right sizes

Mike also sells a very nice collection of aluminum tubes and rubber elbows of various sizes for the inlet ducting.

Doesn't the E36 shunt tank have a bleeder valve and the stock radiator have a steem port that routes to the tank? Just asking. (I realize garretvs has an E30).

I wish I had known where to look for hoses, it took a while and I'm sure my set up is not the best.

[bimerok]

Doesn't the E36 shunt tank have a bleeder valve and the stock radiator have a steem port that routes to the tank? Just asking. (I realize garretvs has an E30).

I wish I had known where to look for hoses, it took a while and I'm sure my set up is not the best.

Yes, e36 expension tank has a bleeder valve and not sure on a steam tube.

[BRAAP]

Hi,
I have been working on some E36 V8 swap components for the low budget swaps.
I'm pretty sure that you can use the Camaro LS1 upper hose, and splice it to the E36 6-cylinder upper hose, using a hose 1-5/16" splicer.
The same goes for the lower hose. Camaro LS1 lower hose sliced to BMW 6-cylinder lower hose.
We are now making transitional hose splicers, which can go from a 1-5/16" hose to a 1-9/16 hose, so that you don't have to use reducer bushings. These parts are not yet on the website. We have our own CNC lathe so we can make any size splicer you need.

I recently sent some hose splicer parts to BRAAP, who is now working on an LSx swap, and maybe he can provide some more info. I have asked him to tell me what hose fittings will work best with his swap, as he is using the stock BMW radiator.
Also, RAO can probably provide more information about which radiator hoses he is using.

Some of the parts we show on the website:
http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/Par...g_LSI-tee.html

http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/Par...oseSplice.html

I received the splices from Mike a couple weeks ago, I haven’t gotten to the coolant hose portion of my swap yet, (build thread linked in my signature) but I am planning to play with one of the custom splices that has a sight glass and bleeder on another car in the next week or so.

[shaggsM3]

What's the point of needing a T-splicer?

[BRAAP]

What's the point of needing a T-splicer?

Many purposes for a T-splice. With the LSX and even the OE BMW utilizing a pressurized recovery tank, the JTR T-splice allows a convenient easy way to route the upper line to the pressure recovery tank. If the engine is higher in the car than the radiator, making it difficult to burp the cooling system as is the case for the V-8 Datsun Z Cars, having a T-splice with a sight glass and bleeder valve in in it, at the highest point in the upper radiator hose helps in burping the cooling system quickly and allows you to keep an eye on whether or not the system needs to be burped again, radiator cap is not sealing 100% during cooling done allowing air to enter the system, etc.

The JTR T-splice has the sight glass and 3 ports allowing for a bleeder as pictured and a dedicated line to the pressurized expansion tank most modern vehicles have started use for the cooling systems, or if you just need a small coolant line for any reason.

I also posted a picture of the GM LSx cooling system as well.





Sight glass, without metal baffle;





LSx cooling system;


My ’91 Chev full size pickup is the test bed. Not utilizing a pressurized recovery tank, I just plugged the two 1/8” NPT ports. The upper radiator hose is the highest point in the cooling system so it always has some air in it. The radiator cap is just slightly higher than the thermostat and the coolant level seems to stay at least close to the rad cap so I have not really been concerned about it, though in a V-8Z where the radiator typically is not that high in relation to the T-stat, those air pockets can be and are an issue.

Any how, installed the "Slicer/Tee" in the upper hose, sight glass on the side, bleeder on the top. Didn’t have to drain any coolant as the upper hose was dry in this regions as it always it is, so just cut the hose and installed the Tee splice. fired up the engine, let it warm up. As the T-stat opened up, the coolant only filled the upper hose to about half way up the sight glass no more. Cracked open the bleeder, (remember, HOT coolant has been passing through it, so it is HOT, handle accordingly.) the coolant level in the sight glass immediately went up to the top as the bleeder burbled, then was solid coolant. Removed the cap and topped off the radiator, let it run a for a bit, shut it down. It's nice knowing my cooling system is now 100% full, no air pockets!

Sight glass Tee is nice in that you can see at a glance, any time, if the system is adequately burped or not without having to warm up the engine and open a bleeder or the rad cap.

Mike, this one is staying in my truck! I'm going to need at least one more now!

Just installed;


operating temp;


Burping;

[shaggsM3]

Huh, well I kinda get it now. Is it necessary or just a good idea? I'm running really low on funds, and if it's not a must then I'll skip it for now

So based on that diagram, I run the upper engine out to upper radiator in, the lower radiator out to lower engine in, run both in/out heater to reservoir tank (bypassing heater core) and radiator vent to reservoir.

I'm thinking I'm good to go that way, but please correct me if I'm wrong

[lowside67]

Huh, well I kinda get it now. Is it necessary or just a good idea? I'm running really low on funds, and if it's not a must then I'll skip it for now

So based on that diagram, I run the upper engine out to upper radiator in, the lower radiator out to lower engine in, run both in/out heater to reservoir tank (bypassing heater core) and radiator vent to reservoir.

I'm thinking I'm good to go that way, but please correct me if I'm wrong

Sorry to bump an old thread but it seems that this is the best place to ask this question...

Since I will not have a heatercore of any kind in my car, is there a reason why I cant loop the two heatercore ports and cap the throttle body port?

Then, with that done, I would run the upper and lower rad hoses straight with no t-fittings of any kind and just use the rad port for the single overflow line to the reservoir?

Thanks for the help!

Mark

[Tongboy]

^you need to run the steam lines but there are no issues with capping the throttle body lines.

the best way to properly button up the heater core hosing is to drill and tap the outlet line on the lsx water pump and put a plug in it and then use what would be the water pump heater return line for the overflow bottle plumbing.

I ran this exact setup for about a week before I plumbed my heater core and I've seen various other swap/drag cars run the same setup. it really cleans up the engine bay.

[lowside67]

And I want to T the steam lines into either the upper or lower rad hose?

[bimerok]

And I want to T the steam lines into either the upper or lower rad hose?

Upper. It has to be the highest point in the system. If you do it to lower, there is no where for air to escape, but back to the engine.

[iflytii]

the best way to properly button up the heater core hosing is to drill and tap the outlet line on the lsx water pump and put a plug in it and then use what would be the water pump heater return line for the overflow bottle plumbing.

That's exactly what I did and it works great. Additionally while you have the taps out, you can drill and tap the water pump and route the steam tube there. I happened to catch an episode of "extreme 4x4" a few weekends ago where they showcased the LS motor and that was one of their tips. I dug around on lstech and found several others doing it with success so it's on my list of to-do items before the season starts.

This isn't mine but it's the first thing I found with a quick search that shows the location to tap:


That combined with some -an steam port adapters really cleans things up.
http://www.krcpower.com/catalog_i112...l?catId=366482

[mateo m3]

wow that looks good i think that will be would clean up my bay a lot!!!!!! good stuff

[Tongboy]

iflytii nailed the best way to do the steam lines - anywhere in the top of that part of the water pump works great and has been done by many. the ls swap books talk about it - the rebuilding the ls books talk about it and all the forums talk about it.

It's something on my to-do list because you have to orient the steam line above the water pump pulley just right or it will slowly rub through the small rubber line and cause problems - this is accentuated because the intake on the e36 is a 90 and in that area and the heater line has to go under it - closer to the pump pulley.

[Pzary3233]

I need this thread in a few days I hope!

[kenndoggy]

Good people at JTR, thats who I just ordered my swap kit from for my Volvo wagon. Only problem though, don't expect an email response. They won't reply, you'll have to call.

[kenndoggy]

What if you T the steam-hose to the hose going tot he reservoir (if the reservoir happens to be the highest point in cooling system like it will be in my Volvo swap)??


I was thinking of doing this:

Heater hoses to heater core and back, no T'ing anything with those. Radiator hoses to radiator and back. Reservoir T'ing into lower radiator hose. Perhaps add a T in the hose going to the reservoir and attach steam hose there?

[lowside67]

In my car, we did this, and it has been working well:

Steam hose --> top of the water pump (this is simple and slick, no reason not to do it).

On the water pump, we used the lines originally designed to go to the heater core to go to my reservoir. Then the rad hoses are simple straight connections between the rad and the water pump. My rad has an overflow hose which also goes to the reservoir.

Simple, self bleeding, and has worked well.

Mark

[foler]

what exactly splice adapters (size from-to) from jtr is needed for lsx swap to e36, include steam line? upper and lower.

[BRAAP]

Measure the hoses you are using, that's the size you'll need.

[invictuse36]

Braap i thought someone reported in your thread they found a hose at autozone that works. No splicing required.