[PeterDuerr]

Hi,

I am in the process of replacing my coolant hoses. I purchased the Continental Hi-miler blue hose kit.
I'd like to know what is typically done with the tee and restrictor. Has anyone had success/failure removing the factory crimps and re-using the tee and restrictor?

 

[Marky Dissod]

I am in the process of replacing my coolant hoses. I purchased the Continental Hi-miler blue hose kit.
I'd like to know what is typically done with the tee and restrictor.
Has anyone had success / failure removing the factory crimps and re-using the tee and restrictor?

Enough searches will (eventually) yield that the restrictor and the tee are vulnerable to age, heat cycling and failure from fatigue.
The older they are, the more they should be replaced instead of reused.

Some have even replaced the T with a more durable metallic upgrade.
Upgrading the restrictor is more complicated due to its variability.

 

[PeterDuerr]

I'm all for replacing it. Its low miles, but if Im going this far, i might as well. On the LT1 camaro corvette form, there was mention of an AC delco replacement, but I want the get the right one, don't want to creat a separate issue. I ll check if the chev dealer has some options.

 

[Fleetwouldn't You?]

Coincidentally I was shopping parts for the heater the other day and found this, it's the entire assembly. AC Delco # 10258504

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/ado-15-5508

 

[sherlock9c1]

Coincidentally I was shopping parts for the heater the other day and found this, it's the entire assembly. AC Delco # 10258504

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/ado-15-5508

Yes, that's the assembly. Although that part number used to have the lines that ran all the way to the heater core (they're now available separately). Rock Auto also sells the 155508.

 

[PeterDuerr]

My appologies,
I found the parts on another post.
Restrictor: Ac delco 15-5423, GM - 10157988
Tee: GM 12522867.

 

[IndyL03]

you can get the restrictor in the "help" aisle

 

[storm9c1]

you can get the restrictor in the "help" aisle

One of the aftermarket PN from my notes is 74795.

As others mentioned, I strongly suggest replacing the tee and restrictor. They become very brittle over time and aren't worth saving. Then just use regular hose clamps going forward.

Restrictor:
Delco PNs posted above.
Be careful with aftermarket though, I've had these fail after a short time. Even the Delco ones fail too....... just less often. Keep a spare. Someday I hope to make a metal version that operates like the original.

Tee: (metal version)
Again from my notes, unsure how old these PNs are.
1/2" Black iron or Stainless steel theaded pipe tee.
Dorman 56360 500-005.1 3/4" nipple 1/2 NPT x 2
Dorman 56356 500-003.1 5/8" nipple 1/2 NPT

The 1/2" NPT iron pipe or stainless steel threaded pipe tee can come from the plumbing shelf. If iron pipe is used, paint or powder coat it or else it will rust ugly. I ordered stainless ones online.

Wish I had more pictures of the build but I built these many years ago before cell phone cameras were as common as dirt. Here's an example from one of my 9C1 cars.

 

[Ken Hennessy]

You could also use Gates Power Grip clamps for this application as it is not disassembled often. Summit carries them, just need to get the right size for the hose.
They are basically a heavy duty shrink tube. I have them on my oil coooler lines.

 

[buickman1]

I went to Home Depot and got a brass T fitting back in the day, I would post a pic, but the car is long gone.

 

[storm9c1]

I went to Home Depot and got a brass T fitting back in the day, I would post a pic, but the car is long gone.

Good idea. That'll work too.

But.... I don't love idea of adding yet another dissimilar metal to the mix. Cooling system corrosion is already an issue on these cars.

We have mostly iron and aluminum, and a little mild steel. I always thought the water pump nipples were stainless steel. The original Gates/factory nipples NEVER rust. The aftermarket/reman pumps do rust though. Later remans use coatings as well to hide this detail.

As far as I know, there isn't much brass (if any at all) in the LT1 cooling system. Last heater core I changed was all aluminum. And of course so is the rad. Maybe the inserts in the plastic surge tank/reservoir are brass? Unsure... as they could be mild steel as well.

Anyways, common sense dictates that iron pipe is safest. Stainless steel seemed to make sense since it's less reactive than brass in our setup, and I assumed the original water pump had stainless parts. But I've questioned stainless steel as well for the same reason as brass. Back in the day I had these discussions with guys at the track and most felt that stainless was less reactive than brass in our specific cooling system. I'd be curious if anybody else here had other opinions.

Granted brass has been used on cooling systems for decades. However I usually don't see brass + iron + aluminum mixed. Older cars had brass rads and brass heater cores AFAIK. Once aluminum radiators became common, the heater cores seemed to follow suit.

Anyways, I'm probably overthinking this. But I've run the stainless tees on multiple cars for 10+ years and haven't seen any harmful side effects yet. I do flush my coolant every 3-5 years. And refuse to use Dex Cool.

 

[buickman1]

Manufactures are probably using aluminum more for weight savings than anything. I understand your concern, but I felt brass would hold up better than iron (corrosion wise), and to me it looked way better than multiple fittings screwed together. Just my 2 cents, it's your car at the end of the day, so do what you feel is best.

 

[storm9c1]

Manufactures are probably using aluminum more for weight savings than anything. I understand your concern, but I felt brass would hold up better than iron (corrosion wise), and to me it looked way better than multiple fittings screwed together. Just my 2 cents, it's your car at the end of the day, so do what you feel is best.

Ah OK. So you used something like this:

Apollo 3/4 in. Brass PEX-B Barb Tee APXT34 - The Home Depot

The ApolloPEX 3/4 in. Brass PEX Barb Tee is simple to install. ApolloPEX barb fittings are a key component of the most economical potable water piping systems. Also capable of integration into hydronic

www.homedepot.com

Not a threaded tee like the one I made. Makes sense and would look neater. But hose length might be an issue as the stock tee (and the one I made) is overall longer. I suspect you'd have to pull some hose from the water pump side. And that smaller 5/8" hose would be a very tight fit on 3/4" barb. Anyways, it may be worth a try if dissimilar metals is not a concern.

 

[buickman1]

Not a threaded tee like the one I made. Makes sense and would look neater. But hose length might be an issue as the stock tee (and the one I made) is overall longer. I suspect you'd have to pull some hose from the water pump side. And that smaller 5/8" hose would be a very tight fit on 3/4" barb. Anyways, it may be worth a try if dissimilar metals is not a concern.

Yes, it was something like that, I know it was not 3/4 on all the ends but 1/2 on the bottom nipple. For shitsandgiggles I tried to find it on HD's website but not seeing it.