Plug These Heater Ports

FREE JP T-SHIRT

Posted July 18 2008 03:22 PM by Jp Editor
Filed under: Editorials, Jeep Enthusiast Culture, John Cappa

I really don't know the best way to plug these heater ports on my LS1.

I'm not running a heater on my Juggy so I thought about simply welding them up. But if I change my mind down the road it would be a pain to reverse. Simply running a hose with a U-turn is butch, as is a short section of hose with bolts shoved in the end. I found some rubber expansion plugs but they are too big to fit. So, give me some ideas. One is for 5/8 hose the other for 3/4 hose. If I like your idea I'll send ya an XL Jp T-shirt (sorry, mens XL is all I got unless ya want a woman's Jp shirt).

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Reader Comments:

1. I vote weld them. I wouldn't some cheap fix to come apart and drain all the coolant on some trail in the middle of no where and kill the Juggy. And honestly, when are you ever going to put a heater in that thing anyway? Ok, thats my un-original idea...

Jp Web Editor - Posted July 18 2008 04:06 PM

2. I had the same deal on my flattie's Shortstar. The local part store (can't remember which one at this point) had a shaped hose with the correct different sized ends that fits great and doesn't look butch. That's your best bet if you don't want to weld.

Mopars run 5/8-inch and sometimes 3/4-inch rubber caps on their water pumps. They're pretty common since a lot of '60s Mopars could be ordered with heater-delete. They slip on like a regular heater hose and are held on with regular hose clamps.

Jp Tech Editor - Posted July 18 2008 04:17 PM

3. I'd use the rubber plugs...that are too big, for now. Go old school and bust out your grandfather's pocket knife and start carving them up until they fit...snug! Rubber mallet + tight fit rubber plugs = best solution and worthy of T shirt?

ECnVA - Posted July 20 2008 06:54 AM

4. Hey, why just go with a simple plug or cap, when you could have a nice, custom hard line made up and bent to fit?

I mean, c'mon, how can you be Motorhead Mag guys and come up with a simple solution like a rubber plug? The magazine-reading masses demand an overblown, customized solution!

It could double as an onboard shower... :D

OnRoading - Posted July 21 2008 08:28 AM

5. Custom hard line? How should I attach that?

Right now I'm steering toward drilling out the pressed-in fittings and threading it with an NPT tap for a plug.

Jp Editor - Posted July 21 2008 08:36 AM

6. Err... spring lock coupling? You get to use a fancy disconnect tool... :D

>>Right now I'm steering toward drilling out the pressed-in fittings and threading it with an NPT tap for a plug.<<

See! That's what I'm talking about... drilling, tapping, plugging, Permatexing!

Aeroquip makes a nice Allen-headed plug in 3/4 NPT, (FBM3750) but I don't see a 5/16 listed in the catalog.

OnRoading - Posted July 21 2008 09:15 AM

7. "It could double as an onboard shower... :D "

I like that idea! Get this man a T-Shirt! haha

Jp Web Editor - Posted July 21 2008 05:44 PM

8. Why not knock the tubes out and then thread the holes and "bung them for a nice clean and easy sealing job. Some Teflon tape on the threads and your all set. No welding- no ugly hoses sticking out- no sham looking job- just a nice clean looking finish.

fbpd227 - Posted July 21 2008 07:03 PM

9. ooops! sorry...didn't see your idea listed above from earlier today.....dummy day for me...sorry...I just started writing before I had a chance to read through....oh well.....another example of a day late and a dollar short! LOL!

fbpd227 - Posted July 21 2008 07:06 PM

10. a couple of large caps like those used to seal the vaccum port on a Jeep equipped with ABS. 91 XJ comes to mind. Add a couble of SS hose clamps and you're golden.

Where's my shirt? ;)

FrankZ - Posted July 26 2008 11:00 AM

11. just install the heater............ it can be turned off!!!!!

cgreenwood - Posted July 27 2008 01:24 PM

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