Duratec Plumbing Questions

[jturrell]

I'm putting the finishing touches on my R400 kit, and I have some plumbing questions. I have the black plastic water outlet, but I have no heater. The assembly guide says that "on cars where no heater is fitted, the relevant connections at the rear of the cylinder head and on the front LH side of the engine block must be joined by a suitable length of hose".

First, I assume that they're talking about the following two connections:
1) The hose to the heater outlet (rearward side of the "T" piece").
2) The "J" hose that would come out of the right side of the water outlet.

Is this correct? If so, why not just blank each connection? Isn't this what happens when using one of the "race type" water outlets? With no heater, it would be nice to simplify the plumbing a bit . . . unless this will cause some unwanted side effect.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

[Seven Smiles]

I assume that the heater is part of the cooling circuit so you really wouldn't want to block it off, just short circuit past it.

[BBL-Sean]

Jake - PM sent.

Sean

[DCL]

If you haven't already been sorted, the hose just by-passes where the heater should be. It is important that the flow of coolant is maintained as this is part of the design for cooling system.

[BertBert]

does the normal heater plumbing have a bypass then? Otherwise blocking off would be the same as running with the heater off. And who needs a heater with Duratec?
Bert

[DCL]

BertBert said:

does the normal heater plumbing have a bypass then? Otherwise blocking off would be the same as running with the heater off. And who needs a heater with Duratec?
Bert

Yep! http://www.caterhamparts.co.uk/product.php?id_prod...

The heater valve routes it through the heater, or by-passes it. That said, I think blocking it off doesn't lead to disaster but it just wasn't designed to run that way.