I'm swapping from my IHI to a T3 and need the upper coolant feed line for the swap. I guess my questions are: What did you use for your swap? Does anyone have a line they are not using? Is there a place I can buy one? Will it fit right? Do I need the different main coolant line (the one that runs along the side of the block) becuase of the different locations of the "spouts" for the turbos? ... basically what do i need? I tried bending some brake line but that didn't work quite right. the link below has the diagram of what I'm talking about. (the parts i need are circled in red) (the arrow points to the location of the spout out of the main metal coolant line where mine is) http://home.comcast.net/~rosulliv/dc.jpg thanks
Really, for that place your best bet would be to use some brake line, with the right adapters (you can get them from napa). Why didn't bending the line work? Did you get a brake line bender? You could also try standard hose, but in that position you would have to have some kind of heat wrap around it or it'd melt.
I got an adapter from Home depot but I had to use two adapters to get it to the right size to fit the brake line treads in. I'll try NAPA and see if they have a better solution. As far a bending the hose, yes I do have a brake line bender but to bend that size hose more than a 90 degree bend crimps the line. Or at least that's what happened to me. I may have to just try again and find the correct adapter and maybe find a hose with that bend already in it (like a cooling hose meant for another car) and see if I can modify that to fit. I just thought there had to be an easier way to do it. I already tried the dealership and that hose is obsolete in the entire country. The bottom hose I purchased from a dealer out in PA and that was one of two left in stock in the entire US. I was thinking also that maybe some braided stainless line would work with the right adapter. Anyone know where I could find that?
someone on turboford sells beautifully crafted Stainless lines, Thats what i would do. If i did it again i would throw my rusty lines in the garbage and get the stainless. Dr.
www.forced4.com has them in stock....................... Stainless Steel Waterlines Reproduction hard lines for the 2.3 Turbo Engine. These 304 stainless lines are near NOS in fit and have a mill finish. Kit supports both oil/water cooled and oil cooled only turbo configurations. $189.95 Or order individual lines: F4MTF-SS Turbo feed. $32.95 F4MTR-SS Turbo return $22.95 F4MTOC-SS Thermostat to oil cooler $38.95 F4MWPH-SS water pump-heatercore/turbo feed tee $46.95 F4MOCH-SS Oil cooler to heater core $49.95
thanks for the link. I ended up ordering the line i needed from forced4. I'd rather have it functional especially since I already got the bottom line and have that all hooked up already. I even grabbed another wiring connector I needed so that worked out great. Should have the new turbo all plumbed up and ready to go soon after I get the line.
