steam line and purge tanks and expansion tanks....just what is all this mess?

[cjohnson6772]

I found this picture on ls1tech and I'm wondering if anyone here is using a setup like this. I am thinking that the puke nipple on my stock radiator is going to be the line tee'd into the steam line and the rest should be just like shown. Thoughts? Pics? Is there a rule for height of these components?

[ghettoluxury]

If you are using your stock radiator than you need none of that, this is how they are setup from the factory since they no longer have caps on the radiators. For the steam line you can have a nipple added into your radiator at a local shop. You could also tap the water pump and put a fitting in, or get a pipe with a fitting in it that you splice your upper radiator hose and put in between. There is no rule on height, if you look at the radiator these engines came factory with you see the fitting for the steam line is about half way down them.

[ls1nova71]

Originally Posted by cjohnson6772

I I am thinking that the puke nipple on my stock radiator is going to be the line tee'd into the steam line

You can't do this, it doesn't work that way. As stated above, I would hav a fitting added to the radiator. As for the rest of whats pictured, if you had it all from the donor truck it could be made to work, but it would be hard to package it all under the hood of a 67-72. And if you did get it all in there, you wouldnt really be gaining anything.
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[awhite4557]

Originally Posted by ls1nova71

You can't do this, it doesn't work that way. As stated above, I would hav a fitting added to the radiator. As for the rest of whats pictured, if you had it all from the donor truck it could be made to work, but it would be hard to package it all under the hood of a 67-72. And if you did get it all in there, you wouldnt really be gaining anything.
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I just had a bung welded into the top of the radiator below the radiator cap and connected the steam line to the radiator. Works great. The radiator is a four row factory radiator.

[cjohnson6772]

Originally Posted by ls1nova71

You can't do this, it doesn't work that way. As stated above, I would hav a fitting added to the radiator. As for the rest of whats pictured, if you had it all from the donor truck it could be made to work, but it would be hard to package it all under the hood of a 67-72. And if you did get it all in there, you wouldnt really be gaining anything.
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I concede. Haha. I will bow to greater wisdom and save myself a lot of headache Could the nipple just be brazed into the old heater line return on the radiator (half way down) or should I have it added to the top like pictured?
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[ls1nova71]

Originally Posted by cjohnson6772

Could the nipple just be brazed into the old heater line return on the radiator (half way down)
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Yep! That would fix two problems at once, you get a steam line fitting and you get rid of the heater fitting.

[Thealien]

The steam line should go as high in the system as you can get. I had my factory radiator modified with a steam port just below the fill. I also had the inlet and outlet swapped so I could use the factory hoses from my 2005 donor vehicle.

[cjohnson6772]

I guess thinking about it now: even if a bubble was introduced low in the radiator it would always rise to the top...

I guess the problem would arise if I had a steam line that went up and then back down. The air pocket would get trapped at the high part of that bend...
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[BR3W CITY]

I'm the only weirdo who ran his steam lines into my heater lines......all my air bubbles are in my heater core lol.

[cjohnson6772]

Originally Posted by BR3W CITY

I'm the only weirdo who ran his steam lines into my heater lines......all my air bubbles are in my heater core lol.

Actually I think GM ran it to the return heater line.
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[BigShoe24]

Does anyone know off hand what size of line fits properly to the original steam hard line coming off the motor? I have an LS3 but assume they are all the same size diameter.

Thanks,
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[cjohnson6772]

1/4" I believe
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