"L" Ype Heater Hose Connection

[Rexfordray]

I recently purchased a new, not remanufacture, 368 CID, 6.0 engine, VIN Code 6 Engine (engine has a 4 barrel carb, is not the 4-6-8 verison nor the fuel injection verison). The engine was built by S&S Engines out of Spokane, WA. By the time I purchased the new engine and some external parts (thermal fan clutch, water pump, belts, hoses, motor mounts, etc.) I had over $3800 invested. The only clitch encounter was a "L" shape heater hose adapter that was pressed in the right rear side of the block that had to be removed by heat and then tapped into the new block.

The removal and installation went fairly smooth. Today on the way back home from work, the adapter popped out of the block and of course, I lost coolant rapidly. Afte allow the engine to cool down, I tapped the adapter back in the best I could. Any ideas on how to prevent this adpater from popping out in the future? This adapter isn't even manufacture any longer. I is approximately 1 1/4" wide that accomodates a 5/8" hearter hose that runs to to the heater control valve. Help! Rex from Pensacola, FL.

[Ranger]

JB Weld?

[Cadillac Jim]

How did you find a new engine? I can easily understand a remanufactured 1980-1981 engine. As a carbureted engine without 8-6-4 variable displacement, it is probably a 1980-1981 model year commercial chassis (limo, hearse) engine.

From your description of removing the heater hose adapter, it sounds like a sealer/adhesive was used at the factory on your old engine. Thus you would expect to use a sealer/adhesive when installing it on the new engine.

JB Weld makes products that could help, as Ranger says. Locktite, Permatex, Permagasket, and others also make products that will help seal press-in fittings permanently. Any decent repair will require that the surfaces be clean and dry when the sealant/adhesive is applied.

Watch the recommended application and temperature range of whatever you use. JB Weld IndustroWeld is good to 500 F, for example, and would work. Their MarineWeld also looks good, and is stiulated to work to 500 F. Some of the other products I found on the web aren't intended to work at automotive cooling system temperatures (-40F to +300F). The last thing you want is for the heater hose adapter to blow out when the engine overheats.

[Rexfordray]

How did you find a new engine? I can easily understand a remanufactured 1980-1981 engine. As a carbureted engine without 8-6-4 variable displacement, it is probably a 1980-1981 model year commercial chassis (limo, hearse) engine.

From your description of removing the heater hose adapter, it sounds like a sealer/adhesive was used at the factory on your old engine. Thus you would expect to use a sealer/adhesive when installing it on the new engine.

JB Weld makes products that could help, as Ranger says. Locktite, Permatex, Permagasket, and others also make products that will help seal press-in fittings permanently. Any decent repair will require that the surfaces be clean and dry when the sealant/adhesive is applied.

Watch the recommended application and temperature range of whatever you use. JB Weld IndustroWeld is good to 500 F, for example, and would work. Their MarineWeld also looks good, and is stiulated to work to 500 F. Some of the other products I found on the web aren't intended to work at automotive cooling system temperatures (-40F to +300F). The last thing you want is for the heater hose adapter to blow out when the engine overheats.