Heat flows from rear of head?

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Happy Saturday!

Just confirming that the coolant flow for the heater goes from the back of the head to the heater and then returns to the water pump for the long coolant pipe on the passenger side of the engine. Do I have that right?

My 1968 sat for over 25 years, and the radiator rusted out from sitting in that time period, so I’m assuming the heater core is also skunked.

I am getting close to having the cooling system back together and want to bypass the heat core, so if I have the flow correct I should be able to put a valve on the hose from the rear of the head BEFORE it hits the coolant pipe and stop the flow before it diverts to the heater core, correct?

Thanks!

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Just confirming that the coolant flow for the heater goes from the back of the head to the heater and then returns to the water pump for the long coolant pipe on the passenger side of the engine. Do I have that right?

I am getting close to having the cooling system back together and want to bypass the heat core, so if I have the flow correct I should be able to put a valve on the hose from the rear of the head BEFORE it hits the coolant pipe and stop the flow before it diverts to the heater core, correct?

Correct. The thing to remember is that the water pump pumps water INTO the block, and it gets that water from either the radiator hose or the heater core return line (the long pipe under the exhaust manifold). The water pumped into the block then exits the top of the cylinder head from either the heater core pipe at the back or the coolant housing at the front. Or a leak, but let's not go there...

The easiest way to bypass the heater core is just to get yourself a suitable length (8" or 10" if I recall) of coolant hose and directly connect the outlet at the top of the cylinder head down to the inlet of the return pipe to the pump. You can't switch it on or off, but you'll get so little cooling from this routing that I doubt you'll see any difference.

-Bryan

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Thanks mate, appreciate all of your responses and encouragement.

Will button this up today - getting close!