Professor Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 Good Morning All, I recently changed out my thermostat, belts, and all cooling system hoses and while removing my thermostat, I could not help but wonder why the heck someone would do something like this to a thermostat housing. I assume that this is not factory. A picture is worth a thousand words... Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4Hud Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 To make tea? 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Posted July 1, 2020 Author Share Posted July 1, 2020 LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave39MD Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 Looks like a homemade heater valve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hwellens Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 Looks like there is a heater hose already coming from the water pump? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franklinman Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 Maybe used to bleed air out of the cooling system. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Posted July 1, 2020 Author Share Posted July 1, 2020 Yes, the car came with a heater... in fact, the firewall insulator has what appears to be stamped cutouts for the heater hoses which makes me think that the heater was installed when the car was new. If I recall correctly, heaters were dealer installed accessories in 1936. Regardless, my heater does not appear to be a hack install; even the heater itself is Chrysler. I found some images of heaters where the heat was piped off the thermostat housing, but on the engine side, not the radiator side. I am baffled. If you look at the fitting welded on, it is clearly antique, suggesting that this modification was done early in the car’s life. Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 I'm with Franklinman. Some cars it is very difficult to get all of the air out of the cooling system. Is this at the highest point on the engine ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Luddy Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 Bleed valve looks like the winner here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Posted July 1, 2020 Author Share Posted July 1, 2020 Yes, it is the highest point on the engine. I wonder if the factory did this or if an owner did it. This seems like a bit of work just to bleed air out of an engine. Regardless, I will keep it on the car because I think it looks... ummmmm... interesting? Old? LOL Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 Maybe the guy who did that showed his thermostat work to get a job designing innocuous bar coding for Gates hoses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Mereness Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 Homemade heater valve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Mereness Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 Probably not a bleed value or they did not understand as it is on the wrong side of the thermostat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Bonesteel Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 I originally thought as above, bleed valve to remove air from the system but correct that it is on the wrong side of the thermostat. Having worked on lots of old industrial, non-car machinery over the years, that looks like a typical installation for a gauge of some sort, particularly the valve used. Could shut the valve to avoid leaks if the gauge failed and/or to change the gauge. Could be, I suppose, for either temperature or, less likely, pressure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 Depends on the thermostat. Some have a bypass hole. Considering is homemade maybe replacing the thermostat with a washer. (SBC trick to control flow). Who nose ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vila Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 (edited) Like Dave39MD said, it looks like some one installed a heater in the car and rather then buying the correct thermostat housing decide to do it cheaply. Normally the heater does not put out as much heat with these cheap modifications compared to doing it the proper way. Joe, what year and make car or truck is it on? Edited July 1, 2020 by Vila (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 34 minutes ago, Vila said: Joe, what year and make car or truck is it on? 6 hours ago, Joe West said: 6 hours ago, Joe West said: Yes, the car came with a heater... in fact, the firewall insulator has what appears to be stamped cutouts for the heater hoses which makes me think that the heater was installed when the car was new. If I recall correctly, heaters were dealer installed accessories in 1936. Regardless, my heater does not appear to be a hack install; even the heater itself is Chrysler. I would think it is a 1936 WPC product. Perhaps even a Chrysler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC38dls Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 (edited) This is a shot in the dark but could it be for an electric Heater you plug in at night to keep the engine warm? If so he could take the hose off in the warm weather. Are there any other valves that could be a return hose. Edited July 1, 2020 by SC38DLS (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgansdad Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 Hard telling what someone had in mind when they made that thing. I first thought it was made to flush the motor but someone really went the long way with that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willie Wurke Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 Warm water source to heat the babys bottle when touring. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimKB1MCV Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 I'd just leave it in place, it is part of the Chrysler's history. If it really bothers you you should be able to find another thermostat housing eventually. Those tapered plug petcocks tend to leak, but then again it won't be under much pressure, maybe no pressure, is the cooling system at atmospheric? It also would be a great conversation starter at car shows and an old-timer may come along and tell you exactly why its there and why its located where it is. Good luck with the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Posted January 5, 2021 Author Share Posted January 5, 2021 I will leave it in place. Thanks so much everyone. Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john hess Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 If it ain't broke, don't fix it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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