Mine are ran like this, one infront along the bottom of the alt to the metal tube coming from the manifold and the other goes up under the alt to the pump. The one under the alt is really bent so my heat doesnt work all that great. This is the way it was when i got the car and i dont see any other way to do it since the water pump tube sticks out right by the alt.If you guys have any ideas or pics please post them, thanks!:hail:

 

it's supposed to be a preformed piece of hose that goes from the water pump, through the alternator bracket, and down to the metal tube on the frame... in fact, all 4 hoses for the heater core are preformed.. if you're using normal hose, it's very hard to do correctly. To do the heater core bypass on mine without interfering with the turbo was a PITA.. ended up using a hose off of who KNOWS (spent 20 minutes looking at hoses behind autozone's counter) that happened to do exactly what I needed...

 

I have a part number for that hose. The part number at Advance Auto is Drive-Rite 304370 if that is the hose you are referring to (the lowest hose from the w/p to the core). It is $22.99 before tax.. Kind of a rip-off for molding the hose into a certain shape, but if you need it, you have to pay .

It sounds as though someone cut the hose way too short and tried almost successfully to make up for their mistake. I cut about an inch off of the core end of the hose and it makes a difference. You have to be pretty strong to try to undo those bends to make the hose "longer" to go where it needs to. It is a PITA and it usually does a number on the hose.

 

IIRC some of the guys don't like the routing of those pipes/hoses, so they took it all out and used regular heater hose routed in some way. I think TomP did this, maybe some others.

 

Mine has regular heater hose and the one farthest up near the alt is run under the alt and has a bend in it that preventing me from having any real heat.I tried to look for another way to run it but i dont see any way not to have it under the alt because this is where the pipe from the water pump comes out.

 

If the entire length of your hose is rubber heater hose, then I'm guessing you need to splice in a metal elbow. Not sure where you could get one, maybe an automotive store, maybe a hardware store.

 

what if i used a copper elbow and tube inside of the rubber hose under the alt untill the hose came out under the alt? That would stop it from bending and it would be inside the hose so i wouldnt have to worry about it poping off the copper.

 

I'm not really sure what your last post meant, but you should definitely be able to get a 90° elbow fitting for heater hoses which has a ridge on each end to keep the heater hose from popping off. You just cut the heater hose at the bend, insert the fitting and pop a couple of hose clamps on it.

 

go to homedepot and go to the plumbing isles. i pulled out that fitting on the front of the intake manifold and made a brass one to go in there, painted it and, looks a lot better/cleaner. i'll get pics of it later if you want.

 

pics would be great, that way i could get an idea of how to run it. Thanks AM.

 

That, what AM is talking about, it the upper most pipe that runs between the thermostat housing and the HCV. You apparantly need a lower hose, which that custom pipe won't help.

 

nah im talking about the upper most hose, by the alt. The lower one is there, it has a metal tube coming from the manifold. The upper one has a regular heater hose from the heater core to the water pump.

 

That would be the lowest hose, unless your engine is upside down and so is the core...

 

well the hose from the manifold goes down and infront of the alt so its lower than the hose going to the water pump. Either way you look at it we're talking about the same hose.

 

Here's another way to look at it. You can buy cut-it-yourself hose and get it cheap but maybe screw up the installation, or you can get the pre-molded, pre-cut hose of which the P/N I gave above.

 

The way to fix hoses on the 3rd Gen F Body is two ways.
Custom create hose routing (start at engine & run full lenght to firewall & core) or fix correctly what is there.
The way to fix what is there is to remove the bad old hose & insert the GM spec'd part.
Here's how ya do this.
Visit GM dealer, parts counter, go check out illustration to point out the hose.
Pay for it, obtain hose.
Insert in the current set up.
Your proper hose was damaged by someone who installed the alternator and went to adjust belt tension.
I have the same routing problem on my Blazer. To solve it, I used an old heater core tube, ran it under the alternator, stuck hose both sides.
Having cars for too long, ya tend to collect a few heater cores for "experimentation". No I feel ya can't find this pre-bent pipe at Home Depot. BUT ya can find old heater cores at radiator repair shops by the dozens! Hope this idea may be good tip. My Blazer came to me with replaced heater core hoses.
This is how I solved my problem.
Other way may be to slip a larger hose over the smaller hose, to help keep shape (this idea isn't always sure thing, tho).
On my Firebird, the hose routing is proper and I have no have no heater core problems at all. I also recently replaced my core & the two preformed hoses at the firewall (that exit the metal tubes by the AC set up on fender). Do a search for my trials of heater core replacement & the firewall hose numbers.
Atleast the core replacement job is INSIDE CAR, which maybe warmer place to work on car after that last snow storm.

Quick patch, find the radiator shop, those parts cost nothing to grab. Make sure you get the longest tubes, a clue! No need for you to rebend, keep twisting until ya get the "right positioning". That trick worked on my Blazer under alternator set up. Use TWO clamps to secure the ends, you'll be having a slight leak if only using one clamp. Alternate clamping force and assured leak free.

Be aware of that metal tube with several water flow exits exiting the engine. If that breaks ya remove & bring to a radiator shop for patching. Mine did during 3.4 swap and fixed real easy. I also recall when I did my 3.4 swap replacing several front hoses due to aging & reliability.
You can also call a place that sells AC Delco parts. My back firewall core hoses cost about 50% LESS than the GM dealer. Yep, same thing, even had that GM part counter number on it, I was given earlier by GM parts guy.

 

My heater core itself is fine, its the damn hose, its bent under the alt. I seen the part number given above but i heard some people on here have done it with regular heater hose and i was wondering how they did it because mine is regular hose and its bent. I'll do a search for your posts ked and if all else fales ill go get the hose maverick posted. thanks guys

 

Like I suggested, go to a radiator shop & score some prebent heater core outlet pipes from old cores & try that.
Yeah, TomP has converted whole car to hoses.
He'll be showing a pic shortly!

 

i'll take pics of mine later but i can tell you now, the one from the lower manifold, runs behind my alt. did with the metal tube too.

 

See on my car the water pump pipe runs behind the alt and connects to a regular heater hose that is bent so i have very crappy heat.

 

Can you get us a pic so we can tell what you are talking about?

 

yeah ill take one tomorrow.

 

pic 1

 

pic #2 the bent hose

 

The way it is on my 1985 Firebird

 

Hope this is helpful

 

This is what I was thinking: Some idiot didn't remember how to run the lower hose after a core or hose replacement and ran it under the bracket instead of through it. See if you can't do that first before you replace the hose, unless the bracket is incorrect, in which case you need to find one or drill a hole in it.

 

my hose in your second pic is ran the same except my hose is a regular hose and is bent, i guess ill go get a hose that doesnt bend or make up something.

 

here's one shot of mine

 

here's another

 

thanks for the pics. I think ill get the pre formed hose and run it so i dont get the bend i have now and ill have some real heat.Mines ran basically the same as you guys but i guess the regular heater hose isnt good in the sharp bends.Im also gonna cut the metal tube down and get ridd of the throttle body heater tubes since they are already blocked anyway.