had a pinhole leak between the waterpump and this check valve because the hose between them was deteriorating on the inside. i cut off the crimps to replace the hose and the valve came apart. the hose going from the valve to the heater core will reach the waterpump but im not sure if i need this part or if i can just clamp the waterpump directly to the heater core. this is the hose going from the passenger side bottom of the waterpump.






other question, if i do need this part is it a GM part or can i get it at any auto parts store? thanks

 

Mine actually broke and I ended up having the whole heater hose assembly Don't think you can replace just that part, but I think i have heard of people just putting a regular piece of hose in its place. Maybe somebody else will know for sure.

 

Many people have left it off without any apparent problems.

 

I'm curious as to what that valve is actually designed to do...

I replaced mine a few years ago when I was replacing all the soft hoses and it looked like it was designed to reduce the flow through the heater core... But why?

 

Yes, it is listed as a flow reducer. Possibly to eliminate any noise through the heater core, though I think it may be a factor in the frequent clogging issues with the core.

 

I believe it protects the heater core from excessive (high) water pressure from the water pump.

 

Isn't the pressure going to be the same everywhere in the system?

 

It would seem that reducing flow through the heater core would contribute to clogging in the heater core... I never considered the potential noise factor... My fan is loud enough that I doubt I'd hear it...

 

i kinda figured that since the waterpump is driven by the cam, at high RPMs it keeps the pressure from getting too high in the heater core. i think im just gonna leave it out for now, and maybe eventually ill put a new one in, unless someone comes on here saying theyve had catastrophic failure because they left it out.

 

I bypassed that valve a while ago without any problems.

 

Here is some interesting reading on heater core failures.

http://www.carquest.com/common/downl...eplacement.pdf

It says thaterosion of the core can take place if the flow/pressure is too high. That's why the OEM's put in the restrictor.

Jim

 

Pressure will be the same as shoebox pointed out. The restrictor slows the velocity of the fluid.

 

by reducing the flow the pressure would be reduced, because it goes from the check valve i.d. to the heater hose id and using Bernoulli's equation show this will limit the pressure

 

You would only have very slight pressure variations because of the restrictor. Pressure has to be equal in a closed system.

 

Maybe this is the problem with my heater. I am pulling that pos off tonight and replacing the whole hose.