Heater Bypass Tube Source

Does anyone have a good source for the heater bypass tube coming off of the water pump? I did a very good job of sealing my last one in and it won't come off. Its been a while since I checked with my dealer, but IIRC, they said that the tubes may not be available anymore. Do any aftermaket vendors carry these? 88XJ 4.0L, if it makes a difference.

desertred said:

Does anyone have a good source for the heater bypass tube coming off of the water pump? I did a very good job of sealing my last one in and it won't come off. Its been a while since I checked with my dealer, but IIRC, they said that the tubes may not be available anymore. Do any aftermaket vendors carry these? 88XJ 4.0L, if it makes a difference.

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Are you talking about the tube that threads into the water pump? If so the dealer does still carry them for 97+ XJs which will go into your 1988 and move the rubber hose the heck away from the idler pulley which is awesome. I did it to my 1990 and highly recommend it. Also, 5-90 and RichP I believe have made them out of brass fittings from a local hardware store. I know they incorporate the bend in them as well.

Thanks.

Yes, that's RichP and me - I selected brass because it doesn't rust (the first time I did a water pump, the bypass tube was bloody shot!) and I'm not sure why RichP used brass - he may have used galvy instead.

The hole in the water pump should be threaded 3/8" NPT, I don't recall the nipples I used offhand, but I'm sure I posted the lengths for the main nipple off of the water pump, and just used a shorty nipple (3", cut in half, most probably) for the stub for the hose to attach to and to give a smooth surface for the hose to grip to (using a little RTV Black to help the hose seal to the nipple.) Scuff up the smooth pipe surface with some 180 or 240 grit sandpaper, so the hose grips a little more...

Anyhow, I added the elbow to eliminate the need to use one moulded heater hose (which gets spendy...) and that's why I also decided (later) to make the heate plumbing out of copper tubing - cuts the need for heater hoses down to a few vibration stubs (you don't want rigid joints where you have relative motion.) There are a couple of refinements left that I'd like to make (a manual heater control valve, for instance - and clean up the measurements a bit) before I post anything substantive, but it's been running for three or four years without a hitch, so I'd call it "successful in its early stages."

A little experimentation with a few pipe nipples should prove fruitful for getting the lenghts. Searching for my posts on the subject (I'm sure I gave measurements - I don't know if RichP did...) should save you a few bucks on experiments...

Yes, that's the tube I am needing. I'm not familiar with the 97+ set up. I take it from your comments that the latter years have a tube that bends over the top/around the valve cover and reduces the length of the heater hose required?

[Edit]: 5-90, do you happen to have any pictures of your engine bay with these mods that I may use as a reference?

desertred said:

Yes, that's the tube I am needing. I'm not familiar with the 97+ set up. I take it from your comments that the latter years have a tube that bends over the top/around the valve cover and reduces the length of the heater hose required?

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Yes, actually if you can picture what your hose does right now, think of it not having to make the 90* bend downward. The newer tubes have a 90* bend in them and it actually makes the hose a lot easier to make. You can almost use bulk on that tube with the newer setup.
Unfortunately it's pitch black out right now so I can't snap a pic...this one is the best I have, you can see parts of it...

Hope it helps

RenixPower said:

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:scottm:

Collin,

You never cease to amaze me with your Renix upgrades.......Is that a "coilpack" on your Jeep?........or is that other than a renix?

Ron

Hijack over!

:scottm:

Can't be a Renix with that fuel rail/injector assembly or sensor in the t-housing or the rectangular plastic wire housing or the oil filter orientation or the A/C compressor or the valve cover (stamped vs cast). Did I miss something, intake manifold?

sjx40250 said:

Can't be a Renix with that fuel rail/injector assembly or sensor in the t-housing or the rectangular plastic wire housing or the oil filter orientation or the A/C compressor or the valve cover (stamped vs cast). Did I miss something, intake manifold?

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You missed the 96-up injector plugs and belt tensioner.

XXX said:

:scottm:

Collin,

You never cease to amaze me with your Renix upgrades.......Is that a "coilpack" on your Jeep?........or is that other than a renix?

Ron

Hijack over!

:scottm:

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I really do not want to hijack too much. That is a pic of my bros '01 XJ but I have a 99+ intake manifold (with belt tensioner) and a 96+ valve cover on my Renix one, so minus goofy little things like the A/C compressor and injector harness, it is more or less a 99 anyway.

This isn't a detailed picture of the mod we're talking about - it's meant to highlight something else - but if you look at the right-hand side, you'll see what we're talking about. That's been changed a bit from the original - I put a "sweat" adapter in before I reconsidered making that connection rigid. However, it gets the point across fairly well, so you can get the idea.

The other copper tubing is what I need to take the time to refine.

Thats not a Fram filter is it?

dizzymac said:

Thats not a Fram filter is it?

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Them's fightin' werds!

Nope - Wix #51626. I use Wix when I can't find Baldwin (not very common in CA, I'm afraid...) but the only thing I might use Fram for would be to filter water...

Now you shall be forced to meet me on the Field of Honour at dawn. You may escape such fate by agreeing to pronounce the word "party" as "par-tay" for the next month, and penance for saying something so utterly uncool...

OOOPS !!!! Sorry about that Jon....I meant XXX, not you.......lol