Antifreeze and Steel DOM Tubing

[redline8300]

Between a case of OCD and a desire to make my firewall as solid as possible I want to make one of those bulkhead connectors for my coolant lines. The billet ones are $50, but I can make one out of steel for the cost of some 5/8" steel DOM tubing. Does anyone thing that steel DOM can hold up and not destroy my coolant system with rust? I could get some Aluminum tubing, but I can't weld it so my cost would approach the billet ones.

 

[phred]

I don't think steel tubing will rust more than a CI block, but whats up with running coolant in a piece of tubing at the firewall?

 

[Apogee]

Mild steel DOM won't corrode any more than anything else in the system. If you're paranoid about it, you could always have it electroless nickel plated, Zinc plate, etc to retard long term corrosion, but most anti-freezes have a fair number of a corrosion inhibitors, so if you kept your coolant fresh I can't imagine you'd ever have an issue.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Go for it.

 

[stupidboy]

Whats ocd?%)

 

[70_Steve]

Whats ocd?%)

Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD)

 

[redline8300]

I don't think steel tubing will rust more than a CI block, but whats up with running coolant in a piece of tubing at the firewall?

So I can seal off the cab with something more than those foam washers on the inside of the cab and non-hardening sealer on the outside of the cab.

 

[stupidboy]

Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD)

We all have that, so.... it can't be a disorder, can it?;D

 

[bknbronco]

Im cunfused as to the purpose of what your doing. Attach a pic of what them aluminum ones look like! I dont understand how you would benifit from it. Sounds like a trick from the "import world", along the lines of a air intake under the car (so you can hydrolic the moter first puddle you cross)!

If you want something to customize try the "cherokee wiper arm conversion", or the "chevy heater blower moter upgrade", or maybe even the "adding a drain plug to the 9-inch rear".

 

[Broncobowsher]

The question for me, how are you going to attach the heater core to this firewall bulkhead plate you plan on making? Couple pieces of short heater hose and more hose clamps? How are you going to get in there to attach them?

 

[redline8300]

I'm going to do it by rotating the heater core 180 degrees and have the copper lines point back into the cab. The hoses will be run along the bottom of the dash and then pop back out where the heater control valve cable would run through the firewall, additional hole that will be eliminated. Besides doing it to seal up the firewall, I'm doing it so that in the future if required I can install a mojave heater for the rear seat so my son or wife can go out with me in the winter and not have to wear a ton of clothes. I'm going to have to rework the glove box but that should be straight forward.