Heater hose/water line to turbo routing & flow question

[gears351]

Alright, I'm trying to figure out why I had temp spikes (on the highway, not around town) and mebbe figure if that's what killed my headgasket (it went between #1&2 cyls).

I've got a heater hose from the waterpump going up to the heater core, the other side of the core goes into a nipple I put @ the thermostat housing section of the head - out the top where a portedvac swtich used to live.

The bottom of the thermostat housing has a reducer to #6AN @ a 45' for the braided line to the turbo, coming out the turbo is another section of #6 that goes into the water jacket below/behind the PS pump & bracket.

My question is am I messing with the flow of things? I read (after a search for heater hose routing) that the 5/8 line off the wp is a suction line - if so I should be pulling coolant from the motor BEFORE the thermostat.

I have not run the drilled thermostat - but I've got it ready to go in once the headgasket/bolts get here.

A Dakota doesn't use a heater control valve...... Should I re-route the turbo's coolant line from the Tstat to the other side of the heater core?

[turbovanman²]

You basically have it routed like stock. Make sure the heater hose fittings are 5/8.

If its spiking on the freeway, then its 1 or all of 3 issues. Airflow is going around the rad and not thru it, rad is too small or plugged up internally or heater core is plugged up internally.

[boost geek]

I put my money on the heater core.

[turbovanman²]

I put my money on the heater core.

Mine too as my heater core is done, and unless I CLR it, it get spikes. A new one is going in this spring/summer.

[gears351]

What's CLR? I back flushed it before assembly till it flowed clean. New Radiator - but I moved it back (away from) the core support to mount the huge saab 9000 intercooler (it's bigger than the radiator). I'm using the stock Dakota radiator & fan with its shroud - but I haven't blocked the few gaps around the rad to seal it to the core support. I made panels but didn't install them.

Thanks again Vanman!

[turbovanman²]

CLR-Calcium Lime Rust remover. It removes the calcium buildup that happens in rads/heater cores BUT if the core is old, it can cause it too leak. You simply remove the heater hoses, blow it out, fill it up with CLR, let it sit for like an hour, then backflush with water.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brows....jsp?locale=en

[gears351]

Thanks, I was suspecting it was that stuff. Just good to be sure before pouring household chemicals into vehicles.