Best Fluid Heat Riser Kit?

[Guitarcrazy]

I am looking for a fluid heat riser kit to put in my son's '84 FJ60. I know Man-A-Fre is no more, but any other places with a decent kit? I see JT Outfitters still shows one, but I have read spotty reviews of their stuff. Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

[EWTexas]

Don't think even JT Outfitters could mess up a fluid heat riser...it's just a plate with 2 connectors in it to pass water from head before it goes to heater valve.

 

[Mace]

Yeppers, pretty hard to screw up unless made with 20 gauge steel..

Also, they are dirt easy to make...

 

[EWTexas]

I stand corrected, just looked at JT site...looks thicker then 20 gauge but still thin. And yes easy to make if you can source something like 1/2in aluminum and cut it to shape.
O and by the way Man-A-Fre still around but they don't list a heat riser.

 

[NookShneer]

I just ordered the JT outfitters fluid heat riser. The plate is aluminum relatively thick 5-6mm? I'm wondering about the seal of the aluminum plate against the intake. Use the standard gasket or use something else (RTV)? Threading the elbows into the plate looks tight and may be a bit tricky. I'll take photos as I completely the build.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

I would thread the elbows to the plate before install, use a paper gasket and rtv...but I have never done this before; it's just what I would do if I were to do this...

 

[NookShneer]

Yo! The JT kit is a bit of a bear. I worried about threading the brass elbows into the aluminum plate. Turns out it was difficult due to the machine job on the aluminum plate. I was concerned enough about messing the plate threads up that I went looking for the thread size so that I could tap or recut the threads.

I didn't have any luck finding a tap to match the size and pitch of the brass elbow. I was able to match the fitting to a brass fitting at Home Depot which I purchase to help with cutting the threads.

I called JT and asked about the thread size so that I could get the correct tap. The person I spoke with said that they were old stock and and the machine shop didn't do a good job so that every set was a very tight fit. I asked if they would send me a replacement if I buggered the threads on the plate if I forced the elbow. They said they had to force the sets they were installing on the trucks in the shop and they would send me another set if it turned out bad.

 

[NookShneer]

This is what I did:

Kit comes with the parts shown (plate, brass elbows, hose, hose clamps, bolts ).
ATTACH=full]1066264[/ATTACH]

I purchased the following threaded hose attachment from Home Depot in order to drive it into the plate to cut the threads. I felt like it was a better choice to get this stuck in the plate than one of the elbows, or get one of the elbows stuck or mangled.

Once I threaded the plate with the pipe I backed it out and tried the elbow. It made the start very easy and gradually more difficult as the elbow threaded deeper.

Watch the angles of the elbows as you will need to attach the hoses ends and not be pointed at the bolt heads. Or towards the front of the car or the block.

Depth of the elbows on the back of the plate. With how much work it was to get the elbows in I doubt the ability to use Teflon tape to help with sealing the threads.

Used high temp RTV to seal both sides of the gasket (plate, RTV, gasket, RTV, intake)

Once all together I mocked up placement and attached hoses. Cut based off of tying into the coolant feed after the front heater core, this should use the heater valve as a selector meaning if I run the heater control in the cab it will run the fluid heat riser.

I'll post more results once I get the rig back on the road in the next month.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

good write-up...