V6 coolant pipe routing and attachment (Page 1/3)
Shisida APR 15, 12:47 PM
Hi guys. I'm reinstalling my refreshed, stock V6 after a couple years (long story--other projects, out of country, etc.) I thought I had taken enough photos and labeled things well enough, but I'm still scratching my head on a couple things. First is the coolant pipe in the engine compartment that runs from the driver's side upward and across just behind the firewall to connect with the short rubber hose coming out of the thermostat housing. You know, the 3+ footer with the slight bend and the brackets and screw holes for either attaching it or attaching things to it. You know, this one:



(Image courtesy of Rodney Dickman)

And those holes and brackets are my point: for the life of me I can't remember or figure out what they attach too. I have both the factory manual on disk and a Hayes manual; none of them (nor any YouTube video I could find) show this detail. Can someone help me please? I really want to get the cradle back in and get it done. Thanks
fierosound APR 15, 11:01 PM
Maybe this pic will help...
First bolt nearest the hose from thermostat housing bolts to engine lift bracket.



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[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 04-15-2021).]

Shisida APR 16, 07:03 PM
That does. Thanks so much. I can't really see what the second, lower hole with the larger bracket slides over, but with the first hole anchored in the proper position, perhaps that mystery will reveal itself!
IMSA GT APR 16, 07:14 PM
Don't know if this helps:

[This message has been edited by IMSA GT (edited 04-16-2021).]

skywurz APR 16, 11:00 PM
I think op is missing the 2 clamps on each side that mostly hold up the bulk of the tube. I don't have any pictures readily available.


Nvm i miss id the pipe

[This message has been edited by skywurz (edited 04-16-2021).]

Raydar APR 17, 10:26 AM
The bracket on the "right" end (drivers side) should bolt to a stud that's on the side of the clutch housing or transaxle. The little tab in the middle supports the wiring harness, IIRC. Should be a little nylon post (attached to a ty-wrap) that fits in the hole.

Note... You can not install this pipe with the upper A/C bracket installed. It looks like you can, but you can't. At least I've never been able to.
(I replaced one of these pipes with the engine in the car. Probably one of the most difficult things I've ever done on a Fiero. Gave my vocabulary a workout. Scared the dog. You get the idea.)

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Raydar
88 Formula IMSA Fastback. 4.9, NVG T550

Praise the Lowered!

Shisida APR 22, 12:03 AM
Thanks, guys, for all the help. The diagrams showing where the mounts attach are very helpful as well. Yes, I've also discovered that merely loosening the upper AC bracket is futile...unless perhaps I once again separate the exhaust headers from the collector pipe at the spring-tensioned joint. My engine is out of the car on its cradle, so though a pain, it's relatively simple. I'd hate to imagine trying this with the engine in the car.

In all of this, I'm impressed with what a poor choice it was on the engineers point to route the pipe this way. Not only is it difficult to service, it sends the coolant running past (nearly alongside and almost touching!) the hottest part of the car: the exhaust manifold! It seems quite possible to me for them to have made the far better choice to route it along the firewall (either above or below the front cylinder bank), before directing it to meet up with the main fore and aft coolant pipe running under the chassis.
Shisida APR 22, 12:14 AM
In fact, with a little creativity, the design could have incorporated running it under the heat shield (at least for part of the way). With all that being said, what's amazing to me is that I've NEVER had an over heating problem, even running the A/C at idle in the Florida summer heat. So maybe they knew something that I don't...maybe that's why they're the designers and I'm not. But still...
Notorio APR 22, 12:34 AM

quote
Originally posted by Shisida:

In fact, with a little creativity, the design could have incorporated running it under the heat shield (at least for part of the way). With all that being said, what's amazing to me is that I've NEVER had an over heating problem, even running the A/C at idle in the Florida summer heat. So maybe they knew something that I don't...maybe that's why they're the designers and I'm not. But still...



Quick question to the gang: should an 88 v6 have that heat shield?
Shisida APR 22, 03:04 PM
To my knowledge it is. No literature that I have (factory service manual, Haynes manual) indicate an exception for an 88 GT. This much I can also say: all evidence indicates my engine had never been out of the car, and the heat shield was there. If you had assumed that because it looks clean and fresh now that it had been added, that's not the case. Like the engine and the entire engine compartment (and for that matter the wheel wells, suspension and undercarriage), the heat shields have undergone restoration work and detailing work. Neither the front or rear heat shield (pictured below) looked like this originally, but both were there.