python 502 w/ heater

[Townsend]

Question for those of you out there with the 502 and a heater. Mine blows lukewarm air no matter if a idle or at speed. I know I can put in the y fitting inline on the engine cooling pickup hose to help flow at idle but I don't think that's my problem since it's the same at speed. The supply line is tapped in on the bottom right side of the block and the return is plumbed into the water pump. Seems to me the supply should be comming off the top of the intake somewhere for the hottest water after it's gone through the heads. that's where I've seen the ones on the small blocks...

Anyone else out there had this problem???

Thanks Brian

[ski4evr]

I hooked mine to the block and the water pump as you stated. The air is smoking hot at any speed and for a few minutes even after shutting the engine off. Could the thermostat be missing? That could keep the water from remaining in the engine long enough to get heated.

[Miljack]

Same engine, looks like your's is a Vdrive. I have a feed on the same block position as yours, and another on the water pump. Mine pumps hot air, no problem.

Is it possible you have some blockage the block feed?

[Townsend]

The thermostat is there and the gauge reads a solid and consistent 160 at all times. Must be a restriction... something is going on for sure because I'm not exaggerating the lukewarm air. It's better than nothing but not great. The feed port looks clear and nothing blocking it with the fitting removed. I did take the heater core out today and it had some junk in it... some kind of scaley debris, maybe rust? Doesn't really look like rust though. you can shake it hard and get a little out of the inlet and outlet, seems to all be trapped on the end opposite of the fittings. That could def be causing some restrictions in flow though the core. I'm hoping thats the prob... just wonder what it is and where it came from??? I picked up a new on from a local parts store. The part # FM9025 looks to be a perfect replacement for 35 bucks.

I think I'm going to cut the end off my old one tomorrow just to see how bad it looks inside. Thanks for the input guys, at least now I know it's not because of where the hoses are plumbed. Hopefully this solves it.

[Miljack]

That scale and junk in the heater core is most likely the scale and junk out of the block. Probably not a bad time to also "chase" the block water drains to make sure there's not a bunch of scale/rust near the opening. Take a coat hanger and try to go 360 degrees from each drain port....