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miller19j

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Posted: June 13 2003,3:38 pm

Post # 1

Has anyone run Hardwall Stainless cooling lines? I acquired a bunch of Swage-lock Stainless tube and fittings and was thinking about running them as my cooling lines. They are really nice fittings all stainless and pretty trick looking. But here is the kicker the Â½ pipe to swage fittings uses a .375 inside diameter tube.

Currently I am running 5/8 inch heater hose hooked up to Â½ pipe to barb fittings. The inside diameter on those fittings is pretty close to Â½ inch. Am I going to restrict too much water to cool if I switch?

Here is a picture of my cooling system (it has a thermostat)

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AZKC

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Posted: June 13 2003,5:11 pm

Post # 2

You run a t-stat, like a car ? I've not seen that alot in boats. Your water temps seem ok? Most guys run some sort of valve to regulate the amount of water running thru the engine.

But back to your question, the hard water line set up to me is the shiznit :good

as far as restriction goes if the ID's are close I'll bet it would work fine.

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Posted: June 13 2003,5:43 pm

Post # 3

Miller, I made custom hardline for boats and street rods for the better part of 20 years. Running 1/2" will not restrict your flow in relationship to the ID of the fittings. Here's a trick I use. There are 2 determining factors on how large the ID of the fitting can be: the tangent (point of contact) with the flair, and keeping enough meat in the threaded section to not weaken it. Take a magic marker and mark the sealing surface of the fitting. Take a flaired tube with the nut and ferrule attached and thread it on the fitting handtight. Turn the tube on the fitting, then tighten it down. This will create a contact mark on the sealing surface. The undisturbed part of the mark on the sealing surface will indicate what the MAXIMUM ID you can have and still not affect the integrity of the seal. Compare it to the pipe thread end (if it's NPT). Boring the ID has given me up to 20% more flow depending on the fitting I modified.

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miller19j

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Posted: June 13 2003,8:50 pm

Post # 4

I follow what you are saying but these fittings use a two piece feral instead of a flared end. So the tubing is the smallest part of the system and its internal diameter is .375. I am just courious if that is big enough to effectively cool my system. I have attached a picture to help clarify.

On a side note I did a little experiment to see how much the flow is reduced in these lines. I took my garden hose and filled a bucket and timed how long it took to fill to the top. It took 28 seconds with the unrestricted hose. Then I put a piece of this pipe and a fitting on the end of the hose and filled the same bucket. It took 28 seconds with the smaller tubing. So If I am correct the pressure goes up and the flow stays the same. So at least in theory it should work. I think :stupid

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miller19j

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Posted: June 13 2003,8:52 pm

Post # 5

Quote (AZKC @ June 13 2003,6:11 pm)

You run a t-stat, like a car ? Â I've not seen that alot in boats. Your water temps seem ok? Most guys run some sort of valve to regulate the amount of water running thru the engine.

But back to your question, the hard water line set up to me is the shiznit Â Â :good

Â as far as restriction goes if the ID's are close I'll bet it would work fine.

KC

KC,

Yes I use a thermostat kit from Rex marine. I have been very happy with it. Once my engine heats up my temp stays the same no matter if I am idling or running all out. I have never had any problems with it. :good

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AZKC

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Posted: June 14 2003,7:56 am

Post # 6

Oh a marine kit :good

I was thinking car stuff. That test you did has some physics behind it but I forgot that part of school along time ago :stupid

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Posted: June 14 2003,9:14 am

Post # 7

Miller, ain't nothing wrong with 1/2 inch, that's a -08 line and that's the norm. That's what I run from the pump all the way to the dump. A little information here, if for some reason you end up having to use a flare end, remember you don't do a double flare with stainless, it will split. Also if the tube is going against an AN fitting, you will need a 37degree flare adapter for the tool. Just wanted you to be aware...Stainless lines look bitchin, beats the shit out of heater hose,LOL...Check this out!.. :good

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Posted: June 14 2003,9:54 am

Post # 8

Just an added note to what Gofastracer mentioned. Use thinwall stainless (.028 wall), and NEVER use seamed tubing! It's cheaper for a reason. Good luck getting a good flair without it splitting. I wouldn't use an adapted flairing tool for stainless. Rigid has an excellent compound flairing tool that can't be beat for ease and quality of flair.
The fittings you have go by a few different names depending on manufacturer. The biggest advantage to the Ferrulock design is you can make a tighter turn out of the fitting than you can with a JIC. The disadvantage is that when you compress the ferrule to seal the tube, it will compress the tubing, reducing the ID of the tube. You can still bore the ID of the fitting, but now the limiting factor is the compressed ID of the tube.

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Posted: June 14 2003,11:20 am

Post # 9

Ooops, forgot to mention the seamed junk, that stuff will split everytime when you flare it. I've never had the good stuff split on a single flare, with a double everytime!. I also use a Ridgid (don't think they come any better) tool and I use their adapter and I've always had a quality flare out of it.

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miller19j

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Posted: June 16 2003,9:40 am

Post # 10

Sounds good I am all over it!

I have plenty of the good tubing. I got it and the fittings from a major petro-chemical company that shall remain nameless (to protect the innocent).

Now I just have to pick a time to work on the boat. I guess I will wait until the end of summer now that it is working otherwise the wife will kill me!

Thanks for the help guys! :good

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miller19j

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Posted: June 16 2003,9:41 am

Post # 11

That looks trick! I am hoping to do something like that. Without the waterpump! Â