Greetings to all. I am restoring a 1977 XJ6 which has not been run in 20 years. Just rebuilt the carbs and tackled the electrical issues. In the pics below, you will see the coolant line that goes to the carbs, designed to provide heat to the carb intake manifold when its cold out. My plan is to temporarily do away with this coolant flow to the carbs. I do not want to drain the radiator again if I have to remove the carbs again during this resto process. Is there a type of short plug that will fit over the pipe connection that I can clamp on to plug it shut?

Pic shows me holding the water pipe:



The water pipe fitting end (where the short hose clamps onto) is to the right of the distrib:



Up close:
Any thoughts as to the best way to "plug" it up?
Thanks.

 

Not sure up there, but here it is simply called a blanking plug.

Come in different ID sizes, 3/8, 1/2, 5/8, 3/4.

Pretty much available at any Auto Parts store.

About $2 each.

 

Grant.......Thanks. I did not even think about trying to unscrew it and screwing in a plug there.....that makes sense. Guess I will have to do the same thing on the return line just behind it. On the other hand, would it be any better to run a length of hose between the outlet nipple and the inlet nipple?

Getting closer to hearing her run for the first time in 20 years. Marvel Mystery Oil has been soaking in the cylinders for a month now, and the engine was rotated 90 degrees once to get ole Marvel to move to and fro like a Roo in the Outback.

 

A simple by pass hose will be easy and quick, and then just as easy to undo later.

 

Grant......10-4......I agree......the bypass hose will be easier, and allows the coolant to flow if it needs too. Just hope I dont get clumsey installing it, and I will be like Vinny Barberrinno....."up my nose with a rubber hose".
Chow.

 

Update on the coolant bypass idea:

As you can see in this pic, I started the process to bypass the flow of coolant from the carb manifold to the water pump area. Here I just connected the two coolant ports with one piece of hose. This would keep the coolant up in the carb manifolds and in the upper chamber that provides coolant to the cabin heater.



After tracing all the numerous water lines, I realized that the only "return" flow from this upper manifold/carb heater manifolds was either via the return heater hose (which means the heater would have to be "on" in order to have a return flow to the water pump), or via the return flow coming from the base of the carb heater manifolds. So, if I plugged-up and stopped this return flow, then the hot water would just tend to sit in the upper manifold and engine block and have no real way to loop around and back to the water pump. Could create too much heat and alot of pressure.....not a good thing. So, needles to say, the crazy idea is now ditched. I will put her back together the way I found her. This will also prevent headaches to the future owner who may decide to tear into the carbs 20 years from now.

Here is the return flow pipe that drains the coolant from the carb bases and returns it back toward the water pump: Took time to sand the rusty areas, prime, and paint. I could see Cheech and Chong passing this pipe back-n-forth while driving their 64 Impala along the Santa Monica Boulevard......."Hey man, How am I driving?.......I think were parked....".



Here is where the Cheech n Chong pipe fits in:






Now I can mount the carbies, cross my fingers, and hit the starter.........maybe this cat will purr for the first time in 20 years.
Cheers.