Author Topic: Running coolant lines through passenger compartment in steel tubing?  (Read 13197 times)

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Offline SteveM

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One of the ideas I'm considering involves running engine coolant tubes through the passenger compartment of my truck.  I want to have the heat exchanger in the bed of the truck, and the engine is in the front.  There's not much room to run the lines under the truck, so I'm considering running them through the passenger compartment.

I would use 1-1/2"  round steel tubing as a carrier for the coolant, with the tubing being sealed tight at the firewall and rear of the passenger compartment.

I don't see any rule-book prohibitions about running coolant lines through the passenger compartment.  If I'm missing something, please point me in the right direction.

As always, help/advice/precautionary tales are welcome.

Steve.
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Offline ggl205

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Re: Running coolant lines through passenger compartment in steel tubing?
« Reply #1 on: April 04, 2017, 11:18:21 AM »
Steve, I am kind of going through a similar issue with my lakester. Lee Kennedy says we cannot run any fuel or coolant lines through the drivers compartment so I am not sure if the passenger side of your truck is considered the driver compartment but would guess that it is. My lakester is a single seat and have separated the driver compartment from the rest of the chassis via aluminum panels and a sub frame, i.e., a space created between the driver and the chassis. No word back from Lee on the legality of this but there are few options when routing fluid from the front of the car to the back. If you hear something from the SCTA tech committee on this subject, I would be most interested.

John

Offline kiwi belly tank

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Re: Running coolant lines through passenger compartment in steel tubing?
« Reply #2 on: April 04, 2017, 11:06:15 PM »
Steve, I would expect your truck has hollow sill's separated from the inside of the vehicle that you could run the plumbing through.
  Sid.

Offline SteveM

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Re: Running coolant lines through passenger compartment in steel tubing?
« Reply #3 on: April 05, 2017, 12:19:34 PM »
Steve, I would expect your truck has hollow sill's separated from the inside of the vehicle that you could run the plumbing through.
  Sid.

That's a cool idea!  I need to do a little poking around to see how much room I can find.
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Offline saltracer1

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Re: Running coolant lines through passenger compartment in steel tubing?
« Reply #4 on: April 05, 2017, 05:11:53 PM »
just wondering, could the intercooler or say a water tank be located in the driver's compartment?
 I don't see anything in the rule book either.

Offline kiwi belly tank

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Re: Running coolant lines through passenger compartment in steel tubing?
« Reply #5 on: April 05, 2017, 08:47:43 PM »
Steve, I would expect your truck has hollow sill's separated from the inside of the vehicle that you could run the plumbing through.
  Sid.

That's a cool idea!  I need to do a little poking around to see how much room I can find.

With that much water volume in the plumbing you might need to use both sills to balance the weight & don't forget to put in a drain plug so you can get the $hit out! :-D.....Woops! Had to modify my profanity. :-D :-D
  Sid.
« Last Edit: April 05, 2017, 08:50:18 PM by kiwi belly tank »

Offline Crackerman

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Re: Running coolant lines through passenger compartment in steel tubing?
« Reply #6 on: April 05, 2017, 09:19:25 PM »
Make your own sills. Whats wronk with running a sealed box on top of said steel coolant lines? Drill some hokes in floor to allow escaping coolant to esacpe if so inclined, but seal passenger compartment from putside and lines, such as sills would allow.


Or, modify tunnel to,make it wider, run,tubing outside compartment and be done.

Offline SteveM

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Re: Running coolant lines through passenger compartment in steel tubing?
« Reply #7 on: April 05, 2017, 11:10:18 PM »
Great ideas, guys. I spent plenty of time searching for ways to route coolant lines, fuel lines, exhaust, etc. I think that using a piece of large-ish square or rectangular tubing (maybe 6x6), I can in fact make my own sealed "sill box" to house the coolant lines.


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Offline NathanStewart

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Re: Running coolant lines through passenger compartment in steel tubing?
« Reply #8 on: April 06, 2017, 01:45:06 PM »
Remember rule 1.A gents.  Don't jump thru hoops or over-engineer your car for rules that don't exist. 
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Offline panic

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Re: Running coolant lines through passenger compartment in steel tubing?
« Reply #9 on: April 15, 2017, 02:02:09 PM »
cannot run any... coolant lines through the drivers compartment

The nanny state is everywhere.

Offline ggl205

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Re: Running coolant lines through passenger compartment in steel tubing?
« Reply #10 on: April 15, 2017, 05:50:53 PM »
So, how much shielding needs to take place in the drivers compartment? Does it have to be through round or rectangular tubing or will splash shields of aluminum do? My single seat driver compartment is fully lined with aluminum sheet but is not fluid tight. I will run water lines down one side and stainless steel branded fuel lines down the other. I wonder if this will satisfy tech?

John

Offline jdincau

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Re: Running coolant lines through passenger compartment in steel tubing?
« Reply #11 on: April 15, 2017, 06:31:21 PM »
Where in the rule book does it say you can't run coolant lines through the cockpit? There are lots of roadsters with the coolant tank adjacent to the driver.
Unless it's crazy, ambitious and delusional, it's not worth our time!

Offline grumm441

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Re: Running coolant lines through passenger compartment in steel tubing?
« Reply #12 on: April 15, 2017, 07:38:25 PM »
Maybe you should ask if you want to be sharing the cabin with what could be super hot coolant
G
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Offline jdincau

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Re: Running coolant lines through passenger compartment in steel tubing?
« Reply #13 on: April 15, 2017, 07:42:26 PM »
I didn't say it was smart, just not prohibited.
Unless it's crazy, ambitious and delusional, it's not worth our time!

Offline RichFox

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Re: Running coolant lines through passenger compartment in steel tubing?
« Reply #14 on: April 15, 2017, 07:57:23 PM »
My water lines run through the drivers compartment. They are -10 Aeroquipt Strat-O-Flex used in 747 over water life rafts. They hold up under the pressure of a black powder charge going off and blowing the gasses into the raft to inflate it. I suspect they are pretty good hoses. And the price was right. No one has questioned them yet. But things change sometimes.