Tubing from Water Pump to Thermostat Housing

Anthony · Aug 9, 2016

Does the tubing from the water pump to thermostat housing usually snap off when you go to remove it? (1655 Diesel) I have the nuts broken slightly loose but the tube is froze to the nuts and I'm sure if I try to turn any further it will break the tube off. I've tried PB Blaster and also some heat, but so far no luck. Should I just give up and try to make a new piece from copper or steel tube? I'm not the handiest at bending and flaring these things, or is there something else I could use to replace? The tube in there now is copper, maybe it was replaced by previous owner.

Married2Allis · Aug 9, 2016

No - the by-pass line is thick-walled rigid 1/4" copper, not soft copper tubing. I would go ahead and try to loosen them with a 7/16" flare wrench. The nuts are steel. They will break loose because the tubing is copper and the fitting below that is brass. Worst case, you can get new tubing and brass fittings. The 45-degree fittings are available at NAPA. That by-pass tube is a real pain-in-the-@$$ to line-up correctly without cross-threading the brass fittings. I just went through this twice in the past few months, first with the T-stat and then last week with a new water pump. If you wanted to you could simply use rubber fuel line for the by-pass. But the reason it is rigid copper I believe is durability ... in case something flew off the fan blades.

Married2Allis · Aug 10, 2016

Probably the best solution is to have braided steel lines made. Screw the ends directly into the cast pump and thermostat housings, and toss the brass fittings.

Anthony · Aug 10, 2016

(quoted from post at 05:43:22 08/10/16) Probably the best solution is to have braided steel lines made. Screw the ends directly into the cast pump and thermostat housings, and toss the brass fittings.

Sounds like a good idea, as long as they can take the heat up there.
Like I said, I have the steel nuts slightly loose (flare wrench) but I'm pretty sure if I keep loosening, then the tubing is going to break off as it is seized into the nuts. I found the nuts on mine to be 11 mm, a hair smaller than 7/16". Maybe previous owner changed to metric fittings and soft copper. I may stay with the 45° elbows if it makes for smoother bends.
Thanks for all the suggestions.

Anthony · Aug 10, 2016

PS. Agco shows a part number for this piece:
57583AA, Line - Water Vent

Tubing from Water Pump to Thermostat Housing

Anthony

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Married2Allis

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Married2Allis

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Anthony

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Anthony

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