[xj-s] Heater Core Filter

["Kirbert" <palmk@mailer.gadcomm.net>]

A pair of Gano radiator hose filters is on order.  However, the Gano 
literature also offers a smaller filter assembly for protecting the 
heater core from plugging.  My immediate reaction was "Who cares?  If 
the heater core gets plugged, it doesn't damage the engine."

On top of this, the basic radiator hose filter is in a clear tube so 
you can see the screen getting plugged (you can get a brass version, 
I guess for plastic-phobes) while the filter assembly for the heater 
hose is brass and must be disassembled if you suspect pluggage.

So, I didn't order one.  Then, today, I'm shopping for other stuff, 
and two realizations came to me:

a)  The heater core getting plugged might not damage the engine, but 
it'd still be no picnic to fix.

b)  I don't need to get this item from Gano; it's available in any 
hardware store!  All it requires is a pair of fittings for a 5/8" 
garden hose, and one of those hose washers with the built-in conical 
screen.

FYI, garden hose fittings generally come in three flavors:  The 
plastic crap, the slightly better "corrogated" brass (made of thin 
brass formed to shape), and actual quality fittings machined from 
solid brass.  This being the US, 95% of consumers are morons who buy 
the plastic crap, and 95% of retailers are also morons who cater to 
this stupidity rather than making the slightest efforts towards 
educating their customers on why a better product is the wiser buy.  
So, the solid machined brass items are a little hard to find.

I found that Home Depot carries an excellent set.  Made by Nelson, 
item N-1558 B, "5/8" Brass Hose Repair -- Extra Heavy Duty Rod Brass" 
contains a male fitting, a female fitting, two SS worm screw hose 
clamps, and one rubber washer -- IOW, everything you need except that 
you'll need to pitch the simple washer and install a screened washer 
instead.  This set costs about $5, and the screened washers are cheap 
-- I had some already since I use them in the lines to the washing 
machine (the application they are typically intended for).  In fact, 
with a little shopping you can actually find screened washers in two 
or three different screen grid sizes (I chose the biggest holes I 
could find; the fine ones are REALLY fine).  After screwing the 
two fittings together with this screened washer in the middle, just 
cut the heater hose from the engine to the heater valve and install 
this assembly with the clamps.

An alternative method might be to simply buy a 5/8" hose intended to 
connect a washing machine to the faucet.  These hoses are about 5 
feet long and already have the screened washer in place.  All 
you need to do is cut the hose in the middle somewhere, screw the 
ends together, and install the entire hose as the line from the 
engine to the heater valve.  It might not actually be made of 
automotive heater hose, but these hoses are intended to carry 
domestic hot water and be reliable enough that you can go on vacation 
for a month and not worry about the hose bursting and flooding your 
house while you're gone.

You'll probably need to clean it out a coupla times right off the 
bat, since an unscreened system is probably circulating a lot of 
crap.  Cleaning this thing should be easy, though, since you can 
easily install this thing at the VERY highest point in the system and 
not even have to do any draining.  Just unscrew the two hose fittings 
from each other, clean out the crud, and reassemble.

Will the screen in the line reduce flow to the heater core?  Perhaps. 
 Here in FL, we couldn't care less; any flow at all is enough, and 
most of the time we'd rather have LESS flow.  But you guys who live 
in the less habitable climates might think before installing this 
screen.  I have this suggestion:  Install the screen assembly, and 
then when winter approaches, unscrew the fittings and replace the 
screened washer with a normal hose washer.  That way, you get 
filtration in the summer, full flow in the winter.  With any luck at 
all, the filtration in the summer will take enough of the crud out of 
the system that there won't be any pluggage during the winter.

 -- Kirbert      |     If anything is to be accomplished,
                 |     some rules must be broken.
                 |          - Palm's Postulate

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