After a lot of mock up, trial fitting, and crimping, the A/C and heater lines are finally done. I wanted the lines to have a nice flow, and to not have anything laying on top of the engine. I wound up using an A/C manifold from a 1989 Chevy truck and welding on new ends. This manifold drops both the suction and return lines perfectly between the passenger valve cover and the compressor. I also wanted to keep the high and low service ports near each other, so I built a bracket that bolts to the battery tray.
In this shot, you can see both the heater and A/C lines as they route next to the engine. The A/C lines route next to the engine, and the heater lines route outboard of those. The hose seperators are from Squeeges (Mesa, AZ).
I also wanted to have the capability of shutting the water off to the heater in the summer, so I used a water shutoff from Sharkbite. These parts can be bought at nearly any hardware store and are used for PEX plumbing. It has a 5/8 inlet and outlet, made of solid brass, and nice quality. I unscrewed the valve handle and will keep it in the the glovebox until I need to shut the water on or off. I also installed a Prestone flush manifold (5/8" in/out) to help get the air out when the radiator is filled. The heater box is at about the same height or lower as the radiator cap, so the chance of getting an air pocket in the system is common. On my truck, I plan to jack up the rear and fill the system from the manifold. The heater lines now route behind and below the heater box, so I had to get tricky with the hoses at the heater core. I found the custom molded hoses (made by Gates) at Summit.
