Coolant filter install location

[tinmanSC]

I've searched around and not really found a good answer to this. Let's say you had a Lexus GS300 and wanted to install a coolant filter. I understand the heater hoses are not always active, they are only active when the heat on. At least, that's how it is in my SC300. There is a coolant flow control switch inline with the heater hose coming off the back of the engine. I assume the GS has the same thing, but I admit I have not gone searching. Installing it in the line coming from the radiator to the overflow bottle would seem equally pointless. Am I missing something here?

 

[SHOZ]

Many newer engines have the heater core coolant always circulating.

On the coolant filter I bought the hole on it is very small, about 5/32". So it would not work with heater core hoses.

My system has a 3/8" coolant hose that bypasses the radiator, running from the upper hose to the water pump. T-stat is on the lower radiator hose.

 

[bullwinkle]

Originally Posted By: SHOZ
Many newer engines have the heater core coolant always circulating.

On the coolant filter I bought the hole on it is very small, about 5/32". So it would not work with heater core hoses.

My system has a 3/8" coolant hose that bypasses the radiator, running from the upper hose to the water pump. T-stat is on the lower radiator hose.
Why wouldn't the 5/32" hole work? A coolant filter is just a bypass style filter, it doesn't require ALL the coolant to flow through at once, just a percentage. The coolant filter between the heater hoses on my F-Super Duty works fine that way.

 

[SHOZ]

It would work with a tee. I

 

[DoubleWasp]

You would tee the line before the control valve, so no matter what the control valve is doing, the filter is always being sent coolant flow.

It doesn't matter if your bypass is teed off from a heater hose, radiator hose, or the whole Atlantic ocean. It is going to self regulate.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Just as Bullwinkle said, it's just like a bypass oil filter. It doesn't filter all the flow, just a portion of it.

One caveat: beware of back pressure. Make sure you flow freely without resistance...