I was wondering if anyone had a good reliable way of capping off unused coolant lines? I didn't want to bypass them. I currently have vacuum caps, but I don't want to rely on them. My heater core was leaking so I ended up capping them off with heater hose and a large bolt. It looks ugly!

 

You really should tap them in together, because just blocking them will probably raise your pressure, and it won't flow properly so it may give you cooling problems also. If it were me I would tie them together

 

That's like saying you should run your car with the heat on all the time.... when you turn the heat off in your car is completely closes the passage. There is no reason why you can't block them off.

I have some very large vacuum cap style plugs at advance auto (in the help section) that would probably work well for the heater lines.

 

I'm just scared that those vacuum caps won't hold up in high stress.

 

Replace the heater core. They're inexpensive and not hard to replace. There is a panel you can access from under the driver side of the dash. I ran with the heater core bypassed for years because I thought it required dash removal. You'll be happy to have heat when the windows fog up in the morning/night.

 

I just found this! Silicone High Pressure Nipple Block Off Caps - 034Motorsport | Performance Parts for Audi, Porsche, and Volkswagen

 

I blocked off the heater passage on the drivers side rear iron, and the port on the radiator with about a 2 inch section of heater hose, and a brass plug that is readily availabe at home depot... No problems whatsoever.

 

I may have to do that. Thank you!

 

a loop line works better than those cheesy caps do.

or fix the problem

or drill and put plugs where the passages are, if you have no need to use the ports again


those generic coolant and vacuum caps last about a year, then they crack, then they take your engine with them or cause boost leaks.

 

You have a good way to plug the water line in the back of the engine? I believe it went to the throttle body? Only thing I can think of is to tap it, but I don't want metal shavings in my block

 

when you open an engine with even as little as 10k miles on it you will learn to realize a few small shavings aren't going to be the end of the world.

 

I guess in the coolant passages it will not be too bad