Over on the Prelude group, I'm working out issues on my mid-engine Mini. https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1283595

While it's a Prelude engine, I know you guys have run into this same issue. Long story short, I put the engine behind the seats and am not using the factory heater or it's hoses. What's the right way to deal with the hoses, connect them together, allowing the coolant to go on it's way, or plug both? My thinking was since there must be a valve in the heater turning on and off the flow, blocking the hoses should be fine, but now I'm not sure. Since I'm having cooling system issues now I'm reexamining how I did everything... thanks.

 

ive always just routed the hose to let the coolant continually flow... coolant is always flowing through the heater core it just has a valve that lets the heat that its creating into the cabin

 

Humm, if true I may have caused my own mess. Thanks!

 

no problemo... i dont know if blocking them off would cause any problems... to my knowledge the only reason those hoses are there is to circulate the coolant through the heater core... i have no idea if they serve another purpose... exactly what kind of cooling problems are you having??

 

A long story. Read the thread at the top!

 

you say the idle coolant circuit is disconnected?... what exactly is disconnected here?... if its any kind of coolant temp sensor or anything then you will have no vtec whatsoever and this may be your problem... i have a vx so you know how powerless that is... if my engine is warm and i disconnect the cts, vtec solenoid, or oil pressure switch that thing will kick so friggin hard and pop like you were stating... if the engine is cold however it will just rev up normally and there will be no crossover

 

The coolant-controlled devices on the H22A1 control how the engine warms up. No, all the sensors are in place and working. Read the thread. Long story short, my ECT sensor does not match the reading from the gauge on the dash. After idling the car for 30 minutes and no fan, the gauge reads 210deg F, while the ECU thinks the engine is only 140deg F. That's why I have no VTEC, but I don't understand why they read so different. One possibility is that the heater hose really must be bypassed and not plugged like I did... I'd really like comments from people who've disconnected their heater.

Read the thread.