Vintage 1966 220 what is this in the engine compartment?

My friends 220 made the ride to and from North Jersey to Carlisle without issue. It did run a bit warmer than optimal. Never got to total overheat though. I was looking at this add on piece on the engine and thought it may contribute to some extra heat. I think it's a block heater. If it is flowing hot coolant through it then the engine would run hotter. Not seen is the upper hose on the unit which runs along the inner fender to the side of the thermostat housing where the Aux air valve woud be on a B20E. As you can see in the picture the lower hose on it connects to the petcock.

I think this being in his car was great when the car was in AK. But now with the high rpms of freeway driving and hot east coast weather it doesn't seem ideal to have the hot coolant recirculate like that. Take it out?

Looks like the heater hose fitting on the back of the head, but no idea what it is routed to????
Steve

That looks like someone used something to plug off or reroute the block drain petcock. Not sure what that chamber thing is.

The heater system is separate from this. In the picture the lower hose on the silver unit is going down to the petcock where you drain the block. The upper hose on the unit that disappears out of the picture runs along the right inner fender and connects to the side of the thermostat housing. It has coolant flowing through it and the hoses are heater type hoses.

It looks like one of these block heaters.



It might be circulating hot water headed for the radiator to the back of the head where the temp gauge sender lives. Try pinching the hose and see if the temps come down.

Thank you. I will try that first before surgery.

Ah! That is the block drain!!!!
(Bigger monitors at work.....)
Steve

I messaged him and asked him to try the hose pinch first. Give me a day or so for results. Thanks so much for the suggestions.