Can I remove the small cooling hose that connects from the top center of the circulating pump to the front of the intake manifold and plug the openings without issue?

I know it's there for a reason but didn't know if it was for the heater core on a car engine or something.

My reason is my connection on my edelbrock 454r intake is quite a bit higher and it's a tight bend and the stock hose is too short and I've had water leaks and I'm tired of it.

I had the same problem, I went to the auto parts store and found one that was longer on both ends, never looked it up to see what is was for. I also had to extend both the larger hoses to the pump. I used stainless barbed fittings and a second set of hoses cut for proper fit. Good luck

That is done that way to circulate the cooling water so you don't get hot spots and the t-stat will work better. If you do delete it you might want to put some holes in the T-stat.
I would not remove it.

Ok thanks, I'll leave it maybe try to find the longer hose glenamy found

Not needed with the later 2 exhaust outlet thermostat housing set up.

What do you mean by later? Mine is an 87 with Gils and has the thermostat housing with 2 hoses to manifolds and 2 to risers.

Small blocks don't have this cooling hose and I have my 350 set up with only 2 hoses going from the thermo to the manifolds.

Newer style have only 2 hoses going to the manifolds. Newer style, the bypassed water mixes with cooling water into those 2 hoses.
Older style with 4 exit hoses, the bypassed water went into the hoses that go to the risers.

Okay, answered same question for someone else as OP opened thread with here:

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/g...ting-pump.html

Maybe I'll try it removed and see

works fine removed, some intakes eliminated that port totally, and on cars if you run a elec pump its not there either