[DIY] Lower radiator hose replacement
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 89,144
Likes: 3
From: Life's tough, wear a helmet.
[DIY] Lower radiator hose replacement
How much of a PITA is it to replace the lower radiator hose? Looks pretty simple at first glance, but so do a lot of things. :)
Pulled into the garage after my hockey game last night (10-2 win, btw) and smelled coolant. Walked around the car and saw a nice little trail of coolant into the garage. Looked under and it was dripping from almost directly under the radiator. Total coolant in the puddle was probably just a couple ounces. The drops were small. It was 10pm so I didn't feel like messing around but I felt around a bit and it was wet at the clamp for the lower radiator hose. I'm guessing this hose is the culprit.
Draining the radiator and dealing with coolant is a pita, but it doesn't look like it's a difficult job to replace this hose. Any tips? Anything else I should do while I'm doing this?
TIA
Pulled into the garage after my hockey game last night (10-2 win, btw) and smelled coolant. Walked around the car and saw a nice little trail of coolant into the garage. Looked under and it was dripping from almost directly under the radiator. Total coolant in the puddle was probably just a couple ounces. The drops were small. It was 10pm so I didn't feel like messing around but I felt around a bit and it was wet at the clamp for the lower radiator hose. I'm guessing this hose is the culprit.
Draining the radiator and dealing with coolant is a pita, but it doesn't look like it's a difficult job to replace this hose. Any tips? Anything else I should do while I'm doing this?
TIA
Pro
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 740
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From: Chelmsford, MA USA
Re: [DIY] Lower radiator hose replacement (Scott 89)
Scott:
I replaced the lower hose on my '87 this past summer. It was not hard, although this may seem a PITA, but it really was not. Removing the clamp and releasing the hose from the rad is easy. There is clearance. But, in order to get the hose clamp/hose off the engine it is a little more work. I removed the serpentine belt from the belt tensioner. There is one bolt holding the tensioner on the block. I removed the bolt and the tensioner came right off. Now I had access to the clamp screw and the end of the hose. The rest was easy.
Bob
I replaced the lower hose on my '87 this past summer. It was not hard, although this may seem a PITA, but it really was not. Removing the clamp and releasing the hose from the rad is easy. There is clearance. But, in order to get the hose clamp/hose off the engine it is a little more work. I removed the serpentine belt from the belt tensioner. There is one bolt holding the tensioner on the block. I removed the bolt and the tensioner came right off. Now I had access to the clamp screw and the end of the hose. The rest was easy.
Bob
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 8,540
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From: And on the fifth day, subpoenas were served to Obama senior staff
Re: [DIY] Lower radiator hose replacement (Scott 89)
Agree with Bob.
While you are in there you will find an aluminum tube running from the heater hose - under the pan and over to the oil cooler. Make sure this tube is not contacting the frame down near where the fuel line come up. I had a major leak at this point (very hard to see). There should be a good inch clearance between this tube and the frame.
Also great time to pull the radiator and get the leaves and what-not out.
I tried gates and goodyear hoses and did not like the fit. Finally bought the GM hose and the fit was perfect and came with the mesh protective cover.
If you do the top hose at the same time, remember there is a spring inside to prevent the hose from collapsing from the suction of the H2O pump input.
Have fun.
Pete
While you are in there you will find an aluminum tube running from the heater hose - under the pan and over to the oil cooler. Make sure this tube is not contacting the frame down near where the fuel line come up. I had a major leak at this point (very hard to see). There should be a good inch clearance between this tube and the frame.
Also great time to pull the radiator and get the leaves and what-not out.
I tried gates and goodyear hoses and did not like the fit. Finally bought the GM hose and the fit was perfect and came with the mesh protective cover.
If you do the top hose at the same time, remember there is a spring inside to prevent the hose from collapsing from the suction of the H2O pump input.
Have fun.
Pete
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,316
Likes: 0
From: Houston, TX
Re: [DIY] Lower radiator hose replacement (PeteL)
I replaced mine with the stainless steel metal hoses from Summitt Racing. My radiator is not stock, but a Howe aftermarket aluminum and not a direct replacement, so to use rubber hoses required an adapter and a second hose attached to the OEM style rubber hose. The steel hose and hook up went great.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,161
Likes: 0
From: Orangeburg, NY
Re: [DIY] Lower radiator hose replacement (Scott 89)
Pete L has an excellent suggestion. Since you have to drain the system and remove one hose, you might as well pull the radiator and clean it and the surrounding area. Once the radiator is removed, 10-15 minute job. you will have plenty of room to get at the hose end connected to the engine. Replace the top hose as well. Make sure you pack the coolant system when replacing the coolant. It simply means that fill the radiator and get the car to operating temperature ( the thermostat will open and you will see a flow of coolant in the radiator). Put the heat on full blast. The level of the coolan should drop. Fill again, then rev the engine to approx. 2000 RPM. The level will drop again. With the engine at 2000 rpm, fill to the top, put the radiator cap on and return to idle. ( this may have to be done more than once (at a later date) due to air in the engine working its way out.
