Lower radiator hose
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,753
From: Charlotte NC
Lower radiator hose
I know the lower radiator hose for the earlier Corvettes has the spring in it so it will not suck shut.
But I am having a TOTAL BRAIN fart and can not remember IF GM uses a spring in the lower hose for a 1985???
I may have a 1985 that I feel may be sucking the hose shut due to it being an aftermarket hose that seems to not have a lot of structural rigidity to it when it is cold.
Thanks for any replies.
DUB
But I am having a TOTAL BRAIN fart and can not remember IF GM uses a spring in the lower hose for a 1985???
I may have a 1985 that I feel may be sucking the hose shut due to it being an aftermarket hose that seems to not have a lot of structural rigidity to it when it is cold.
Thanks for any replies.
DUB
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 10,036
Likes: 346
From: Anaheim CA
My '86 had a spring in the lower hose but it had major rust problems so I threw it away. I haven't seen any problems with the new hose without the spring.
I would think the hose would be stiffer when it's cold and get soft when it's hot.
I would think the hose would be stiffer when it's cold and get soft when it's hot.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,753
From: Charlotte NC
Radiator is NEW....the new hose is SOFT when cold. I would prefer the hose having some rigidity to it.
I will crank it this weekend and get it hot and rev it up and see if I can see the hose being sucked shut.
Thanks antfarmer2 and Cliff Harris.
DUB
I will crank it this weekend and get it hot and rev it up and see if I can see the hose being sucked shut.
Thanks antfarmer2 and Cliff Harris.
DUB
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 15,926
Likes: 579
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
cjpony parts sells different dia/lengths of springs
Shocked at how different factory/auto pts hoses differ in quality
took the originals off a 90 one ton last week, soft but real thick.
The best Gates I could find were thin and flimsy.
By pass hose from dealer, also gates but super thick and stout.
Make sure your rad. cap is correct and fresh had a hose suck shut over one before.
BTW Dub paint we pm'ed about rubbed out great!
Shocked at how different factory/auto pts hoses differ in quality
took the originals off a 90 one ton last week, soft but real thick.
The best Gates I could find were thin and flimsy.
By pass hose from dealer, also gates but super thick and stout.
Make sure your rad. cap is correct and fresh had a hose suck shut over one before.
BTW Dub paint we pm'ed about rubbed out great!
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,753
From: Charlotte NC
I have numerous springs that I take out of lower hoses that I throw away and the springs are good.
The radiator cap is new and good and pressure tested. An AC Delco RC-27 15psi CLOSED SYSTEM cap.
I hope to run it tomorrow and see what happens.
DUB
The radiator cap is new and good and pressure tested. An AC Delco RC-27 15psi CLOSED SYSTEM cap.
I hope to run it tomorrow and see what happens.
DUB
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,751
Likes: 275
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
I always use the coiled spring in the lower radiator hose, I came across the same issue when one hose had a shorter spring.
Part of the lower hose would collapse blocking the flow at higher rpm,
installed the spring out of my old hose and all was good again.
I have a water pump with a curved vane impeller, not the cheap tin paddle with no sides that aid cavitation.
I doubt one of those pumps would be able to suck enough to collapse the inlet hose, however the spring is a must I even open it larger at the ends so it cannot enter the pump.