Radiator hose life expectancy
Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 693
Likes: 2
From: Los Angeles CA
My plastic T broke several years ago, dumping coolant.
Could not find a brass T at autozone, so ended up buying an assortment of vacuum T's that was cheap.
Wasn't sure it was up to task, but it's been doing it's job for several years now, so that's a cheap option if you want to try.
That reminds me I should put an extra T in my rear compartment, instead of keeping that box of T's on my garage shelf where it's been sitting for years and won't help me if mine fails on the street.
Could not find a brass T at autozone, so ended up buying an assortment of vacuum T's that was cheap.
Wasn't sure it was up to task, but it's been doing it's job for several years now, so that's a cheap option if you want to try.
That reminds me I should put an extra T in my rear compartment, instead of keeping that box of T's on my garage shelf where it's been sitting for years and won't help me if mine fails on the street.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,684
Likes: 107
From: Opelika Alabama
See CMY SIX post above with the sizes for the T, he was going to look for a part number as well.
But his numbers aren't accurate - it's not ¼" hose. Eyeballing it, it seems the hoses from the overflow and to the heater core are 5/8 and T to the thermostat housing is ¾ but I didn't pull the hoses to check that so don't trust those dimensions.
Maybe CMY SIX kept the part number and will chime in.
But his numbers aren't accurate - it's not ¼" hose. Eyeballing it, it seems the hoses from the overflow and to the heater core are 5/8 and T to the thermostat housing is ¾ but I didn't pull the hoses to check that so don't trust those dimensions.
Maybe CMY SIX kept the part number and will chime in.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,684
Likes: 107
From: Opelika Alabama
eleven years is really pushing it! 5 is about the norm IMHO. I replaced mine in an 06 I made the T'ed hose my self you can get the T from Grainger and it's like a 1/4 to 3/8. the factory hose is like $80 it was the one of the heater hoses{lower} that was hard to get and it's some ODDBALL size and I couldn't just get a piece of hose that would work. BTW the T was stainless steel but I think the make it in brass too, sorry I don't know why I didn't keep the Part#, maybe I can find it at work tomorow. hoses also don't "wear on the inside" they start to delamiate, and get soft and sqwishey, mordern one are BETTER, but 5-6 years and I would be changing them, mine were 6
OK! let me claify, there is a "tee'd hose" large diameter that one I had to buy,VERY ODD SIZE HOSE COULD NOT FIND A TEE but there IS a small diameter "tee'd" hose from the overflow tank to the top of the radiator and the tee'd line to the thermostat or right around there on the top of the block. that one IS 3/8X1/4X3/8 this one I made I got the TEE from Grainger it is SS part # 4HFN7 NOW! to those of you that think that TODAYS materials and manufacturing methods are better YOU ARE RIGHT, but you are friggin nuts if you think rubber hoses are lifetime or you can look at them and see "they look alright to me" don't post that "my car is a 2005 with 45000 miles and mine are just fine"{your a garage queen} don't be telling someone else with no more brains then you "not to worry about it" If you want to take a chance in a $55000 car in the middle of nowhere in TX or AZ in the middle of summer {hell I've seen hoses go in -20} for TEN YEARS OR MORE? then go right ahead, but don't tell some poor bastard to do it too because your that stupid REMEMBER THESE CARS RUN HOT AS IT IS! we see 220-230 in traffic when I lived in LA, that why I put in a DeWitts and in traffic it still soars, so if you want to take a chance on toasting your motor go right ahead! cars ARE machines and machines requier maintenance,
Race Director
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 16,667
Likes: 1,209
From: Raleigh, NC
St. Jude Donor '15
OK! let me claify, there is a "tee'd hose" large diameter that one I had to buy,VERY ODD SIZE HOSE COULD NOT FIND A TEE but there IS a small diameter "tee'd" hose from the overflow tank to the top of the radiator and the tee'd line to the thermostat or right around there on the top of the block. that one IS 3/8X1/4X3/8 this one I made I got the TEE from Grainger it is SS part # 4HFN7 NOW! to those of you that think that TODAYS materials and manufacturing methods are better YOU ARE RIGHT, but you are friggin nuts if you think rubber hoses are lifetime or you can look at them and see "they look alright to me" don't post that "my car is a 2005 with 45000 miles and mine are just fine"{your a garage queen} don't be telling someone else with no more brains then you "not to worry about it" If you want to take a chance in a $55000 car in the middle of nowhere in TX or AZ in the middle of summer {hell I've seen hoses go in -20} for TEN YEARS OR MORE? then go right ahead, but don't tell some poor bastard to do it too because your that stupid REMEMBER THESE CARS RUN HOT AS IT IS! we see 220-230 in traffic when I lived in LA, that why I put in a DeWitts and in traffic it still soars, so if you want to take a chance on toasting your motor go right ahead! cars ARE machines and machines requier maintenance,
Once goes from the coolant tank, to the heater and to the waterpump, near the thermostat. THis one has two hoses that are the same size, then one hose that is a different size. O Reiley's has a Tee fitting that has steps on it and it will fit either size hose. That is what I used in re-making that hose on mine. 5/8 and 3/4. This particular hose is a total pain in the *** to deal with on supercharged cars, so I do recommend ripping off the stock stuff and making your own if you are FI, or at least cutting the stock stuff and adding to it to route it differently.
Connector:
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...0886&ppt=C0108
There is another (smaller) hose that runs from the radiator, to the steam vents on the front of the engine and also to the coolant tank. The radiator/coolant tanks are one size and the steam vent connection is slightly smaller. For this one I had something rigged up but ended up buying/installing a new GM hose as I was afraid what I had came up with would start leaking once the weather got hot enough for me to see some real cooling system pressure. I can't remember the sizes on this, but it was something strange like 10mm on two of the connections and 8mm on the smaller one. Better to just use the GM part on this one.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 877
Likes: 102
From: TX Hill Country
Which hose are you guys talking about? There are two with T's in them
Once goes from the coolant tank, to the heater and to the waterpump, near the thermostat. THis one has two hoses that are the same size, then one hose that is a different size. O Reiley's has a Tee fitting that has steps on it and it will fit either size hose. That is what I used in re-making that hose on mine. 5/8 and 3/4. This particular hose is a total pain in the *** to deal with on supercharged cars, so I do recommend ripping off the stock stuff and making your own if you are FI, or at least cutting the stock stuff and adding to it to route it differently.
Connector:
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...0886&ppt=C0108
Once goes from the coolant tank, to the heater and to the waterpump, near the thermostat. THis one has two hoses that are the same size, then one hose that is a different size. O Reiley's has a Tee fitting that has steps on it and it will fit either size hose. That is what I used in re-making that hose on mine. 5/8 and 3/4. This particular hose is a total pain in the *** to deal with on supercharged cars, so I do recommend ripping off the stock stuff and making your own if you are FI, or at least cutting the stock stuff and adding to it to route it differently.
Connector:
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...0886&ppt=C0108
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,649
Likes: 863
As far as hose life goes - that is a very good question... I generally change radiator (and bypass) hoses at 10 years. I do tend to think the upper rad hose that carries the hottest coolant is typically the one that looks the "worst" when I change them.
But what I find interesting is that it seems VERY FEW people change coolant (in their daily drivers) these days - and I expect that of those who do change coolant - not all that many actually change their hoses until they see (er. make that - experience) a problem - yet we see VERY few cars broken down by the side of the road. Seriously - if most hoses would fail in 15 years - I would expect to see a lot more cars pulled off the road with plumes of steam rising from the hoods.
I'm not trying to suggest that people don't assess what happens if there is a failure, and try to act accordingly (there is clearly a difference between losing a hose or a tire or any number of other components on the Garden State parkway in NJ where there are probably about 50 places that have flatbed towing capability within 30 minutes as compared to losing a hose etc. while driving on secondary roads in say Colorado where the nearest tow company may be well over an hour away). My point is that the rubber they use in hoses these days seems pretty darn durable, and failures are seemingly not all that common. Still though - I would rather change the hoses on my schedule and at a time I find convenient - rather than having to deal with a questionable hose when it's a balmy 3 degrees out.
But what I find interesting is that it seems VERY FEW people change coolant (in their daily drivers) these days - and I expect that of those who do change coolant - not all that many actually change their hoses until they see (er. make that - experience) a problem - yet we see VERY few cars broken down by the side of the road. Seriously - if most hoses would fail in 15 years - I would expect to see a lot more cars pulled off the road with plumes of steam rising from the hoods.
I'm not trying to suggest that people don't assess what happens if there is a failure, and try to act accordingly (there is clearly a difference between losing a hose or a tire or any number of other components on the Garden State parkway in NJ where there are probably about 50 places that have flatbed towing capability within 30 minutes as compared to losing a hose etc. while driving on secondary roads in say Colorado where the nearest tow company may be well over an hour away). My point is that the rubber they use in hoses these days seems pretty darn durable, and failures are seemingly not all that common. Still though - I would rather change the hoses on my schedule and at a time I find convenient - rather than having to deal with a questionable hose when it's a balmy 3 degrees out.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 6,457
Likes: 297
From: corpus christi Texas
As far as hose life goes - that is a very good question... I generally change radiator (and bypass) hoses at 10 years. I do tend to think the upper rad hose that carries the hottest coolant is typically the one that looks the "worst" when I change them.
But what I find interesting is that it seems VERY FEW people change coolant (in their daily drivers) these days - and I expect that of those who do change coolant - not all that many actually change their hoses until they see (er. make that - experience) a problem - yet we see VERY few cars broken down by the side of the road. Seriously - if most hoses would fail in 15 years - I would expect to see a lot more cars pulled off the road with plumes of steam rising from the hoods.
I'm not trying to suggest that people don't assess what happens if there is a failure, and try to act accordingly (there is clearly a difference between losing a hose or a tire or any number of other components on the Garden State parkway in NJ where there are probably about 50 places that have flatbed towing capability within 30 minutes as compared to losing a hose etc. while driving on secondary roads in say Colorado where the nearest tow company may be well over an hour away). My point is that the rubber they use in hoses these days seems pretty darn durable, and failures are seemingly not all that common. Still though - I would rather change the hoses on my schedule and at a time I find convenient - rather than having to deal with a questionable hose when it's a balmy 3 degrees out.
But what I find interesting is that it seems VERY FEW people change coolant (in their daily drivers) these days - and I expect that of those who do change coolant - not all that many actually change their hoses until they see (er. make that - experience) a problem - yet we see VERY few cars broken down by the side of the road. Seriously - if most hoses would fail in 15 years - I would expect to see a lot more cars pulled off the road with plumes of steam rising from the hoods.
I'm not trying to suggest that people don't assess what happens if there is a failure, and try to act accordingly (there is clearly a difference between losing a hose or a tire or any number of other components on the Garden State parkway in NJ where there are probably about 50 places that have flatbed towing capability within 30 minutes as compared to losing a hose etc. while driving on secondary roads in say Colorado where the nearest tow company may be well over an hour away). My point is that the rubber they use in hoses these days seems pretty darn durable, and failures are seemingly not all that common. Still though - I would rather change the hoses on my schedule and at a time I find convenient - rather than having to deal with a questionable hose when it's a balmy 3 degrees out.
