Radiator Hose Replacement

Post Reply
User avatar
FRUNKenstein
Curator Extraordinaire
Posts: 3938
Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2018 11:02 pm
Location: Wheat field, dammit, wheat!
Contact:

Radiator Hose Replacement

Post by FRUNKenstein » Mon Jul 15, 2019 11:06 pm

My lower radiator hose (passenger side) sprung a leak. My non-Porsche Indy mechanic quoted me basically $1,000 to replace it because he wanted to do the upper radiator hose and serpentine belt as WYAIT items. I do a quick forum search and confirm that the lower hose is a bit of a challenge. But, the part is only about $60, and I’m not too keen on spending another $900+ just to replace the upper hose and serpentine belt. The trick is getting the lower end fitting separated from the radiator. Everything else is easy. There is a good DIY on Pelican Parts, but it doesn’t give any tips on how to get that bottom fitting to break loose.

Regarding coming at the lower radiator hose bottom connection from under the vehicle, I have a lift so I thought it might making removal of that VERY stubborn connection easier. It didn’t help really at all. My tip for getting that bottom fitting off is to come at it from above. Grab the plastic neck with your right hand and begin rocking it up and down. At the same time, with your left hand, use a large screwdriver or pry bar to get behind the flange or end of the hose and pry outward. The fitting popped right off when I did this.

Here is a link to the Pelican DIY:

https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticl ... _Hoses.htm
www.kansascityautomuseum.com
Current:
2002 996TT X50, Guards Red
1987 928S4, Guards Red
1987 951, Guards Red
1973 914 2.0 Bahia Red

2006 955S, Lapis Blue
Other toys:
1988 BMW 325i Cabriolet, Alpin Weiss
1987 Bertone X1/9, Verde Chiaro
Gone but not forgotten: 1975 914 2.0, Laguna Blue; 1999 996 C4 Aerokit Black; 1990 964 C2 Guards Red; 2006 955S Arctic Silver

User avatar
gnat
Power-drunk moderator
Posts: 4171
Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2018 6:54 am
Location: Lobby, VWGofA HQ

Re: Radiator Hose Replacement

Post by gnat » Tue Jul 16, 2019 7:44 am

Sounds like the alternator in my old Escape. Gotta wonder about the engineers that look at something like this and think "oh this will never fail, no one needs to get to it easily"...

Has your coolant T been replaced (or is that only a TT issue, I forget)? If not I guess it sounds a little late to say you should do that while you have the hoses off...

User avatar
FRUNKenstein
Curator Extraordinaire
Posts: 3938
Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2018 11:02 pm
Location: Wheat field, dammit, wheat!
Contact:

Re: Radiator Hose Replacement

Post by FRUNKenstein » Tue Jul 16, 2019 8:48 pm

Well, since it’s the bottom radiator hose, the car is nice enough to change it’s coolant itself as soon as that lower fitting pops off. And no, I didn’t spring for the pink stuff. I used the Prestone kind that says “safe for European vehicles”. Yeah, I know, so sue me.
www.kansascityautomuseum.com
Current:
2002 996TT X50, Guards Red
1987 928S4, Guards Red
1987 951, Guards Red
1973 914 2.0 Bahia Red

2006 955S, Lapis Blue
Other toys:
1988 BMW 325i Cabriolet, Alpin Weiss
1987 Bertone X1/9, Verde Chiaro
Gone but not forgotten: 1975 914 2.0, Laguna Blue; 1999 996 C4 Aerokit Black; 1990 964 C2 Guards Red; 2006 955S Arctic Silver

User avatar
gnat
Power-drunk moderator
Posts: 4171
Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2018 6:54 am
Location: Lobby, VWGofA HQ

Re: Radiator Hose Replacement

Post by gnat » Wed Jul 17, 2019 7:39 am

FRUNKenstein wrote: Tue Jul 16, 2019 8:48 pm Well, since it’s the bottom radiator hose, the car is nice enough to change it’s coolant itself as soon as that lower fitting pops off. And no, I didn’t spring for the pink stuff. I used the Prestone kind that says “safe for European vehicles”. Yeah, I know, so sue me.
Well given that you could simply replace the P!g for the 400 gallons you need of the pink stuff, sounds like you made the smart financial plan

User avatar
5chn3ll
Six shots...or only five?
Posts: 4640
Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2018 4:35 pm

Re: Radiator Hose Replacement

Post by 5chn3ll » Wed Jul 17, 2019 9:01 am

Not only am I topping my 996 off with pre-mix Prestone - which is a DIFFERENT COLOR ENTIRELY than what's in my car - it's a gallon jug I did not open myself and that is of unknown provenance.

Catastrophic failure in 3...2...1...

Understeer: You will hit the wall with the front end.
Oversteer: You will hit the wall with the rear end.
Horsepower: How hard you will hit the wall.
Torque: How far you will move the wall.

Gone hunting with Alec Baldwin and Dick Cheney. Back soon.

User avatar
sweet victory
OG (First 100 Outposters!)
Posts: 616
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2018 12:55 pm

Re: Radiator Hose Replacement

Post by sweet victory » Thu Jul 18, 2019 9:21 pm

You're probably going to need remote hose clamp pliers like these to access that clamp.

https://www.tooltruckrebrands.com/rebra ... se%20clamp

User avatar
FRUNKenstein
Curator Extraordinaire
Posts: 3938
Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2018 11:02 pm
Location: Wheat field, dammit, wheat!
Contact:

Re: Radiator Hose Replacement

Post by FRUNKenstein » Fri Jul 19, 2019 1:42 am

sweet victory wrote: Thu Jul 18, 2019 9:21 pm You're probably going to need remote hose clamp pliers like these to access that clamp.

https://www.tooltruckrebrands.com/rebra ... se%20clamp
The lower radiator hose was held on by a screw/band (worm gear) clamp on the top fitting, and then just a wire spring clip on the bottom.
85418FF3-3BBA-4ACA-A6A3-27C4958627DC.jpeg
85418FF3-3BBA-4ACA-A6A3-27C4958627DC.jpeg (69.08 KiB) Viewed 3824 times
So, the clamps weren’t a problem. . . except where you wouldn’t expect it. To refill the radiator, you must either have a radiator vacuum tool (the recommended method)
4BC25CFF-57B7-4821-A133-0DF83820B0D4.jpeg
4BC25CFF-57B7-4821-A133-0DF83820B0D4.jpeg (97.64 KiB) Viewed 3824 times
or you must remove the engine side fitting on the upper radiator hose and fill through that hose (which is messy). But,since I don’t own a vacuum tool, that’s the route I went. That fitting is held on with a standard spring clamp, and it’s sitting right there at the top center of the engine. But unless you are willing to remove the throttle body and associated wiring and hoses, it’s tough to get a pair of pliers on the clip ends. That tool would have been very useful there. The upper hose is the one on the right in this pic:
D9368D21-7EEE-459F-AAA8-1D2B4B8EF643.jpeg
D9368D21-7EEE-459F-AAA8-1D2B4B8EF643.jpeg (102.75 KiB) Viewed 3823 times

Photos borrowed from Pelican website
www.kansascityautomuseum.com
Current:
2002 996TT X50, Guards Red
1987 928S4, Guards Red
1987 951, Guards Red
1973 914 2.0 Bahia Red

2006 955S, Lapis Blue
Other toys:
1988 BMW 325i Cabriolet, Alpin Weiss
1987 Bertone X1/9, Verde Chiaro
Gone but not forgotten: 1975 914 2.0, Laguna Blue; 1999 996 C4 Aerokit Black; 1990 964 C2 Guards Red; 2006 955S Arctic Silver

User avatar
sweet victory
OG (First 100 Outposters!)
Posts: 616
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2018 12:55 pm

Re: Radiator Hose Replacement

Post by sweet victory » Fri Jul 19, 2019 10:11 am

FRUNKenstein wrote: Fri Jul 19, 2019 1:42 am
sweet victory wrote: Thu Jul 18, 2019 9:21 pm You're probably going to need remote hose clamp pliers like these to access that clamp.

https://www.tooltruckrebrands.com/rebra ... se%20clamp
The lower radiator hose was held on by a screw/band (worm gear) clamp on the top fitting, and then just a wire spring clip on the bottom.

85418FF3-3BBA-4ACA-A6A3-27C4958627DC.jpeg

Ahhhh

Post Reply