GM Plastic Heater Hose T-Fitting(s) Broke!

[RonRonnster]

jetman - how long did this job take you? I've seen this happen on a friend's Silverado (on the highway as well) and I'm just about convinced I should proactively replace these tees on our Yukon. It's an incredibly tight fit right next to the firewall - not looking forward to it.

 

[ls1mike]

Have the tool to remove them. It makes it a lot easier. I did on the old truck, no rear heat so was pretty easy.

 

[jetman]

Me? 3 hours at least. In theory 30 mins. Let me tell yawl the rest of my story.

The wife and I were suppose to be making the 1000 mile one day drive to our other home in the mtns of CO the day the T broke, 12-24-19. There is a whole lot of nothing on this drive. It would have been bad. But we had postponed the trip because I was getting a cold. I had the new billet t-fittings in the seat back pocket when the plastic T failed. I had been procrastinating because of the cost$ of all the other stuff(hoses, coolant, wp, etc) that I wanted to change at the same time when I tackled the T fitting job.

The plastic units are suppose to be quik release, but I have yet to meet anyone that didn't have a heck of a time getting them loose, me included. Also, the worm clamps for the billet units are difficult to reach.

Be pro-active! Don't procrastinate.

 

[super20dan]

this is a very important topic and happened on my 99 silverado. by the time you pull over you will have most all of your coolant. even with the tool these fittings are a job to get off. i cut mine off with a sawsall. i tell every gm truck owner i know about this issue. mine didnt break till year 18 but dont wait. i would guess 10 years is tops to push this plastic fitting.

 

[4WD]

I had clamps and water so finished destroying the fitting knowing I'd go direct on the nipple.
Bought my 1st GM truck in 1984 and that's my lone failure …
But they are tucked away … think I'll freshen up around 5 year mark …
LS Mike … who makes the tool you speak of ?

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted by 4WD
I had clamps and water so finished destroying the fitting knowing I'd go direct on the nipple.
Bought my 1st GM truck in 1984 and that's my lone failure …
But they are tucked away … think I'll freshen up around 5 year mark …
LS Mike … who makes the tool you speak of ?

Maybe it is before they break. I have used this one a few times.

quick disconnect

 

[2009Caraman]

2008 and up Caravans are notorious for plastic y pipes going to the heater cores breaking. Usually around 100 000 miles. They sit directly over the exhaust manifold. Aluminum y-splitter is the economical fix. People who don't research it have to buy factory replacement hoses which are $300.

 

[KE7JFF]

What a retired Chrysler engineer told me was that that GM went crazy on "advanced plastics" that he is pretty sure they forgot to do wear testing on some of these components. Chrysler he went a little crazy too during the German occupation but Mercedes had a wear test program that aimed to let most of these plastic components fail at 125k.