Radiator hoses: how to tell if they need replacing

[WhyMe]

I must say that i am very lax at changing radiator hoses. Of the many cars i have owned, i recall only changing one upper hose and that one had a bulge in it.

So what is the method to inspect and determine if its time to replace them?

 

[Donald]

Bulges, cracks and how flexible it is. Squeeze it when its around room temp. and see how easy it flexes. Note there can be a spring inside to fool you when you squeeze it.

 

[JHZR2]

I have 30+ year old hoses in my mercedes cars, and 22 year old hoses on my BMW. All original radiators too.

No reason to replace unless something looks bad (crack, bulge, squish, etc), or there is a leak that you cant get to seal. I did have to replace one 30 year old hose between the radiator and pressurized cooling tank on my 82 because it would weep coolant for whatever reason... New hose, problem solved.

 

[GMBoy]

I usually change all the hoses out at the 5-6 yr mark. Hoses are cheap and you cannot see the damage done internally or by ozone and heat. Cheap insurance....a bad hose will burst at the worst possible time and that is something I choose to avoid.

 

[UNC017]

Originally Posted By: GMBoy
I usually change all the hoses out at the 5-6 yr mark. Hoses are cheap and you cannot see the damage done internally or by ozone and heat. Cheap insurance....a bad hose will burst at the worst possible time and that is something I choose to avoid.


Same here, although I've run a little longer in recent years. If you squeeze a hose at room temperature and it feels stiff or (worse) you hear a faint crackling sound... time to replace. But like GMBoy said- 5-7 years is about my limit.

 

[HerrStig]

Hoses which flex in odd ways sometimes fail more quickly than we would like, engine layouts the manufacturer has been doing for a while, like the Camry I 4s seem to have the bugs worked out of hose placement and life. Toyota, I am told, carefully calculates the force needed to keep a hose clamp from leaking and uses specific band clamps, not worm gear drive clamps which can be overtightened especially on PLASTIC radiator fittings. BTW a good supply of worm drive hose clamps can be very useful, just not on plastic radiators unless you use real care. Don't ask me how I know.

 

[Kool1]

When I used Dayco or Goodyear brand hoses, I always saw light cracks and the hoses would become stiffer around the 5 year mark. With the Gates hoses I have on the CRV which I put in around 2007, I don't see any cracks. The vehicle has 140,000 miles and the hoses themselves have about 80,000 miles. I'm not saying there aren't any internal cracks or that the hoses won't burst on my anytime but there certainly aren't any visiblbe external cracks at this time. The hoses still feel pliable and like new.

 

[MBS500]

Hoses still look good on my 98 MB, same as other rubber parts, except engine and transmission mounts, wipers were bad.

 

[KrisZ]

I think I only had to replace one hose in one of my old beaters I had as a student. I don't think these cars had their cooling system serviced on a regular basis.

I know lots of people here go by the "cheap insurance" route but I can never buy into that thinking. To me it's a waste of time, money and resources to replace something that is designed to work for a long time, just because it hit some arbitrary age number.

Besides, I make sure to not spill oil on the hoses and clean them right away if I do. Also I clean the engine bay regularly and dress all rubber and plastic components with tire spray, so they stay flexible, clean and I can easily spot symptoms that may cause the hose to fail. Chances of the hose just spontaneously bursting on me are pretty low.

There are very few things on a car that fail without a reason or signs that could be caught with periodic inspections.

 

[Chris142]

Hoses go bad fron the inside out. 20+ yrs on a hose is way past its expected life. Makes me wonder if the cooling system is holding pressure

 

[UNC017]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Toyota, I am told, carefully calculates the force needed to keep a hose clamp from leaking and uses specific band clamps, not worm gear drive clamps which can be overtightened especially on PLASTIC radiator fittings.


Don't give Toyota extra credit for a simple thing that almost every manufacturer has done for years- they were nowhere near the first adopter. Even the old round wire spring clamps used by GM and Mopar in the 1960s were intended to provide a consistent clamping force (Ford, oddly, used a screw type clamp without a worm gear- hard to describe them, but they're a key part of a 'correct' Ford restoration). Today's flat band clamps - in use since the 80s on cars I've had- are better than the round wire clamps and much easier to deal with.

The problem with worm gear clamps is lack of elasticity. When the hose and fitting expand relative to the clamp, the clamp is *tight*. But if they shrink slightly as they cool relative to the clamp, it can become much looser. A spring clamp provides a constant clamping force even as things heat up and cool down.

 

[PandaBear]

I found my hoses bulge when they get old, and that's the time I replace them.

 

[Doog]

I replace them if I have any cooling system work done where they have to remove them. Otherwise usually never. I haven't had one go bad since the 1970's.

 

[HM12460]

If you think you need to replace your radiator hoses, you should also consider your heater hoses, water pump by-pass etc... hoses as well.

 

[zzyzzx]

These hoses seem to outlast engines these days.

 

[hsd]

my 71 240Z still has the original radiator and heater hoses along with most everything else as it only has 63k miles

The original braided cloth covering on them is looking a little worn.

 

[Rand]

depends on location too.

I could buy hoses going bad faster in Texas or Florida

vs say... Maine.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Florida fleet owner here. Hoses now generally last well past 250k miles, most of our trucks never need one!

Hoses have improved dramatically.

 

[evoboy]

How long a rad hose or any other hose lasts is mainly down to the rubber compound used and how it has been manufactured. Rubber compounds have improved dramatically over the last 30 years and so have manufacturing techniques. EPDM or EPR are the rubbers mainly used for rad hoses with EPR being the better of the 2. However, if replacement hoses are required try to get silicone types. These will last the life of any vehicle. Some commercial vehicle manufacturers are now fitting these as OEM. Full replacement silicone water hose kits are available for many performance cars now. It can also be bought in cut straight lengths in a wide range of bore sizes.
One thing that kills or drastically reduces the life of normal rad hoses is contact with oil, EPDM and EPR is not resistant to oil. There was also a problem at one time with internal static discharge pinholing the hose. This has been resolved by making the hose conductive.

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: Rand
depends on location too.

I could buy hoses going bad faster in Texas or Florida

vs say... Maine.

Actually hoses last quite a long time in Texas or Florida when compared to Maine.

That is because road salt wears out radiator hoses more quickly.