Heater hose questions

[mclasser]

The metal portion of my Infiniti's oil cooler line (#6) is badly rusted and I'd like to fix it now before it pukes coolant somewhere in the middle of the winter.

I'm thinking of bypassing the metal line by splicing in a length of heater hose. My questions:

- Is one brand of hose better than another? AFAIK, all heater hoses are constructed with EPDM and meet certain standards. Is it worth buying Gates over the Autozone brand?

- At the ends, I'll need to join 2 hoses together. Do they sell couplers? Should I replace the original spring clamps with the worm gear kind for good measure?

 

[Leo99]

I used some ATF rubber hose to replace a rusting metal tranny coolant line. I used new clamps and went from metal to hose to metal so I'd replace part 3 also assuming that's rubber. Took out any older rubber hoses but had to rig up some clamps to hold everything in place. The metal lines have ferrules on the end to hold the hoses better.

Don't know if heater hose is the best hose for an oil line.

 

[mclasser]

Yep, the new length of hose is intended to replace little hose #3 and metal line #6. One end will connect to hose #5 with a coupler & 2 clamps, and the other end directly into oil filter housing #1 with a clamp.

This line only carries coolant, not any hydraulic fluids.

 

[Leo99]

Originally Posted By: mclasser
Yep, the new length of hose is intended to replace little hose #3 and metal line #6. One end will connect to hose #5 with a coupler & 2 clamps, and the other end directly into oil filter housing #1 with a clamp.

This line only carries coolant, not any hydraulic fluids.


You said it was an oil cooler line...but it doesn't carry oil?

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: mclasser
- At the ends, I'll need to join 2 hoses together. Do they sell couplers?

Originally Posted By: mclasser
Should I replace the original spring clamps with the worm gear kind for good measure?


The constant tension spring clamps are superior to worm clamps.

 

[mclasser]

It's listed as an "oil cooler" line, but it carries coolant from the engine to the oil filter housing.

 

[Ihatetochangeoil]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4

The constant tension spring clamps are superior to worm clamps.


I prefer these also. They are OEM on most GM products, NOT because they are a superior clamp, but because they are also faster and easier to install on an assembly line, where time=money.

Nevertheless, they are a superior clamp in service because they are constantly applying the spring pressure to the hose, even when the hose softens with age and gets smaller due to being compressed. I haven't been to a parts store near me that stocks them, so I buy them 10-25 at a time on eBay.

The worm gear type do not continue to exert pressure on a hose that has compressed.

 

[Trav]

Go to Home Depot and get a barbed connector, use Gates hose, its reinforced and will last. No worm clamps they will be a problem in cold temps.
This one is 3/8 it may be the correct size (10mm).

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Sioux-Chief-3-8-in-Lead-Free-Brass-Barb-Splicer-903-121601/300260118

 

[mk378]

Why not remove #5 as well and do a full run end to end with one piece of new hose? More connections mean more opportunity for problems.

 

[mclasser]

Thanks everyone. That barbed connector seems solid, Trav. Will use that along with OEM spring tension clamps.

This hose will see low pressure with the coolant. Should I stick with heater hose, or use an oil hose? What's the difference?

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: mclasser
Thanks everyone. That barbed connector seems solid, Trav. Will use that along with OEM spring tension clamps.

This hose will see low pressure with the coolant. Should I stick with heater hose, or use an oil hose? What's the difference?

Oil hoses fail quickly when exposed to antifreeze.
Heater and other hoses fail quickly when exposed to oils.

This is why you shouldn't replace one type with the other.