Leak from Heater Core Hose

[djXternal]

Hey guys well just found where my rad fluid was leaking from I have a hole in the return line from the heater core... It is the larger hose that has the hole, the one attached to the firewall then going to the smaller hoses toward the front of the car....

What im wondering is where can I get a replacement hose and are there any tricks to replacing it without removing the TB or anything like that?

Thanks for the help

 

[dr1665]

This will likely be messy, so be ready for that. You don't want coolant on the ground, as animals are attracted to it and it's poisonous, but you knew that already, so moving right along...

Yank the hose that's bad. Take it to Autozone and buy generic coolant hose in the same diameter. Get a little more than twice the length of that one hose.

When you get home, cut this new section of hose in half. Remove both heater hoses (might as well, since they're right there). Start on whichever side you want and clamp both hoses in place - say, to the hard pipes along the head. Then loop the slack in each hose so there is no kinks and secure the other ends to the inputs on the firewall.

Why have slack in the hoses? They tend to go right next to where they're clamped down. Should you blow one in the future, you stand a good change of being able to reach in there on the side of the road, cut the damaged section off, and then reclamp good hose to the pipes.

That's how I roll. :shrug

 

[djXternal]

Hey thanks alot for the help

 

[dr1665]

Hey thanks alot for the help

No problem. Been there done that. It's a PITA, let me tell you. I had to do it in the dark in an apartment complex parking lot with a flashlight. The only funny thing about it was how high my, then, wife jumped when the one hose burst while the engine was off and she was leaning up against the fender. I heard the pop inside Autozone and looked out the window (I was parked in the first spot). Here she was freaking out because the whole car shook and there was steam coming out of everywhere. Haha. Good times. Good times.

 

[DSMcrazy3]

I've done this before, and as stated, it's definitely no fun. The hardest part for me was getting the hose off of the ports on the firewall.

First time I replaced them I used generic hose of the same diameter. The parts store was 100% positive they would kink..They didn't.

Unfortunantly when I was pulling my tranny, when I dropped the motor it put tension on one of them and caused it to poke a hole in it. So I just replaced with the prebent hoses.

 

[djXternal]

yea i got it replaced pepboys didnt have a prebent hose for it, so i just used some generic and seems fine, but yea those clamps against the firewall are a definent PITA

 

[Talon ESI-T]

You forgot the most important detail driggs. When removing the hoses from the actual heater core, do not twist, pull, or jerk on the hose. Simply take a razorblade and slice into the hose so you can peel if from the heater core lines in the firewall. Do it this way and you will never damage the heater core by replacing hoses.

Good to here you got it taken care of.

Terry

 

[djXternal]

yea i eventually learned the razorblade was the easiest way, but i didnt try long the other way cause i realized very quicly it wasnt budging