| A hose is a hose is a hose, right? Well, generally this is | | | | the potential hoses and go with the version that looks |
| true, but not when it comes to your radiator. Most | | | | to be the same size as your current hoses. You may |
| people assume any old black hose from the parts | | | | have just taken years off the life of your engine or |
| store will do. This is wrong and can lead to hugely | | | | killed it outright. How so? How could hoses make such |
| expensive problems like engine replacements! | | | | a difference? Let's take a closer look. |
| Heat is the biggest threat to your engine. There are | | | | The two hoses connecting your radiator to the engine |
| plenty of other potential threats, but uncontrolled heat | | | | block deal with two different conditions. As we |
| can melt the internal components of your engine in less | | | | mentioned above, the top hose is moving hot water |
| than 15 minutes. Controlling heat is incredibly important. | | | | while the bottom hose is moving cooler water, but |
| Keeping your oil topped off is one step. Keeping your | | | | under a vacuum. You need a different hose for each |
| cooling system in tip top shape is also incredibly | | | | of these conditions. The bottom hose must be the |
| important. | | | | type that has metal wiring built into it. Why? The rubber |
| What is the weak spot of any coolant system? The | | | | will breakdown under the continual vacuum. This will |
| answer is the radiator hoses. These rubber composite | | | | cause the hose to squeeze together and reduce the |
| hoses are actually very hardy. Still, they are under a lot | | | | coolant flow. You engine will start to overheat. At a |
| of strain. The top hose connecting to the radiator is the | | | | minimum, this will take years off the life of the engine. If |
| transport for searing hot water. The bottom hose is | | | | the hose cuts off to much of the flow, the engine can |
| put under vacuum pressure by the pump circulating the | | | | burn up in as little as 15 minutes. Yikes! |
| coolant/water mixture. Frankly, it is a surprise these | | | | The top hose deals with different issues. The heated |
| two hoses last as long as they do. | | | | coolant/water mix coming out of the engine is brutally |
| Being a good car owner, you'll keep an eye on the | | | | hot. This is not a good place to have wires. Instead, |
| coolant hoses. After a bit, you notice they are starting | | | | you want a basic rubber composite hose that can |
| to show signs of wear - bulging, softness and | | | | bend. It will be able to take the heat, but will degrade |
| discoloration. You decide to replace them and head | | | | much slower than a wire embedded hose. |
| down to the parts store to find replacements. This is | | | | Replacing radiator hoses is fairly simple. The only issue |
| where things can go wrong. If you are a manly man, | | | | is really making sure you have the correct hoses for |
| you aren't going to ask for any help. You'll just size up | | | | both the bottom and top of the coolant system. |