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Need A New Coolant Hose

46K views 109 replies 51 participants last post by  The White Falcon 
#1 ·
Hey everybody. So yesterday I was flushing out my cooling system. Figured I'd throw in a new t-stat and check over all the hoses while i was at it. (98 Duratec) Pulled off the lower rad hose, noticed it'd been rubbing on the frame and was showing reinforcing threads. So I figured i'd pick up a new one, no big deal (maybe put some wire loom stuff around it or something). Then I figured i'd check out the hose that goes from the t-stat housing up to the water pump. stuck my hand up in there, and realized it's metal. i thought that was kinda goofy for a water pump, but whatever. so i started fondling it a bit to make sure it was allright, and big chunks of crap fell in my face. and sure enough, the pipe just disintegrated in my hands. which is kind of a pain, yeah, but at least I caught it now and not a week from now when i plan on heading down the mass pike on vacation.

so i'll just pick up a couple new hoses right? i wish. autozone, advance, and carquest don't carry replacements. went to the dearlership. 'bout $30 for the lower hose. $160 some for the "inlet hose". say what? for a hose? fordpartsnetwork has it for $140something which is less bad, but still not what i would classify as 'reasonable,' rockauto doesn't seem to have it at all.

so finally getting to the point of all this rambling ... anyone else had to replace this monster, and if so, anyone know how i can avoid getting raped?
 

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#2 ·
I just checked RockAuto.com and at first glance it looks like they have a big selection for your car. Depends on what you mean by "inlet hose" though--I saw a heater inlet hose, but I don't know if that's the one. I couldn't tell you for sure what the hoses you are looking for are called.

It should be noted that you dont HAVE to replace that metal pipe if the hoses on the ends are the same diameter. You can just use standard "cut to fit" hose as long as it doesn't kink when you route it. I've done this in the past for those stupid heater hoses and for the transmission tubes. You just have to be careful about clearances and kinking.
 
#3 ·
yeah, they do list a lot of different hoses, but the descriptions aren't very good and there's no picture to try to match anything up to. it's pretty tight under there, and the hose is just a little to close to the serp belt for my liking ... with my luck i'd get a flexible hose in there just right, hit a few bumps, the hose would shimmy over and the belt would slice right through the hose. the routing is down from the water pump past the serp belt, under one of the pulleys (can't recall which one), twists over the subframe and around one of the engine mounts, goes over the river and through the woods, passes by grandma's house, and then into the t-stat housing.

the I.D. on both ends is 1.5", i've been contemplating whether I could find some standard metal pipe and have it bent, then throw a couple of those rubber pipe connector dealies between that pipe and the connections. even if it cost me $100 bucks to have the pipe bent it'd still be cheaper. considerably so. maybe i'll go browse around and see if i can find something in the silicone hose arena.

i just find it hard to believe that nobody around here carries any aftermarket (or anywhere else that i usually look on dem der internets). i find it even harder to believe that anyone in their right mind would charge that much for a stupid piece of hose. blasphemous. profane even.
 
#4 ·
That's a really nice pic. :p It looks like they used pipe because a hose couldn't be routed the way that was needed.

I say take that piece to a muffler shop before it completely disintegrates and ask them to bend up a new one. I'm sure it would be a lot cheaper. They could probably do it in about 10 minutes. I don't know how long it would last though. Make sure they are using stainless steel pipe.
 
#5 ·
muffler shop, eh? stainless steel, eh? not a half bad plan ... i'll have to wander down to the local muffler shop (ironically named "The Muffler Shop") and see if they could do me up some of that. then just put some of those rubber pipe connector thingies (i really should learn their proper name) on the ends and BLAMO - replacement hose.
 
#6 ·
Just use hose clamps to replace the factory aluminum crimps. And i would look for some soft copper tubing to use for the pipe. You could bend it yourself and it will be easier to find than stainless tubing.
 
#8 ·
That hoes broke on my 98 Duratec also. it happened the hour I was going to put it up for the winter. I just got back from washing it for the final time that year. I parked it in it's spot at my house, and I was cleaning out the inside of the car (it was still running) and I satrted to smell coolant but thought nothing of it. Then I noticeed my loe coolant loight was on, when I was cleaning the dashboard. So I went to check under the hood ( it was dark out) and for some reason it felt weird under my feet, so I looked down with the flash light and notice I'm standing in a puddle of coolant. I shut the car off and the next day I found the broken house. Here's what mine looked like whe I took it out. I don't even know how it was able to flow coolant for as long as it did. Cause I know the kind of deteration doesn't happin over night.
My new one was about $150 and change and the guy at the delarship said he gave me a discount too. It is TOUGH to install that hose. The old one is easy to take out casue it will bend in the rust spots but the new one took me about 15-20 min to finangle it in their.
Good Luck
 

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#11 ·
good times, good times. yeah, this bad boy definitely rusted from the outside in. luckily the system was empty when it collapsed, so no crap should've traveled through the system i had just finished flushing. but i see at least one other person feels my pain. it was definitely a challenge to get out, and it'll definitely be a challenge to get back in.

Just use hose clamps to replace the factory aluminum crimps.
yeah. and real hose clamps to replace those springy things. man i hate those things.

the thing that worries me about copper tubing is its relative thinness. and the copper playing well with all that aluminum. for the price of the motorcraft part the least they could've done is made it out of a silicon bronze or cupronickel, to avoid all the corrosion problems. or composite. or heck, for $160, titanium. (i'm trying not to be bitter about this, but it's really really hard.)

ah well. i s'pose i'll get some lunch here and then wander on down to the local depot for homes and see if i can put all your suggestions to good use.
 
#12 ·
Originally posted by bigH@Jun 26 2005, 11:47 AM
good times, good times. yeah, this bad boy definitely rusted from the outside in. luckily the system was empty when it collapsed, so no crap should've traveled through the system i had just finished flushing. but i see at least one other person feels my pain. it was definitely a challenge to get out, and it'll definitely be a challenge to get back in.

Just use hose clamps to replace the factory aluminum crimps.
yeah. and real hose clamps to replace those springy things. man i hate those things.

the thing that worries me about copper tubing is its relative thinness. and the copper playing well with all that aluminum. for the price of the motorcraft part the least they could've done is made it out of a silicon bronze or cupronickel, to avoid all the corrosion problems. or composite. or heck, for $160, titanium. (i'm trying not to be bitter about this, but it's really really hard.)

ah well. i s'pose i'll get some lunch here and then wander on down to the local depot for homes and see if i can put all your suggestions to good use.
Hmmm, just for shits and giggles I checked mine last nite and its pretty freakin rusted (my car is an 00' tec). I have 1500 miles left on my ESP. I think im gonna take a trip down to the dealer and see if they will replace it.

-DC
 
#13 ·
If you get the soft walled copper it is much thicker than standard water pipe copper. Either is plenty strong and will last longer than your car. I would much rather spend $20 on copper and clamps and make it a permanent repair than $150 for a part that will fail again.
 
#14 ·
I thought about stripping off the paint and repainting it with some rustoleum or something like that. But I never did. Not sure if it would have helped. Maybe if you get it powdercoated, that might last a long time. As long as it doesn't rust from the inside-out. But once again, it'll cost you.
 
#15 ·
allright ... well a bit of an update for y'all ... yesterday i went out in search of some of the flexible-type copper tubing that paul had suggested. the largest diameter i could find was 5/8", which is not nearly large enough to get the job done. i could've gotten some standard hardwall copper pipe, but by the time i got the stuff to bend it up proper with i could've just gone back to the dealership and bought the motorcraft part. so this morning, after checking with a few more aftermarket sources to no avail, i started calling dealerships to find the motorcraft part. turns out, not only is the hose expensive, but extraordinarily elusive. the dealership i originally bought the car from turned out to be the most helpful, even though they are now 80 miles from where i live (in WNY). They did a d2d search and came up with, apparently, all of 10 dealerships in the country showing they had the part. having gotten a list of phone numbers, i started going through them all, and generally got one of two responses ... "holy sh*t ... $160 for a hose? lemme check ... nope don't have it no more" or "i have one here that's already on hold for someone, and i've had more on backorder for at least a month, but haven't gotten 'em yet."

so here i am, now 4 days into no taurus for a silly little hose. tomorrow morning i plan on checking out the muffler shop idea. failing that, it's hoping i can find a late model in a junkyard with hose still entact and in decent shape. failing that, i'm gonna see if i can find a professional to bend me up some hard copper pipe. failing that ... i'm having the car towed to the dealership, telling them to keep it, and buying a shiny new schwinn.

so Damon, i suggest not touching your hose or even looking at it funny until you know you can get a replacement. if it falls apart, apparently, we're screwed. this is an awfully silly situation to be in, and i hope none of you other guyz have to experience it. it sux0rs.
 
#16 ·
Well, those bends are all almost exactly 90 degrees. Why not solder up a new piece w/ copper using 90* elbows? $10 worth of copper, $10 for a propane torch and some solder & flux, 20 minutes worth of labor. :) Or, if you are really desperate, just use threaded black pipe fittings. In either case, you probably wont be replacing it again (which obviously wouldn't be the case if you used the Ford part).
 
#18 ·
I was also thinking some 45 or 22.5 degree elbows might work, but it's hard to tell from the pictures exactly what angle those bends are. You'd probably need it to be exact as being close would just mean it'd be touching something.

Don't forget the pipe cutter which is another $10. I suppose you could also try buying a pipe bender, not really sure if it works with copper. Of course with the pipe bender, you could always return that item... You could also check with a plumber, maybe he can just make you one.
 
#20 ·
Well, I was literally walking out the door and down the driveway on my way to find something I could fashion into a suitable replacement, when I got a call back from a dealership in PA. He had a part he was willing to ship to me, and I took advantage of it. The thought process in my head went something like ... well, i can spend the few hours i have before work today and tomorrow trying to find parts to fit together and mold them into the proper shape and hope it'll all stay together, or i can order this, have it by tomorrow, and be sure i can leave for vacation at the end of the week like i'm supposed to. i've been waiting for this vacation since we started planning it six months ago, and wanting insurance (though apparently it wasn't coming cheap), i took the easy way out.

i'm a little disappointed in myself for not putting Paul's and you other guyz' suggestions to use, or at least trying, as i do enjoy me a good challenge. perhaps somebody else will be able to use them ... or maybe i'll try 'em out just for the hell of it when i get back. i can't imagine dman and myself are the only shmucks unlucky enough to ever have this happen to 'em. there's likely to be more sufferers in the future, and let me just offer up my apologies in advance.

one thing i am going to do (and i sure hope this works) ... i got me some duplicolor "Professional Undercoat with Sound Eliminator-Quick Dry"
-----(from their website)
A Professional Body Shop Quick Dry Formula that gives you professional results-fast. This flexible, rubberized finish is the ultimate in undercoating for protecting metal surfaces from corrosion and moisture. Excellent rust preventer and sound eliminator.

* Excellent rust preventer
* Dries in less than 10 minutes
* Dries to black paintable finish
* Comfort Touch Nozzle
* Premium sound eliminator
* Ideal for wheel wells, gas tanks, frames and supports, weld joints, floor pans, doors and quarter panels
-----
anyways, i'm gonna spray that all up on that, errrr, thing, and hope it handles the heat. i figure that hose shouldn't ever get a whole lot hotter than 210 deg or so. in theory anyways. i'm figuring this rubberized stuff would be better than the bedliner in a can they had, especially with the temperature differences in the winter, this would be less likely to crack with the expanding and contracting and whatnot.

and in the passive aggresive style that is my personality, i will save my ranting about my disappointment in ford for another time. i've enjoyed my taurus all the while i've had it, but this experience has left a sour taste in my mouth. not so much with the part itself or the dealership network, but in ford providing their dealers with what the dealers are asking for. for their customers. but i'll stop that now, like i say, perhaps some other time.
 
#21 ·
My hose went, I came out from the parking lot yesterday and all my coolant was all over the parking lot. I tried with my dad for about 3 hours and we couldn't get the one clamp off. So I had to take her to the dealership. $650 later for a rubber and metal hose. But I must say I still love her even if she breaks my bank.

Dave
 
#22 ·
My hose went, I came out from the parking lot yesterday and all my coolant was all over the parking lot. I tried with my dad for about 3 hours and we couldn't get the one clamp off. So I had to take her to the dealership. $650 later for a rubber and metal hose. But I must say I still love her even if she breaks my bank.

Dave [/b]
Damn! Did they at least buy you dinner?
 
#23 ·
<div class='quotemain'> My hose went, I came out from the parking lot yesterday and all my coolant was all over the parking lot. I tried with my dad for about 3 hours and we couldn't get the one clamp off. So I had to take her to the dealership. $650 later for a rubber and metal hose. But I must say I still love her even if she breaks my bank.

Dave [/b]
Damn! Did they at least buy you dinner?
[/b][/quote]

haha i wish, they gave her a wash but thats about it.
It was $325 for the hose and then 2 and a half hours labour. Thats what happens when you live in Canada, they had the hose in stock atleast.
 
#24 ·
FWIW, i got a good hose at the wreckers just last week. While doing some work on my car, i noticed that metal tube was very rusty, tho not leaking yet. Since i had a bunch of parts off doing the work, i figured it was best to replace it then, and my cost (keep in mind i work at the dealership) was $220 CDN. I also needed the vent hose from the reservoir to the metal coolant line across the front of the engine. That stupid lil foot long chunk of rubber was $80 my cost. I went to the wrecking yard and got both in very good shape, along with a bunch of other stuff, for $40. I'd try there before pay all that money. Or, as others have said, see if you can't just get a custom piece of metal tubing made up, and just put the rubber ends on it. I was thinking about that myself before i lucked into the replacement part.
 
#25 ·
yea this is part that I have trying to find also.Dealer told me the part is being discontinued, so soon even the dealer will not be able to get these. I ended up coating the pipe in high temp epoxy resin and then painting it with chassis black. At this point in time I hope it holds.
 
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