Coolant hose replacement

[Greg Linstad <greglinstad@xxxx>]

Mike C. and List,
Many years ago I replaced all my cooling hoses and hose clamps on VIN#
3507 (now at 121,000+ miles). To this day each hose shows no sign of any
swelling or leaking, and in fact still looks new. I used Gates 'Green
Stripe' #24220, 1-1/4 inch, 31.8mm hose that I got through an industrial
hose supplier that I found in the phone book. It is an EPDM rubber hose
reinforced with a high strength spiral wound polyester yarn braid. I
phoned Gates (303-744-1911) and discovered that the Green Stripe is a
high end automotive hose rated to 100 psi (much higher than we need)
used more for trucks and heavy duty equipment. The price at the time I
got it was about $6 a foot, but now is closer to $10. Even though the
cost is high I don't think I'll ever have to replace this stuff. As I
mentioned earlier this hose does not swell. Most cooling hose (DMC or
any other) that I have seen will swell with use and this has to shorten
the life and promote leaking. I also learned that Gates makes the Gold
Stripe hose for NAPA, which may be a better choice over OEM and easy to
get (I don't know how it compares to the Green Stripe). I also upgraded
all the hose clamps to a much wider stainless clamp. Of course the two
front hoses and the water pump hoses are special sizes, but upgrades are
available from various DMC parts suppliers.
The only drawback to this Green Stripe hose is that it does not bend
well, so works best in straight sections. One 90 degree hose behind the
coolant bottle I replaced with two short sections of the Green Stripe
and a bent 1-1/4 inch OD Stainless tube that I had made at a muffler
shop, and I had to slightly bend one of the existing aluminum cooling
tubes in another location. I have never had to re-tighten any of the
hose clamps like I used to with the OEM hoses.

Greg
pndc.org
VIN# 3507 "RUSTLSS"
VIN# 6214 "RUSTLS2"