Newer lower radiator hoses
 

Are springs no longer necessary with today's newer lower radiator hoses? Anyone use the the newer hoses (without springs) with success?

Does O'Reily or NAPA sell decent hoses?

I just picked up new hoses from carquest (gates) and the lower has a spring inside.

That's good news Dave. I've been looking for a new lower hose with the spring in it. Can't find one around here with it included, and can't buy just the spring either.

I saved the old spring and put it in the Repo numbers hose I bought. Give it a shot (sans spring) and let us know what happens.

I also have found that a spring is a sometimes option. usually my old spring is too rusted to re use.

what I do is get a spool of safety wire and some safety wire pliers, (yea like everybodys got that all layin around). I get about a 8 foot length of wire and twist it up with the pliers. you dont need the pliers though. but I twist it up untill I get about 8-10 twists per inch. then I wrap it around a 2 inch diameter cardboard tube in a spiral fashion. when i am done the stainless wire has work hardened to give it springyness and I insert it in the hose. No more colapsed hose and being stainless it is reusable.

I bought a spring from Ames about a year ago.
Les

I found the Gates lower hose with spring at my local NAPA. I have a lower without the spring on the car now and have not had any problems. I keep the new Gates hose along with new belts, coolant, and oil, as kind of an emergency kit in my trunk. My car is a daily driver that frequents country roads so a little forward thinking is a good idea I think.
If I ever have a hose collapse I will return to post the information on this thread.

Karl

:usa2:

how do you know you dont have problems? they usually collaps at higher rpms

On days like today when temps are in the mid to high 90's I still dont have problems with overheating. And by high rpm's if you mean 4000-5000 my car rarely sees those speeds so I guess it would then be a moot point. So I guess in that sense I don't have problems.... Well, not the car anyway:) Maybe it does collapse for a moment but I wouldn't be able to tell if it does or not.

Karl

:usa2:

I was just curious, If you put small children in the engine compartment to whatch it while you drive up and down the freeway? They have a short attention span and sometimes it gets messy if they fall into the fan.;)

:D

Unfortunately I don't have any children and my brothers and sisters know that if I'm asking to borrow one of theirs I'm damn well up to no good!

I wonder if their would be enough light under the hood to mount a small camcorder and monitor a hose like that?

Karl

:usa2:

less clean up too.

Got a part number?

Gates #20854

Which application is it for?

78 formula

No wonder it wouldn't fit my GTO. But it should fit my 78 TA.

PY carries the spring if anyone just needs the spring.

I went over to CarQuest the other day and bought a Gates lower hose. This one is the ribbed heavy duty hose that needs no spring. It's one tough hose and fits perfect. I don't mean to take away from Chris selling the springs but if you need one in a hurry that's the hose to get.

Not a problem at all. I won't be retiring any time soon on these hose springs. ;) I hadn't even thought about the ribbed hose. 5-6 years ago, most GTO owners wouldn't get caught dead with a ribbed hose but now it's all about having fun with your car. That makes this hobby a lot more fun for us as well. :)