Replacing all the hoses during routine maintenance?

Discussion in 'General Motoring' started by redeyedevil, Oct 11, 2003.

  1. redeyedevil

    redeyedevil Guest

    I checked all the hoses during each oil change but I not entirely sure I am
    doing it correctly or able to cover every spot. So, do you guys change the
    hoses at some particular interval?

    Thanks,
     
    redeyedevil, Oct 11, 2003
    #1
  2. I replaced every single coolant hose on my '92 Integra at ~115000 miles
    about a year ago and it was a PITA to get at many of the small ones - took
    hours. When I examined the small used ones I figured I'd wasted my time on
    them - they don't degrade much. I think at that kind of mileage it's a
    good idea to replace the main ones: top/bottom radiator hoses, heater and
    bypass - those are the ones with the fiber reinforcement which tends to go
    brittle with age.

    BTW when you "check" them it's better not to squeeze them too hard - that
    can break the fibers inside which have become brittle with age/heat.

    Rgds, George Macdonald

    "Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??
     
    George Macdonald, Oct 11, 2003
    #2
  3. redeyedevil

    pars Guest

    My Civic Hatch just had it's 5 year anniversary. I'm playing with the idea of a
    cross country drive to west coast, I suppose replacing the hose would be in order
    before taking trip.

    Pars
     
    pars, Oct 11, 2003
    #3
  4. redeyedevil

    redeyedevil Guest

    "George Macdonald"

    Thanks George,

    Looks like am I due to replace at least the main hoses. Though they are
    only 5 1/2 years old, they have 140k miles on them. Knowing what you now
    know, what mileage or age would you change the remaining hoses?
     
    redeyedevil, Oct 12, 2003
    #4
  5. Well your age/mileage profile is a little different from mine and I'm not
    sure which degrades them more - at a guess, the heat cycling is probably
    what does in the internal fiber reinforcement more than age. When I took
    the old main hoses out, I had to bend them to get around obstructions and I
    could feel the fibers breaking as I did it. If the hoses look sound
    externally, you could always replace the top radiator hose - an easy one -
    first and bend it to see if it feels like the fibers are brittle. Then you
    know what the others are like.

    For all the little hoses around the intake manifold plenum, based on what I
    saw, unless they are obviously damaged physically due to abuse or by oil
    rot of the rubber, they are probably good for the life of the car. The
    rubber gets a little harder than new but they are quite thick walled and
    tough.

    BTW the reason I did all of them was that my daughter was taking the car to
    college and I wanted to be sure she would not have a breakdown - at quite
    some distance from home - due to old hoses.

    Rgds, George Macdonald

    "Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??
     
    George Macdonald, Oct 12, 2003
    #5
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