LocostUSA.com

An issue most of us probably have, finding premolded heater hoses. I've looked into using flex hose and have come to the following conclusions:

Pros:
-Easy; and,
-Cheap.

Cons:
-Depending upon your view, may not look as nice;
-Could restrict flow depending upon which type of hose you use (some have the wire/spring indents inside which restrict flow); and,
-In rare cases, may cause your inlet/outlet on your rad to crack as the hose will be constantly "pushing" on it.

What I typically read, is that given the wide range of automotive applications currently available, bend a coat hanger to the shape you need and then go to your local auto shop and your almost guaranteed to find the shape you need. Well, I went to six different shops looking for a simple 180 bend to eliminate the heater core for my project and walked away empty handed. I then ended up paying $25.20 and ordered one online. I kinda suspect this is an issue most Canadians have that most US builders don't. Seeing as a little 6", 180 bend heater hose cost me $25.20, I can only imagine what I'd end up paying, and how many stores I'd have to visit, before I found heater hose for the rad.

I don't know alot about the flex hose as I've never actually used them. Anyone know if once bent, it somewhat retains is shape and if the stress cracks on the rad inlet/outlet are actual concerns? I don't know if I"ll really care about the appearance, as the hoses won't really be visible unless I take the nose cone off.

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Trochu Motor League

You can always go prowl the bone yards and find donors. I have found brand new hoses on cars there (owners fixing before ditching). At min, you get a great selection of models and VIN and can then take that to the parts store and get your parts there.

Since my donor was FWD, I'm planning on some short silicone couplers with a nice selection of copper pipe (generously donated scraps from work) to run the side facing outlets to my front mounted radiator. I may hit you up for the source of that 180 pipe, my lower outlet is giving me fits trying to turn it around!

K "tubular" S

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Check out Firearm Finishes & Coating for options to ceramic coat your Locost parts. Hundreds of stock or custom colors including Chrome and Clear Coating options now available! High Temp options for hot bits!! Plastics too!!

Never become a pessimist. A pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun, and neither can stop the march of events.-Robert A. Heinlein

Gates makes a phenomenal product called the "vulco flex II". I have used it on a few projects before, and it works wonderfully. Is available in a ton of lengths, and diameters and different sized diameter ends as well. My only piece of advice about it is to order it two inches longer than you need.



Also, I'm not sure if they still sell the vulco flex I, but the I came without the internal metal spring, making it prone to kinking. The II is a little bit stiffer, and has the internal spring in it.

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Tucker

Never heard of that one before, but Jegs, Speedway and WalMart all sell it. Can't be too bad!! Guess I never really looked outside of stock hoses before!

How tight a bend can you make with a 32mm (1.25") hose, do you recall? Does it compress (accordion) well? It goes from 19" right to 26" (1.25" size). Doesn't appear to have very incremental sizes (least on Jegs).

Maybe I'll ditch the copper??

K "hosed" S

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Check out Firearm Finishes & Coating for options to ceramic coat your Locost parts. Hundreds of stock or custom colors including Chrome and Clear Coating options now available! High Temp options for hot bits!! Plastics too!!

Never become a pessimist. A pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun, and neither can stop the march of events.-Robert A. Heinlein

It would be a little more work, but I've use pre-bent header tubing to fit between fan belts on a mid-engine build. Just use 4 or 5" of hose at each end. Plus you can weld a mounting tab(s) mid-way to hold it in position. Dave W

I figured out roughly what bends I'd need for each hose, than went to Canadian Tire and talked the guy behind the counter into letting me go look at what they had. I found some that looked about right, then cut the bends out that I needed and joined them with sections of exhaust pipe. I managed to get things close enough that I have a single straight piece in each rad hose.
Kristian

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V6 in a book frame build. Now registered.
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=7587
viewtopic.php?f=33&t=18172

I have the gates catalog in paper form but this looks nearly as useful.

http://www.gates.com/~/media/files/gate ... .pdf?la=en

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Build Log viewtopic.php?f=35&t=16640&p=187700#p187700

Mancave http://s1116.photobucket.com/user/mypic ... ow/mancave

Well; I haven't ever used it in anything less than 1.5" ID, so I can't really comment on anything smaller than that. Its stiffer than you would expect, and compresses (accordion wise) Fairly well, though not as much as you would expect. in the 1.5" ID, a 90* bend requires ~3" of space. I have the benefit of working in industrial distribution, and order it right from Gates now. Prior to that, I always ordered it off ebay, as it seems that different retailers have different sizes available, and they all culminate in one large pile on ebay. A quick glance shows that they have sizes from 8.5" length all the way up to 30".

Dayco makes a similar product, but it is not nearly as thick - and kind of disappointed me quality wise.

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Tucker

Does it hold its shape at all or just spring back to straight as soon as you let go? I'm assuming it springs back, but a moldable hose would be pretty sweet.

I may end up trying Kristian suggestion first, Dave's suggestion second, and use this as a fall back.

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Trochu Motor League

brand new, they spring right back. but it all depends on time and heat. I've found that over time, they will form to what shape they are held in. I jumpstart this process with a heat gun, zip ties and a half hour of my time. Its boring, but I feel better about any stress that I may put on the inlet/outlet of coolant system afterwards.

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Tucker

DOM or steel pipe, bent/welded to whatever shape you need, transitioning to at least 3 inches of hose on the ends, more for the end that goes to the core. You can weld tabs to bolt it directly to the engine or use clamps.

Thinking about rust? Most engines have a bare cast iron water jacket. I suppose you could powder coat the dom after fab without it being removed by hot glycol. Oems have used thin-walled steel tubing in this manner. The corrosion problems have been external.

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Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

The way to go. This is my preferred method, run antifreeze/rust inhibitor and you wont have a problem. The Dayco/Gates convoluted hoses with the internal springs in will rust to nothing if you dont run an inhibitor as well.

Bob

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Build Log viewtopic.php?f=35&t=16640&p=187700#p187700

Mancave http://s1116.photobucket.com/user/mypic ... ow/mancave

I forgot to mention the Westfield, which has plenty of steel tubing for coolant routing, including the heater.

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Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

Agreed. Except I don't think the powder coat is necessary. The last water pump I replaced had heater hose nipple that was simply a steel tube, maybe 18 ga, that was epoxied into the cast iron. And a plate of steel forming one wall of the impeller on the back side, maybe the same gauge. (GM 4.3L V6) Both the nipple and plate were only zinc plated.

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Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

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I didn't suggest it was necessary. I'm just curious if internal powder coat would hold up or contaminate/clog anything.

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Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12