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Post by Ruckass on Mar 9, 2005 22:41:54 GMT -5
I went to the local boating shop and bought some clear tubing with the inner braiding. I took off my rad hoses and replaced them with the clear ones. Looks fine! Now you can see the blue coolant running through the hoses. Its the little things too!
Ruckass
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Post by Dandy Dan on Mar 10, 2005 11:22:09 GMT -5
Cool Idea! How much did you pay for the hosing? Also, was the install easy or is it tough to attach the ends?
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Post by pain merchant on Mar 10, 2005 13:21:57 GMT -5
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Post by abe on Mar 11, 2005 6:12:23 GMT -5
Ya  |
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Post by Ruckass on Mar 11, 2005 10:06:25 GMT -5
I'll have pics as soon as I can borrow my friends digicam again. It was tough getting the stock ones off but easier getting the new ones on. You'll need new hose calmps too as the old ones dont do the job on the new hose.
The lower hose replacement was only a couple of bucks for 2 feet (you only need to buy a foot) and $2 each for stainless steel clamps. All total it came to $7 CDN. The top hose is $7 as well.
Ruckass
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Post by Ruckass on Mar 15, 2005 11:00:36 GMT -5
I posted a couple pics in the photos section. Check em out!
Ruckass
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Post by Dandy Dan on Mar 15, 2005 16:11:11 GMT -5
Thanks for the pics...If I can find some of that tubing I'll do it as well. Will almost every boat shop sell that stuff? What do you call it? Clear, braided marine hosing? Also can you get different colors of coolant? The blue looks cool but I'm trying to keep my Ruckus all red/black. Can I get red?
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Post by Ruckass on Mar 16, 2005 2:34:11 GMT -5
You can get red, just make sure you get HP coolant (eythalene glycol with corrosion protection inhibitors) for aluminum engines. Abe is running some red stuff in his, ask him what he uses
Ruckass
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Post by Dandy Dan on Mar 16, 2005 14:10:14 GMT -5
I found a nearby marine store that has all of the stuff. I'm planning on picking up the supplies tonight.
The official name for the tubing is clear PVC Reinforced marine hose. I'd like to do both the 3/4" hose coming out the bottom of the rad and the smaller hose (1/2"?) coming from the reseviour. I would like to reuse the stock clamps however since they are a bit less noticable. Ruckass: Why did you have to use new ones? Aren't they reusable?
I think I'm gonna stick with the regular coolant color. I decided it looks cooler. Did you have to buy new coolant when you replaced the hose or did you just drain it into a pail and pour it back in after.
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Post by Ruckass on Mar 17, 2005 1:14:07 GMT -5
I HAD to use new clamps cuz the old ones dont have enough squeeze on the PVC hose. Besides I feel safer knowing I've hand tightened it.
I thought, since I'm at 7500 miles, and was going to drain the coolant anyways taking off the hose, I might as well change the fluid. You just mix it 1 to 1 with distilled water.
I havent got the top resivoir hose yet but will soon. I also want a metal tank for the resevoir.
Ruckass
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Post by Dandy Dan on Mar 17, 2005 11:53:30 GMT -5
The clamps didn't squeeze hard enough because the hose is stiffer or because the outer diameter is smaller (thinner walls)?? A guy I work with says that you need to heat up the hose with a heat gun or a blow drier until it's soft and then push it on. Then quickly put the clamp on and it should sink into the hose a bit and hold better. I'll post a complete review of the process once I get mine done. Hopefully tomorrow...I'm waiting on a tool to easily remove the clamps from a co-worker.
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Post by Dandy Dan on Mar 17, 2005 21:37:01 GMT -5
Installing Your New Hoses
Materials:
- 7.5-9.5 Inches of 1/4" Inner Diameter Clear Braided PVC hose (available at marine stores and most hardwares stores.
- About 6" of 1/2 I.D. of the same type of hose
- Heat gun or blow drier
- Regular and needle nose pliers
- 8mm socket/wrench
- Philips Screwdriver
Installation:
1- Remove Rad cover (4 Philips screws)
2- Remove Drain plug (pliers or allan key)
3- Catch coolant in pail (clean pail if you want to reuse the coolant)
Top Tube:
4- Remove Coolant resevour (1, 8mm bolt)(optional but easier)
5- Use pliers to loosen clamp and wiggle hose off
6- Transfer clamp to new hose
7- Heat end of clear hose with heat gun (best) or blowdrier
8- Quickly slide hose on to nipple and place clamp
9- Tighten Clamp ASAP (so it digs into the temporarily soft hose)
10 - Re-attach resevour
11- Repeat steps 5 - 9 with other end of hose
Bottom Tube
12 - Use regular (not needlenose) pliers to loosen clamps
13 - Wiggle off hose
14 - Repeat steps 6 - 9 with both ends of new tube
15 - Button it up
16 - Refill with coolant
You could also use 1/8" larger diameter hosing and you wouldn't have to heat the hose to get it on but you'd need new clamps like Ruckass did. However, I recommend heating it cuz it works so well that you probably don't even need clamps (cuz the tube molds right around the ridge and then hardens).
The hardest part for me was refilling it with coolant because I don't know how to bleed the lines. I'm going to ask a mechanic I work with tomorrow how to do it so I don't have bubbles in the top hose.
Oh, the needlenose pliers are used to tighten the top hose clamps!
Good luck!
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Post by Ruckass on Mar 18, 2005 1:49:58 GMT -5
Nice work Dan! ;D
Ruckass
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Post by chanito on Mar 18, 2005 6:55:09 GMT -5
Great walkthrought, according to the shop manual, you are to remove the cap, idle the engine for 2-3 minutes and then snap the throttle three or four times, add coolant if necesary and reinstall rad cap ;D ;D
Great job guys
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Post by Dandy Dan on Mar 18, 2005 23:17:45 GMT -5
Bit of an update: When I posted my last post I didn't actually have everything done. I did the top hose and took the stocker off the bottom but I only had 5/8 clear braided hose so I put on some 1/2 clear to check the size but then reinstalled the stocker until I could get some 1/2" braided stuff.
First I should mention that the stock bottom clamps are too loose for the 1/2 hose (as Ruckass said) I tried it with no clamps but under full throttle coolant slowly seeps out the ends so I ended up using a couple clamps like Ruckass did in the smallest size that fit.
Second, my 1/2 hose had little red stripes on it so I decided I wanted things to match and I ended up buying the red (green/blue is regular coolant and red is long life). I'm very happy with the new look.
Third, although the 1/2" hose didn't seal properly it does fit easily enough onto the nipples that I believe one could heat up and install 3/8" instead and then it would be tighter and I bet you wouldn't need clamps.
Tip: To get the stock hose off from the nipple way underneath just use a razor blade and slice it open (unless you wanna keep it).
I also got my lines bled properly but my method of doing so seemed a bit unorthadox and slightly tedious although effective. First I filled the rad to the top. Then I stuck the air line hose coming from the reseviour in my mouth (after cleaning it of course) and slowly poured more coolant into the rad while sucking at the same pace. If you let the level get too low you'll suck in air and have to start over. I did it successfully first try so it's not too hard. Once you have the whole top hose full of coolant you can replace the rad cap (while blocking the air hose hole so the coolant doesn't pour down) and then finish filling the reseviour. I'm sure it's not the best way but it worked.
If anyone else attempts the mod good luck! It's not hard and only takes maybe 30min - 1 hr and costed me .85$/foot for the 1/2 hose, .60$/ft for the 1/4" and nothing for the clamps (found em in the shop at work) but they are probably like a buck each. Most hardware stores carry the hose. I found it in Home Hardward and Canadian Tire.
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Post by abe on Mar 25, 2005 7:27:34 GMT -5
Make sure you use good hose when doing this. Lots of clear hose is real junk.
The coolant I use is long life stuff. It has no silicate so it is safe, safe, safe for all motors.
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Post by fox on Apr 6, 2005 19:00:18 GMT -5
i did this and used 1/2 and 1/4 tubing. I heated up the hose and formed it to match the original. then i heated the ends and shoved it on. For the bottom clamps, I put one tab in the vise and pulled on the other with pliers, all while using a lead persuader to form a slightly smaller but still circular opening. Worked fine, no leaks at all.
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