buying flexible radiator hose

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alteredoutlook

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I am wanting to purchase some new radiator hose for my engine. I want it to be as flexible as possible because I need it to do a U bend in a very confined place.

The 'cheap' 22 mm pipe I bought just kinks and is useless.

Looking Google EPDM rubber seems to be listed as flexible but is it the most flexible?

Would corrugated pipe be better than 'smooth' pipe?

What does the panel recommend?

Thanks in advance
 
alteredoutlook said:
yes, I've literally just discovered these silcone elbows on ebay!

My intial thought is - Wow - go faster colours!

I've never seen/used these hoses.
Presumably the are clamped using jubilee clips?
How pliable are they to fit over flanges? Does heating (boiling water or hot air gun) make them softer to use?
Do they last as long as rubber?
Click to expand...

I have used one to reverse the direction of my raw water feed. It is very pliable and did not need heating to push over the flange. They are more 'slippery' than rubber hoses so make sure you have a good jubilee clip on each end. As far as durability goes I think it will probably last as long if not longer than the rubber equivalent.
 
alteredoutlook said:
yes, I've literally just discovered these silcone elbows on ebay!

My intial thought is - Wow - go faster colours!

I've never seen/used these hoses -
Presumably the are clamped using jubilee clips? Jubilee clips are ideal for the job
How pliable are they to fit over flanges? Very pliable, much more than rubber
Does heating (boiling water or hot air gun) make them softer to use? No heat required, but safe for more than 100 degC
Do they last as long as rubber? more than double the life
Click to expand...

Once used, you will never return to the dark ages and use ordinary rubber on a hot water hose.
 
The custom and kit car boys seem to like bright coloured silicone hoses. But if you dont like that they can be obtained in black, even in matt black .
http://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/p...EGREE-MATT-BLACK-HOSE-ELBOW/product_info.html

I would not use a corrugated/bellows hose other than a get you home fix. The old BMC engines had a bypass hose often replaced with a corrugated section . Ususllay a spare had to be carried in the glove box as was a short lived item and could let go without warning.
 
I'm going to be shifting some engine plumbing around soon as well. Don't yet know if I'll need any elbows for tight bends, but definitely something to bear in mind. However, assuming your two fittings are not located conveniently nearby each other, 90º apart in the same plane, how do you connect one of these elbows onto a length of ordinary (or silicone) pipe for the rest of the route?

Pete
 
MartynG said:
The custom and kit car boys seem to like bright coloured silicone hoses. But if you dont like that they can be obtained in black, even in matt black .
http://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/p...EGREE-MATT-BLACK-HOSE-ELBOW/product_info.html

I would not use a corrugated/bellows hose other than a get you home fix. The old BMC engines had a bypass hose often replaced with a corrugated section . Ususllay a spare had to be carried in the glove box as was a short lived item and could let go without warning.
Click to expand...

Not fair quoting the mini bypass hose, as it was the difference between being able to replace the hose without removing the head and not
 
I've had blue silicon hoses on my new mermaid diesels since 1993, they have never been touched and look and feel as good as new. For cooling water, so they get hot too!
I would not use anything else now for engine, calorifier use.
 
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