Wanted: Lower Radiator Hose

[WRDendy]

Not for my car this time, asking on behalf of Oli and his new two-tone. The car is at the garage and the old hose needs replacing, but apparently it's another part that is no longer available. It's a '92 car with the 1.7 engine. I don't have a part number yet but I'll try to dig it up later when I have the diagrams in front of me.

It's not something I've needed (yet) so I haven't done much research, so before I do I thought I'd check to see if anyone knows if there is a source for these or another compatible part?

[Alan 480]

If originality is not high then consider the flexible/concertina type, available in range of diameters/lengths, used one on the SS1 and it's been there for >15years . .. .

[jamescarruthers]

I've just had this very problem last week! 

Classic Silicone Hoses can make you one if you send it off. I had made arrangements but managed to fix mine.  They don't normally deal with cars with our age but have made an exception as the lady likes 480's. If you'd like to take the hose off, I can make contact again and give you my space in the queue which I haven't given up yet. 

Now, I haven't seen the result, but my friend who has the project car when I'm ‎away managed to repair the lower hose using some of a brand new upper hose I had. I *think* the lower hose is made up from a few sections with joiners and this is how it was fixed at the elbow straight into the engine.  Ideally I will replace the whole hose one day, but for now, this will have to do. 

FYI, should anyone have trouble with the upper radiator hose, it is readily available for cars without the auxiliary water pump (missing the T-off)‎.  It is Gates 3774.
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[eye of ra]

Do you mind saying how much they were going to charge?

As part of my referb I was thinking of replacing some of the older looking hoses so it would give me an idea if my thinking is feasible or not.

[jamescarruthers]

Do you mind saying how much they were going to charge?

As part of my referb I was thinking of replacing some of the older looking hoses so it would give me an idea if my thinking is feasible or not.

I thought it was very reasonable. They were looking in the region of £150 or a bit more for a "set". The big problem with that is that they normally only deal on older cars with simpler systems. So I think a set for us is a lot more that they are used to producing and this might be misleadingly cheap!‎

They flat out refused to touch a car as young ‎as the 480 at first and insisted on only doing a set, not a one off. I managed to get an exception to this only because we had a nice chat on the phone and she realised what a 480 was and said she'd always wanted one. 

Just a heads up: I think this is a tiny business ran by people near pension age as a bit on the side. Therefore, they don't really want more work!

I'm tempted to take all of the hoses off the E-reg car once the D-reg is on the road. It looses a tiny bit of coolant so I think I should just re-do the whole system and it can be good for another 30 years.

Mssr. Ra, I think you have the B18F engine don't you? In which case the coolant system is rather similar, if not identical. If I do the hose strip, would you be in the market for a set as well?‎

[jamescarruthers]

I lie.. it's not a one-off, it's a two-off. I got them down to doing top and bottom radiator hoses!‎

[WRDendy]

Thanks for the suggestions - I'll relay this back and see what the situation is.

Sounds like a similar situation to the one I described in my diary when looking for engine mounts and clutch cables, in other words, there aren't any, and the only solution is re-manufacturing. If someone has a set that they can spare then it might be worth sending them to Classic Silicone Hoses so that they can get a pattern/tooling/whatever else in place - I'm sure there would be interest from the community as these are parts that will have to be replaced at some point. I'm aiming to do something similar with the clutch cables, just need to find a spare (or a time when I don't mind not having a mobile 480 for a few weeks).

I actually think that there's merit in working out which essential parts are still available (realistically that will just be common consumables these days) and then collecting together examples of other bits as a community that we can use to have parts re-manufactured as necessary. It's not uncommon for other classics, but the 480 is at that awkward age where it's too old for companies to still have spares and too young (and perhaps not popular enough) for classic car specialists to bother re-manufacturing for. Ruediger Scheidt's page on Shapeways (here) is a good example of what can be done with 3D printing, and something that can be expanded upon. I remember we touched on this at one of the meets last year, possibly something to continue with this year. Might also be worthy of it's own thread if people are interested.

[jamescarruthers]

Our Dutch friends are a bit more pro-active with this sort of thing. I wonder if they've overcome the radiator hose supply problem some other way?‎

[eye of ra]

It’s a B18E and replacing all the hoses while the engine is out would be ideal. Replacing the older looking ones would be more of a cost effective option.

At £150 for 2 hoses what is a full set of around 14 hoses going to be? Although the top (with aux pump) and bottom hoses are bigger and more complicated than a lot of the others.

All my hoses will be off in the next few days (hopefully as things came to a standstill again when my better half went into hospital) and Classic Silicone Hoses are only a few miles away from me.

[jamescarruthers]

That's an interesting coincidence! Well, if you are going to get a quote for the whole lot then I'd be interested in a set.

They asked that the size of the spiggots that the h‎oses come off are measured and labelled with masking tape on each end. 

If you look at the price list for other cars, I think we are talking ‎at least £200, maybe £300.

How about once they are off I contact the lady again and say you can drop your set in?‎

[eye of ra]

How about once they are off I contact the lady again and say you can drop your set in?‎

That’s a plan I’ll let you know.

[eye of ra]

Well my estimate of 14 was a bit out, there are 24.



The 18 on the left are water, top right are 5 air and bottom right is a power steering hose, the other power steering hoses are different and have special connectors, somewhere like Pirtek should be able to make these.

So what do I take and call a set or sets? Water, air, water & air or all?

Also some will be specific to a B18E and I also have an auto so some will be extra/different to a manual.

[jamescarruthers]

That's a great picture. I've sent it in to them.


I don't known if they'd be willing to do the others... I can ask though!

[jamescarruthers]

I never heard back from these guys. Did you get in touch?

[eye of ra]

As you had been in contact with them I thought I would wait to see if they came back to you.

Also since I originally posted my circumstances have abruptly changed and spending is on hold at the moment.

[jamescarruthers]

Ohno!good luck with whatever drama has happened

[Werrington1]

If anyone needs hoses, I have a full set from a low mileage car. Most hoses are really good. Can send picture etc if needed.