Vehicle Hose Replacement Service
Automotive hose replacement is an important maintenance service because these simple and fragile parts can cause serious engine damage. If a hose cracks it won’t be able to deliver coolant properly, potentially causing serious engine damage.
Chicago undergoes all weather conditions that can damage hoses so understanding the warning signs of a damaged hose may save you thousands of dollars in engine replacement costs.
What Hoses Are In Cars?
There are several different types of hoses that your vehicle uses. These hoses found in a car include the top radiator hose, bottom radiator hose, and the heater hose.
The top radiator hose works in response to the radiator cooling (transports coolant to engine parts). The bottom radiator hose carries the cooled fluid to the water pump and then pushes it out to the engine. A bypass hose pushes cool fluid from the water pump past the thermostat in your vehicle to control the engine temperature. Finally, the heater hose transfers hot coolant to and from the vehicle’s heating system.
How Are Hoses In Vehicles Damaged?
The cooling system’s weakest structural part is the hoses. They are made of flexible rubber compounds and designed to absorb vibrations between the engine and the radiator. In the case of heater hoses, the hose connects the engine and the body firewall.
Hoses are built to maintain coolant under pressure, often in contact with fluctuating heat and cold, mud, oils, and sludge.
Hose damage is not easy to detect, but the most damage that causes hose failure is electrochemical degradation (ECD). Hoses from the inside are struck by ECD, creating small cracks. Acids and pollutants may then damage the yarn materials reinforcing the hose. Pinholes may eventually grow, or the damaged hose may burst from the heat, strain, or continuous flexing.
Top 5 Signs Of Damaged Car Hoses
- Collapsed Hoses
- Cracks or Holes
- Leaking Coolant
- Low Coolant
- Engine Overheating
The Role of Vehicle Hoses
The most vulnerable part of the cooling system is the hoses, which are made of pliable rubber composites and handle engine vibrations. Hoses are made to withstand high pressure coolant, high heat, engine oil, grime, and sludge.
Hoses deteriorate from within, making it difficult to detect their deterioration.
Hoses that degrade over time establish little cracks and pin sized holes, which can lead to ruptures due to the high pressure and heat exposure.
Radiator Hoses vs Heater Hoses
The majority of vehicle cooling systems have four main hoses.
The radiator and thermostat housing are connected by the upper radiator hose.
The lower radiator hose connects to the water pump at the base of the radiator. The engine coolant, which is heated by the vehicle’s water pump, dissipates its heat after transferring through the radiator.
The upper and lower hoses for the radiator are the biggest hoses going to the engine in the cooling system.
The heater hoses are smaller than the radiator hoses and are connected to the heater core under the dashboard to provide heat inside the vehicles cabin.
Coolant Hoses and Overflow Hoses
When the vehicle starts up, the thermostat remains closed until the coolant reaches the desired temperature.
The fluid is pushed back to the engine through an externally mounted bypass hose to prevent coolant from reaching the radiator for cooling.
To store coolant overflow, an overflow hose attaches to the radiator just under the cap and the reservoir tank.
A valve on the radiator cap allows coolant back into the reservoir as pressures in the cooling system rise due to coolant temperatures, easing the build-up of compression and preventing coolant loss.
Preventing Hoses From Failing
Failure of a hose can completely put you out of commission. The engine overheating, the charging system or power steering or charging system losing power are common outcomes of these failure. The cooling system will also fail which causes overheating in the event of a hose leaking coolant. Overheating in an engine can result in serious internal damage and costly repairs.
Steps to keep your vehicle’s hoses from failing:
When the motor cools, gently squeeze the hoses near each clamp with your thumb and forefinger. Any soft areas, as well as any crackling sounds, should be noted. Hoses that are in good condition will indeed be solid, pliable, and quiet.
Check the engine coolant level after the engine has cooled to make sure it is at the correct cold level. If the reservoir tank is low on fluid, top it up and check again in a day or two. If the fluid level drops again, a leak has most likely occurred and should be investigated by a professional.
Look for bulges, cracks and divots in hoses or collapsed areas, inspect for coolant or oil contamination, or wear on the connecting areas.
Coolant should be flushed every 30,000 miles. One of the methods of preventing internal hose damage is to use clean coolant.
How Often Should Vehicle Hoses Be Replaced?
With Chicago’s always changing temperatures from high heat to freezing, consider replacing hoses and the clamps for your hoses every four years or 50,000 miles, but not more than 75,000 miles. Clamps hold the motor and radiator hoses in place, but they can weaken over time due to constant tension.
Drying and hardening of hoses is caused by a variety of factors including high temperatures such as heat from the engine and rubber materials.
Drying and hardening of hoses is caused by a variety of factors including high temperatures such as heat from the engine and rubber materials.
Furthermore, specific acids in the coolant can deteriorate and destroy the rubber, jeopardizing the hoses’ integrity. Attempting to avoid hose replacement can result in a number of issues, including coolant leaks, increased engine temperature, and overheating.