Some questions related to cooling systems...

[NiceCupOfTea]

• Where can you get those springy hose clips that seem to have replaced jubilee clips?

• What is the best way to cut a silicone coolant hose? I used a hacksaw last time and as it compressed I made a pigs ear of it

• Anybody used one of those block testing kits? Just tried one, and although in isolation you would say the fluid is still blue, when you compare it with the refill bottle it has a slight greeny tinge to it. I assume this means there is a small amount of exhaust fumes present in the cooling system?

Pic below:

[stevieturbo]

NiceCupOfTea said:

* Where can you get those springy hose clips that seem to have replaced jubilee clips?

• What is the best way to cut a silicone coolant hose? I used a hacksaw last time and as it compressed I made a pigs ear of it

• Anybody used one of those block testing kits? Just tried one, and although in isolation you would say the fluid is still blue, when you compare it with the refill bottle it has a slight greeny tinge to it. I assume this means there is a small amount of exhaust fumes present in the cooling system?

OE use those springy clips. I'd sooner use a quality worm drive clip than the springy ones

Sharp stanley knife after carefully marking where to cut with either tape or a hose clamp.

A mild colour change wouldnt be much to worry about. Why are you conducting the test. Does it actually have any symptoms of a HG problem ?

[eliot]

The colour above is fine - it goes a significant yellow colour when you have hydrocarbons present. But do make sure you are testing correctly, you need to have a warmish engine where the thermostat is open. Its checking for hydocarbons and you generally need to have the engine running for the hydrocarbons to perculate through.
My dakar water goes yellow on a sniff test, so I know the HG's are on there way out - but it doesn't overheat or use any significant amount of water - so I'll leave it till winter.

[NiceCupOfTea]

Thanks guys.

Reason I was thinking about spring clips is that I am having trouble with a water temp sender housing in the top hose. I have chewed up 2 jubilee clips now trying to get them tight enough to stop the hose weeping.

I am wondering if it's because it wasn't a very neat cut in the old hose, so I will try a sharp staneley knife on my replacement silicone hose after having marked it off with some masking tape.

Re: the block test, I have had a couple of minor overheats and I don't trust the cooling system. Just wanted to give a test, no symptoms really although it's difficult to tell if I am using coolant when the top hose is weeping! Did run the car up to temp first, stat open with a couple of inches "space" at the top of the rad.

A friend did the block test on my other car a couple of years ago and it went a greeny colour (greener than this one I think) which we surmised to mean it had an HGF on the wy. Got it done preventatively not long after and there was a little evidence of leakage on the old gasket.

[stevieturbo]

I suggest a better temp sender if it involves anything passing under a hose clamp.

[NiceCupOfTea]

Maybe I wasn't clear - it's an aluminium tube insert for the top hose. Chop an inch out of the top hose and jubilee clip onto either side of the tube. It has a thread for the sender. All kosher and no better way of doing it without drilling and tapping the thermostat housing IMHO.

[Number 7]

I find the best way to cut silicon hoses is to fit a hose clamp around the hose (not so tight that it deforms it) and use a disposable modelling knife to cut. You need to slacken and move the clamp around the hose a bit to continue cutting where the screw section is. Good quality clamps are really needed with silicon hoses. Some people use Mikalor, but I use JCS Hi Grip, preferably in stainless.

7.

[stevieturbo]

the thick mikalor clamps are good if you want leaks.


Either use quality stainless worm drive clamps, or proper thin banded t-bolt clamps for high boost applications

[NiceCupOfTea]

Any idea for sources for these chaps? Got mine from Halfords

[Number 7]

http://www.jcshi-torque.co.uk/

Get mine from a combination of a local boat chandler and industrial hose supplier (the former tend to stock the stainless stuff for obvious reasons, whereas the latter may not).

7.