Heater Hose - Aluminum Parts Upgrade

[alvocado]

I'm embarrassed I even had to ask. That black ring is rubber from the factory connector and was so hard, I thought it was metal. Both pieces came off leaving the expected single barb.

I will say after doing one line, I would only go the route that @rdezs used and buy the AN fittings. It's a royal PITA to cut the crimp off through a tiny opening in the frame and much easier to cut the tubing shorter where it's exposed. I stopped after doing the leaky line and will order up some AN fittings for line #2.

 

[rdezs]

That looks like a remnant of the old quick disconnect fitting that came apart. It should be plastic. If you take a pair of pliers or vice grips off center, carefully try to fracture the plastic and then you can peel it off. You should be left with a slight aluminum ridge.

 

[rdezs]

Ah.... Your earlier addition to your post just appeared after I responded. Yeah, there's not a whole lot of room to be cutting the crimp off. After dropping the spare tire, a small pipe cutter worked quite easily.

One of these works perfectly:

 

[alvocado]

I had one heck of a day. Left at 10:00 AM to drive from Cincinnati to Atlanta. 5 hours into the trip, dash lights up like a Christmas tree and I notice the temp gauge is pegged at 260. Got onto the shoulder fast and shut it down. Knowing I changed one of the rear heater lines on Sunday, I started wondering if a step clamp came loose.

Went to the rear and found the Dorman fitting hanging off the tube. Blew all the coolant in a matter of seconds.

I pulled on that connector and made sure it was fully seated when I installed it but somehow it popped off. I used a small amount of Syl Glyde on the pipe so the rubber oring in the connector had a little lube and maybe that was it. I’ll never know.

I was by myself sitting a mile from Lenoir City, TN exit with two dogs onboard and decided to look for an auto repair shop nearby that could bring me water. Called a Creekwood Tire and Auto and Terry was willing to help but said he’d have to drive 14 miles North to get to a turnaround and the North bound lane was stopped due to an accident. Then he asks if I’m in a white SUV, which I confirmed yes, and he says I can see you. The back of his shop is across the highway to my left.

I then ran across the interstate, crawled through the thickest honeysuckle I’ve ever seen, and Terry handed me a 5 gallon bucket of water to fill up. Clicked the connector back in and drove the remaining 3 hours with no issues.

I’ll spend some time looking over the quick connect fitting before heading back but thank the lord Terry was nearby and willing to help.

 

[rdezs]

.... Wow, I hope you went and bought a lottery ticket?

The only thing I can think of is it wasn't seated all the way.... But if you felt it click into place it should have been. If you use any lube for the o-ring installation, I would make sure to get it down in the fitting where the o-ring is and make sure it's not where the plastic retainers are.

An option I considered is a simple 90° 3/4" heater hose.... Which would require one more fitting in line on the hose to step down to 5/8. I just didn't want to add yet another connection. (But the advantage of course is that you could clamp the 3/4 onto the rear heater core hose nipple instead of using the quick disconnect)

Something like this, an AC Delco for less than $10. Just trim it two or three inches from the 90°

 

[89Suburban]

I had one heck of a day. Left at 10:00 AM to drive from Cincinnati to Atlanta. 5 hours into the trip, dash lights up like a Christmas tree and I notice the temp gauge is pegged at 260. Got onto the shoulder fast and shut it down. Knowing I changed one of the rear heater lines on Sunday, I started wondering if a step clamp came loose.

Went to the rear and found the Dorman fitting hanging off the tube. Blew all the coolant in a matter of seconds.

I pulled on that connector and made sure it was fully seated when I installed it but somehow it popped off. I used a small amount of Syl Glyde on the pipe so the rubber oring in the connector had a little lube and maybe that was it. I’ll never know.

I was by myself sitting a mile from Lenoir City, TN exit with two dogs onboard and decided to look for an auto repair shop nearby that could bring me water. Called a Creekwood Tire and Auto and Terry was willing to help but said he’d have to drive 14 miles North to get to a turnaround and the North bound lane was stopped due to an accident. Then he asks if I’m in a white SUV, which I confirmed yes, and he says I can see you. The back of his shop is across the highway to my left.

I then ran across the interstate, crawled through the thickest honeysuckle I’ve ever seen, and Terry handed me a 5 gallon bucket of water to fill up. Clicked the connector back in and drove the remaining 3 hours with no issues.

I’ll spend some time looking over the quick connect fitting before heading back but thank the lord Terry was nearby and willing to help.

Good job man!

Last time I had a hose let loose on me on the PA TPKE I was lucky enough there was a drainage ditch full of water near me. I still had to bang my nuts up climbing over a fence and going through thickets to get to it but it saved my butt!

 

[alvocado]

Good job man!

Last time I had a hose let loose on me on the PA TPKE I was lucky enough there was a drainage ditch full of water near me. I still had to bang my nuts up climbing over a fence and going through thickets to get to it but it saved my butt!

Ha, that conjures up an image! I looked for lying water as a first option but nothing. It's definitely a test of problem solving skills when you get stranded hours into a trip with no tools or a backup plan. It makes me appreciate even more what Derek Bieri from Vice Grip Garage tackles.

 

[89Suburban]

Ha, that conjures up an image! I looked for lying water as a first option but nothing. It's definitely a test of problem solving skills when you get stranded hours into a trip with no tools or a backup plan. It makes me appreciate even more what Derek Bieri from Vice Grip Garage tackles.

A man and his wits, only the strong survive brotha!!!

I think I used a key as a screwdriver for the worm clamp and had the empty beer cooler in the bed from the night before to tote the water.

 

[Tonyrodz]

Amazing what someone can figure out when they really use their brains. I had a 200 mile daily commute for years, and I've been stuck on the side of the highway myself a few times--actually more then a few times.

 

[mikez71]

Remember to drain water and refill coolant!

Still remember my friends old jeep, all vanes on waterpump completely rusted away..

 

[alvocado]

Did that as soon as I returned home. I didn’t realize it’s recommended to change the oil after and over heat since the high temps degrade the oil additives and reduce viscosity so I did an oil change as well. Explains why the Change Oil light flashed as soon as the over temp and low power mode warnings came on.