These silicone radiator hoses wont stop leaking

[DrGonzo]

I ran the OBX hose before. I used t-bolts and they never leaked. The problem i did have was the goo from the inside of the hose did start to slowly creep out when the engine got hot so I know whatever they use to make the hoses is not that good and breaks down in the heat!!

[q2418130103p]

I ran the OBX hose before. I used t-bolts and they never leaked. The problem i did have was the goo from the inside of the hose did start to slowly creep out when the engine got hot so I know whatever they use to make the hoses is not that good and breaks down in the heat!!

I didnt realize there was some sort of goo inside the hose, are you sure that wasnt your coolant? The yellow prestone junk, like the crap I used, gets goo-ey when it leaks out.

[DrGonzo]

Nope... I was running straight water and a high psi cap so it wasn't anitfreeze

[q2418130103p]

Hm, that is interesting.

I think I am going to flush this yellow junk out of mine anyway.

[sublime_whatigo]

Interesting, I just put samco's on my car with stock clamps, full of fluid but hasn't been started/pressurized yet. The stock clamps are much better then your average worm clamp imo. I guess if it leaks I have some high quality worm clams as there is no way in hell I'm putting t-bolts on them.

[zelstin]

You've been running water, the inside of the cooling system will be rotting away, the fittings that the hoses go onto will be starting to crumble, that'll be why they leak, probably the headgasket will be leaking too causing too much pressure in the cooling system, hence more leaking.

Steve

Da Fck? No No No No No

[J. Fast]

Da Fck? No No No No No

Please enlighten us zelstin and post some information behind your reasoning instead of always acting like a little troll. I thin k what steve here is getting at is water offers no corrosion protection to an aluminum block. It lends certain types of headgaskets to localized heating which will lead to premature breakdown. Do you learn all this shit on the internet or from working on performance vehicles?

[mb3000]

[DrGonzo]

You've been running water, the inside of the cooling system will be rotting away, the fittings that the hoses go onto will be starting to crumble, that'll be why they leak, probably the headgasket will be leaking too causing too much pressure in the cooling system, hence more leaking.

Steve

First off water will not corrode aluminum. Aluminum reacts to water by forming aluminum oxide on it's surface. This aluminum oxide layer is chemically bound to the surface, and it seals the core aluminum from any further reaction. Unlike steel/iron which forms rust which puffs and flakes off exposing more raw material. About 60% of the cooling system is made of aluminum, 30% are hoses and the last 10% is steel/iron. All my steel fittings were replaced with aluminum ones. the only thing left that is not aluminum if the coolant crossover tube which I had the inside coated with high temp urethane to protect it from the water.

So the only thing exposed is the MLS headgasket which I have a better chance of blowing due to running the car than the 5-8 years it would take the distilled water to rot it away to the point it would cause any issues.

As for the pressure yes it is a little higher due to the lower boiling point of the straight water compared to the Ethylene glycol used in standard antifreeze but not by much 15 psi with antifreeze vs 19-20 psi straight water. If the system is in good shape it will easily hold the pressure. If your hoses and gaskets are rotting away then no it won't hold!

The reason for running straight water is that is has better thermal heat displacement than Ethylene glycol mix. I can lower my running temps by 15-20 under hard load running straight water. Add Water Wetter and I can drop almost another 15deg so that a 30-35 drop in running temp.

Now don't get me wrong I never store the car with just water in the block. If I am not going to be driving it for a while I ether drain the system or 50/50 mix it in the winter time so I don't freeze the block.

I work to much on the engine to be buying antifreeze every week cause I need to pull a hose or pull the radiator.


Now Back to the OP!!

[J. Fast]

We have to change the head gaskets on roadcouse about every 3/4 races or so (2000 miles maybe) or the headgaskets pop from running straight water. Never had any heating issues, not one actually, and we could actually run 2-3 more psi of boost at the track vs 50/50 on the dyno. It does have it's advantages though, We use cheap headgaskets though since we change them like oil filters.