New Oil Leak at Radiator

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454cid

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Oetiker clamps work great on silicone and neoprene hoses that have fabric reinforcement. I wouldn't expect good results on hose for higher pressures that have steel-wire reinforcement.

Good to know, that's not something that would be on my radar. I don't think oil cooler hoses would be high enough pressure to need steel re-enforced, would it?

But any hydraulic-hose shop can crimp-seal those hoses.

I was thinking it would be easier to do at home, since the two ends would need to be clocked just right.... also cheaper.
 

cc333

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OK, I ordered both from Rockauto.com (my first of probably many orders through them). I figure I might as well change out both of them, since if one is leaking, the other one probably will too, if it isn't already.

@AuroraGirl I think I might try that. Since the old lines will probably be thrown out anyway, I don't have much to lose by hacking them up.

Perhaps I can use regular hoses, or even better, maybe there's a way to use flexible metal tubing or something? It seems like using metal tubing with good quality fittings joining it to the stock metal parts would be a nice, relatively permanent fix to this recurrent leak problem, but I don't really have the know-how or experience to do it well, so this will be an experimental first try. Gotta start somewhere!

I wonder why GM ended up with this hybrid metal-crimpted-to-rubber approach?

c
 
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Dariusz Salomon

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This is what I(and others before me) have come up with(that's vortec 350). I went with 10AN size-Mishimoto fittings,HEL(I'm in UK-it's UK company) reinforced hoses,and these 2 simulating connection into the radiator. My friend made these for me-sizes are determined by fittings you can get. I used AC Delco o rings even tho it costed me dearly,cause few people mentioned generic o rings leaked.
I couldn't find any figures for pressure in cooling lines, tho on one forum someone mentioned,that pressure in reverse gear goes high(it wasn't chevy forum) so maybe that's the reason for steel lines.
 

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cc333

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OK, meant to update here earlier, but I got busy.

The new hoses arrived from Rock Auto about two weeks ago, and I haven't yet installed them. I ran it for a bit while I was hitching up a trailer, and I didn't notice any new oil leakage, so maybe it's just a slow leak. Is there any harm in just monitoring it closely for awhile, and replacing if/when the leakage gets noticeably worse? With the summer heat here to stay, I don't want to replace it if I don't have to!

Also, I just remembered that I had to change the upper radiator hose last summer because it somehow got dislodged and was coming into contact with the fan. Perhaps some of the staining you all noticed was from that?

And lastly, should I ever need to change out the radiator itself again, are there any aftermarket ones I should look into that are more durable?

c
 

454cid

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OK, meant to update here earlier, but I got busy.

The new hoses arrived from Rock Auto about two weeks ago, and I haven't yet installed them. I ran it for a bit while I was hitching up a trailer, and I didn't notice any new oil leakage, so maybe it's just a slow leak. Is there any harm in just monitoring it closely for awhile, and replacing if/when the leakage gets noticeably worse? With the summer heat here to stay, I don't want to replace it if I don't have to!

Spray it with something like Simple Green, and scrub it with something like a toothbrush, or a paint brush with the bristles cut shorter and rinse it with the hose. That way you're starting with a cleaned area to watch.

And lastly, should I ever need to change out the radiator itself again, are there any aftermarket ones I should look into that are more durable?

So far, I like the TYC that I bought. I zip tied my upper radiator hose to the bracket it's supposed to rest on, so it wouln't bounce and stress the plastic radiator tank. You may not have a bracket, if you have a small block, and not a 454. I don't recall how the small block has it's upper hose routed.
 

L31MaxExpress

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This is what I(and others before me) have come up with(that's vortec 350). I went with 10AN size-Mishimoto fittings,HEL(I'm in UK-it's UK company) reinforced hoses,and these 2 simulating connection into the radiator. My friend made these for me-sizes are determined by fittings you can get. I used AC Delco o rings even tho it costed me dearly,cause few people mentioned generic o rings leaked.
I couldn't find any figures for pressure in cooling lines, tho on one forum someone mentioned,that pressure in reverse gear goes high(it wasn't chevy forum) so maybe that's the reason for steel lines.
Working with Racetronix on that for all us GM guys now.

 

cc333

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Spray it with something like Simple Green, and scrub it with something like a toothbrush, or a paint brush with the bristles cut shorter and rinse it with the hose. That way you're starting with a cleaned area to watch.
OK, I'll try to do that when it cools off a bit later this week.

So far, I like the TYC that I bought. I zip tied my upper radiator hose to the bracket it's supposed to rest on, so it wouln't bounce and stress the plastic radiator tank. You may not have a bracket, if you have a small block, and not a 454. I don't recall how the small block has it's upper hose routed.
TYC? That's the make, I'm assuming.

I do have a 454, and I noticed that there's supposed to be a bracket (looks more like a strap) that fits over the hose and attaches to a hole in the area of the fan shroud with the molded channel where the hose sits. Mine is missing that, obviously, and the zip tie I used crumbled away after not too long. Maybe I should use bailing wire instead? I don't want to pinch off the hose though.

Ideally, maybe I should try to find a replacement for that part. Anyone know what I should look for?

c
 

454cid

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TYC? That's the make, I'm assuming.

Yes

I do have a 454, and I noticed that there's supposed to be a bracket (looks more like a strap) that fits over the hose and attaches to a hole in the area of the fan shroud with the molded channel where the hose sits. Mine is missing that, obviously, and the zip tie I used crumbled away after not too long. Maybe I should use bailing wire instead? I don't want to pinch off the hose though.

Ideally, maybe I should try to find a replacement for that part. Anyone know what I should look for?

c

Your description sounds different than what I have. I've got a Vortec 454, maybe you have a TBI? My upper house sits in a curved piece that is kind like a strap, but nothing really holds it down, so I used zip ties.
 

cc333

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Yes, mine's a TBI from '94, so last year of the old interior. I think even late 94, because it has the trapezoid - shaped parking brake pedal, I think (if that's a thing?).

c
 
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