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Replacing a leaking radiator hose on your car is fairly easy. All you need are a few basic tools, a basic knowledge of how your vehicle is designed, and some replacement coolant. While you can always tape the gap up to prevent more liquid from leaking out of the hose, you’re best off solving the problem permanently. You can save money on a mechanic and leave yourself with a sense of accomplishment if you learn how to replace a leaking radiator hose.
Steps
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1Begin by identifying the leaking radiator hose that needs to be replaced. Do this by running the car to operating temperature.[1]
- Park the car on level ground with the engine running in park and emergency brake set.
- With the car running, visually inspect the hoses for collapse or leaks and do the same thing with the engine off.
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2Drain the engine coolant when it has cooled. Open the petcock on the lower end of the radiator and drain it into a bucket.[2]Advertisement
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3Loosen the clamps on the leaking radiator hose.
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4Grab hold of the hose and begin to work it off of the end it is attached to.[3]
- Remove the hose clamps from the leaking radiator hose.
- If the hose will not slide off easily use a carpet knife to make a slice parallel to the hose from the hose end to just past the nipple it is attached to. Peel the hose from the nipple like an orange.
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5Push the hose firmly over the stub-out from the radiator and engine seating firmly over the rib that runs around the outer section of the stub-out as far as possible.
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6Slide the clamps down the hose to within the width of the clamp off the end of the hose and tighten as necessary.[4]
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7Close petcock on the bottom of radiator and begin filling of radiator with the proper mixture and type of coolant.
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8Put the radiator cap back on and continue filling the system up at the coolant reservoir to cold level.
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9Start the engine and allow it to come to operating temperature.
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10Check for leaks watching the fluid level in the reservoir tank which should drop as the thermostat opens up.
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11Drive vehicle as you would normally and check coolant levels and recheck for leaks.
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12With the radiator cap off, allow to drain into a pan at least 2 gallon/3.8 liter in size.
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13When you turn the engine off the back pressure should reveal any leaks not seen.
- Top off the coolant as needed.[5]
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14Slide the clamps onto the new hose.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionHow do I get a hold of the clamp on the bottom of the top hose?Community AnswerIf you can see the nut, you need a very long screw driver or a socket with long extensions. If not, you need to wiggle your hand through the best you can to get at it.
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QuestionThe hose that connects the radiator to the engine is loose and is leaking. How do I safely reattach it?Community AnswerMake sure the engine is cool and then tighten the clamps. If that doesn't help, replace the hose and clamps.
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QuestionThey forgot to put the clamp on the coolant hose and the hose came off, what kind of damage did it cause?Community AnswerIf the car got very hot you could have gotten a blown head gasket or lost all the coolant. If the clamp is back on and the car is not overheating, you're in good shape. If it is overheating, bring it back to the person who forgot the clamp and have them fix it.
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Warnings
- Allow the engine to cool before draining coolant to avoid scalding.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- Do not drain coolant onto the ground, as this is hazardous waste and needs to be disposed of properly.[6]⧼thumbs_response⧽
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Things You'll Need
- Flathead screwdriver
- Medium-to-large pliers
- SAE/Metric combo wrench set
- Ratchet socket set
- 2 gallon (7.6 liter) pan
- Box cutter
- Paper towels
- Petroleum jelly
- Funnel
- 1-2 gallons (3.8-7.6) liters of 50/50 coolant
- Specific radiator hose for your car
References
- ↑ https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-is-leaking-coolant
- ↑ https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/a78/1272246/
- ↑ https://www.dummies.com/home-garden/car-repair/heating-cooling-system/how-to-replace-a-radiator-or-heater-hose/
- ↑ https://www.2carpros.com/articles/replace-radiator-hoses
- ↑ https://www.autoblog.com/2016/11/09/how-to-top-off-car-coolant/
- ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-dispose-of-antifreeze/
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