Coolant Tube Repair (Page 1/1)
KennyG FEB 05, 04:25 PM
I found that I had a pretty serious kink in the passenger coolant tube. I could imagine several "correct" ways to fix it but these seemed to be outside my expertise. As shown below, I cut out the damaged section and replaced it with a short section of aluminum 1-3/8" tube and connecting hoses. The questionable part of this fix is that the tube is slightly oval at this point to provide a location for the drain fitting and I couldn't do much to make it more round. This is a very long term project, so it will be a while before I really know if it works, but as a friend always says, "If it doesn't work I'll always think it should have."
theogre FEB 05, 05:59 PM
Is OK but the "Short end" of main tube still needs support and tie to body or other main tube or can easy blow off either hose as doesn't have bumps/grooves like repair tube has.

Coolant is lube to WP etc. and just 1 clamp even tiny bit loose on plain tube will simple allow hose to slide out the tube unless something else stops this.
Double clamps often won't stop this either.

Others just cut at kink and open tubes, often using exhaust tools, and use 1 hose. Then Have same problem.

SS tube is hard to make anti blow-off bumps by DIY or many "pro's." normal solder and most glues won't stick. Or worse, May seem to work but fails later. Brazing needs Heat, almost same Heat as welding, and can make thin metal to crack.

I had this happen many years ago after someone doing same job to my car. Only thing handy was old windshield wipers and hose clamps... After jointing hose and refill, I used the old parts to tie both tubes by clamping SS flat wire from wiper to the metal tube then bend "wires" so can't move. Been there now for ~ 20 years.
But seems support wire tied "short end" to frame broke and now hanging down so need to tied the up again as weather allows.

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Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave

oneinch FEB 06, 06:57 PM
Both of my coolant tubes are kinked, but not so badly they must be repaired. Still, I want to remove the kinks. What you did is the easy way and I think it should work. I've thought about this same sort of fix. I think I would do two things differently; 1) I would use better t-bolt clamps, and 2) I would eliminate the inserted tube and just use one longer section of 1-1/4" heater hose. Short of an object striking this hose it should be fine. You could wrap the hose with metal to improve durability. Another option is to have that replacement tube section welded in. More than likely welding is the way I will end up going.

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Stanton
'88 Formula, red on gray

Trinten FEB 06, 09:30 PM
To Ogre's point, repairing the tubes properly is possible, but requires some skills, and can go horribly wrong.

One side had a crush point on my current Fiero. The guy doing all the work on mine cut it the worst of it out, used some various cylindrical tools to round the tube again, and used some appropriately sized 304 stainless steel tube to fix it. I can't remember if he used his MIG or TIG welder. He then used a borescope to make sure there wasn't a lot of ridges/blowthrough/etc inside the tube, it was really nicely done!

Likewise, my last Fiero had a solution very similar to yours, and while it did start weeping, it took more than a decade before it happened.
DimeMachine FEB 06, 11:30 PM
Had this happen 15 years ago. In my case I had a leak from corrosion/abrasion under one of the coolant tubes from the clamp and debris rubbing on the tube for several years.

Luckily I had a parts car so I cut out a section of the scrap coolant tube from that vehicle with a hack saw and cut out the leaking piece from my Fiero. I have mig welded stainless exhaust pipe before so I figured it would work to MIG weld the stainless coolant tube as well - and it did.

15 years later - still not a drop has leaked. Now that I said that, I suppose there will be a small puddle tomorrow morning.

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84/87 NB, 3800SC, E-85, VS Cam, 2.8 Pulley, 4T65E-HD, HP Tuners, AEM Wideband, Regal GS Gauges, S-10 Brake Booster. 1/4 mile -11.85 at 114mph