Using Stainless Steel silicone joiners for coolant hoses? (Page 1/2)
zkhennings APR 15, 11:37 AM
http://www.siliconeintakes....brication-p-134.html

Wondering opinions on using these joiners for creating coolant hoses, LZx swaps have the recirculating setup so all the coolant outlets/inlets are over by the battery side of the engine bay. I have not come across a single hose long enough to make it from the coolant tube on the drivers side over to the LZ9 crossover. My concerns would be that there is not a typical amount of tube stickout for the hose to be clamped on there securely enough. Could buy two and weld them together to make a longer one. I could not find SS tubing in the size of Fiero coolant tubes that were not insanely expensive, and I feel bad hacking up a set of Fiero coolant tubes to make a crossover tube.

Also figured this may help out someone else.
theogre APR 15, 06:02 PM
Using long flex, jointed or single, is doable but needs proper support.
When you have to hold a hose in 1 or more spots but that "hardware" won't make the hose to fold or tear apart as engine moves during driving etc.
Sim to OE "rubber" brake hoses where has the bracket in the middle and ends never bend the hose too tight.

------------------
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

Will APR 18, 12:40 PM

quote
Originally posted by zkhennings:

http://www.siliconeintakes....brication-p-134.html

Wondering opinions on using these joiners for creating coolant hoses, LZx swaps have the recirculating setup so all the coolant outlets/inlets are over by the battery side of the engine bay. I have not come across a single hose long enough to make it from the coolant tube on the drivers side over to the LZ9 crossover. My concerns would be that there is not a typical amount of tube stickout for the hose to be clamped on there securely enough. Could buy two and weld them together to make a longer one. I could not find SS tubing in the size of Fiero coolant tubes that were not insanely expensive, and I feel bad hacking up a set of Fiero coolant tubes to make a crossover tube.

Also figured this may help out someone else.




In the sizing table at the bottom of the page, the 1.375" coupler has an overall length of 2 9/16". This means that each hose has a length of 1 9/32" (just over 1 1/4") to clamp on. That's perfectly fine.
zkhennings APR 19, 05:08 PM
Yea it just seemed much less than what an OEM would give you when clamping to a radiator or themostat outlet etc.

I bought two couplers in case 1 is too short, I figure I can weld a bracket to it to mount the coupler to either the front crossmember or the firewall. I am going to try and put it in an ideal position for being the first hose removed when removing the cradle, so I will put it in an easy location to put a drain pan below it. Trying to make all my modifications simplify pulling the cradle.
Will APR 20, 08:15 AM
The Fiero coolant tubes have dual beads, one at the very end and one a bit further in. The distance between them isn't much more than 1 1/4"...
zkhennings APR 20, 10:10 AM
Don’t have my Fiero at my place but seemed like my Subaru stuff was more like 1.75”, but good to know! I should be fine with 1 then, I’ll try and make the other one useful somewhere.
Will APR 21, 08:24 AM
Might also check these out: https://www.pegasusautoraci...p?GroupID=COOLNIPPLE
zkhennings APR 21, 12:44 PM
Those are nice too, but I think they will make hose removal more difficult in this application/cause hose destruction from removal and installation. In an application where I just wanted to join 2 hoses and only take them off when it was time to replace the hoses, that is probably the better solution.
Will APR 25, 09:25 AM
Unless you're talking hundreds of cycles, wear on the hoses is not a concern.
zkhennings APR 25, 07:59 PM
I have used various McMaster brass and SS T's and 90s with heater hose, power steering hose, and PCV hose. The hoses have a really hard time coming off as the barb seems to cut into the hose slightly. More times than not I have had to cut the hoses off. Maybe it is a different story with a larger hose and maybe these barbs are less sharp than my generic ones. Upon closer inspection they seem a lot more mellow than a standard barbed fitting.

I have not gotten very good at TIGing aluminum yet which was another reason to go with the SS, I intend to TIG a bracket directly to the center of the joiner and both hoses will butt up against it. Bracket will mount to firewall or cradle crossmember, I have not decided yet. If the SS joiners don't work out for some reason I may pick one of those aluminum ones up.

[This message has been edited by zkhennings (edited 04-25-2022).]