Radiator hoses... how many years are they safe?

[mrsilv04]

5... 10... 15... ?

Does it depend more on the climate that the vehicle is being operated in?

Yesterday, I replaced the plugs, wires, and belts on my 2004 Silverado w/ 85,000 miles on it. And it got me to thinking about replacing the upper and lower radiator hoses, as well as the heater hoses.

I'll be keeping this truck for about three more years, so I'm looking at owning it until it is almost 15 years old.

 

[NHGUY]

They say to replace them at 4-6 years.I have seen some last over 25 years,but when those let go its all at once.You could be in the middle of nowhere without a "Cooters garage" with a well stocked hose inventory (no shop nowadays) when it goes poof.

 

[Oro_O]

It's really climate and how operated.

Since I'ver lived in the PNW, I have found vehicles to virtually NOT AGE compared to how they did when I was in the rust belt. Quadruple the mileage/age on some parts is common. Last winter I changed the hoses on a '98 Acura I have because I was doing the timing belt. The hoses did not REALLY need it, but that vehicle had been in western OR and WA its whole life.

In IL, hoses like that are also going to vary based on how hot/often you run it in the summer, and if it stays outdoors all winter or in a semi-controlled (at minimum) garage a lot of the time.

Before they need to go, a tell-tale will be to look at the radiator inlet hose - they will start to bulge around the clamp. That's heat cycling and age weakening the rubber and that's the highest wear point. When you can get a bulge that there feels a fair bit softer than the other areas of the hose, time to switch 'em. Examine them before your regular radiator drain/fill and get the hoses ahead of time so can crack the system once instead of multiple times.

 

[JHZR2]

I have the originals on my 91 BMW, 82 and 81 MB. My other cars are newer so they dont count

Those three cars have original radiators too.

Id drive any cross-country tomorrow.

If you see a leak or a reason for concern, change them. Otherwise?

 

[Lapham3]

I used to time change them, but now generally leave them on. I've had cars go to the boneyard with the OE hoses-one after 22 years. I do most of my own maint and carry tools on road trips-also often have some spares along , especially on the older cars, like belts, hoses, ect.

 

[xxch4osxx]

I did the upper and lower rad hoses on my 04 Silverado back in the summer just for piece of mind. The old ones still looked to be in good shape inside and out.

 

[901Memphis]

I wouldn't replace them unless there was suspicion of a leak or visual damage. My 99 Taurus is all original hoses no leaks look fine.

 

[Kira]

Hello, I've been asking this question for years. I've asked here and on specific vehicle forums.

One fellow said they never break. That was either foolish or flippant.

A guy in a Volvo dealership's used division said they never change them on cars they take in. That is to be expected from a dealer.

I did my sister's '99 Jeep Cherokee at 11 years-150K. They looked old and crispy compared to the new ones.

I'll be doing my '02 Volvo V70 at 13 years-180K to 182K depending on when it gets warmer.
I already have the hoses. Gate's for the radiator, Volvo for the heater (special fittings).

I feel they've served long enough. I'm biting my nails as it is.
Perhaps the hoses would've aged faster in Texas.
As it is, they don't owe me a dime.

I'll be surprised if anyone else answers this thread because nobody ever has on any other thread. Kira

 

[Hollow]

I have the factory ones on the 2003 Outback with 146K miles. They appear fine.

Just replaced the factory ones on the 1992 Olds with 76K miles, they were not in the best shape.

 

[eljefino]

If you can keep oil off them they last 25 years.

Aftermarket ones aren't so great.

I don't change them as a matter of course.

If you rub them with bare skin and they leave shoe-polishy rubber goo, consider changing them.

 

[ronbo]

Use to change them in the past on my US built vehicles but since I've been buying Japanese made vehicles, haven't in the last 15 years. I feel the Japanese vehicles use higher quality parts.

 

[michaelluscher]

Originally Posted By: ronbo
Use to change them in the past on my US built vehicles but since I've been buying Japanese made vehicles, haven't in the last 15 years. I feel the Japanese vehicles use higher quality parts.


Way to be naive and ignorant much?

 

[AKhan87]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
I have the originals on my 91 BMW, 82 and 81 MB. My other cars are newer so they dont count

Those three cars have original radiators too.

Id drive any cross-country tomorrow.

If you see a leak or a reason for concern, change them. Otherwise?

I agree, mine are all original as well.

 

[Sayjac]

Linked below are pics of the original hoses (next to new oem) I replaced on an 01 Civic last year, ~13&1/2 years old. Honestly they still felt pliable and not blown out or mushy. Could have reused them, but as long as the radiator and t'stat were being replaced made sense to complete the job. So longer than the radiator in that case. Still have original hoses on an 01 Tacoma with ~148k miles.

So the hoses are good for quite a long time in my experience.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3282728/01_Civic_Radiator_Replacement_

 

[HTSS_TR]

I replaced the original upper and lower hoses of my '94 LS400 2-3 years ago at 330-340k miles, when the original radiator developed a leak at the neck.

Same for E430, the original upper hose was replaced when the radiator had a leak at the same location last year.

 

[Bluestream]

I replace them every 25 years whether they need it or not. If I have the water pump off I will change the bypass if applicable

 

[spackard]

Just radiator, or all coolant hoses?

On an old car, I replace hoses when I'm going in and have to remove them from fittings to do another job. Usually they have bonded themselves to tubes and I'd break their inner reinforcement strands trying to get them off, setting them up to break shortly thereafter. Sometimes life is easier knowing you're going to cut the hose off the fitting going into the job.

I'm sure the pros do it differently.

I have some original hoses on my '92 Vigor - I think there are 18 hoses in all, and I'd have to pull the intake manifold to get to some of them.

Do you gamble with the hoses on your angle stops in your house, or do you just go through every 7 years and replace all of them?

 

[CapitalTruck]

The modern EPDM hoses don't have that insidious deterioration that the old hoses did. I have 185k on the hoses that are on the truck that I sold to my parents. Granted, I did regular coolant changes on that vehicle. EPDM is your friend in terms of avoiding deterioration from the inside. I recently learned though that they are more susceptible to deterioration when exposed to oil on their exterior.

 

[mrsilv04]

Originally Posted By: spackard
Do you gamble with the hoses on your angle stops in your house, or do you just go through every 7 years and replace all of them?


I've replaced the hoses on my Maytag washing machine twice in the past 18 years. I've seen the damage that a $7 burst washing machine hose can create.

 

[another Todd]

With a cold engine, you can feel along the length of the hoses, squeezing and feeling for weak spots or splits on the inside, especially near the ends and bends. The bottom hose should outlast the top hose by a wide margin in a standard flow system, but generally hoses should easily go 10 years or more.