Weeping Heater Hoses

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Michael Greenspan
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Weeping Heater Hoses

Post by Michael Greenspan »

A few weeks ago I opened the hood to check up on things and maybe clean another item or two. To my surprise, the heater hoses coming up on the wheel enclosure on the driver;s side were very shiny and wet. I put my finger on the wet area and it seemed to be thickish radiator fluid. I looked all around the engine for any sign of spray - there was none. I then cleaned the two hoses. One of the hoses does have a turn off valve that was in the off position. A week later I drove to New Britain to meet Tom and by the end of the drive the hoses were slightly shiny. When I got home I cleaned them again and now two weeks later they are very shiny and wet. But, the odd thing is that they are really only wet in the section that lies across the wheel well. We are going to replace the hoses but I am curious as to how this is happening since the engine hasn't been on since I cleaned the hoses and there really shouldn't be any water pressure in the hoses.

Has any one seen this before and can anyone explain why this is occuring? I am assuming that the hoses have aged and become porous. But why only in that section?

Thanks

Michael
1963 330 America #4969
volkster999
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Re: Weeping Heater Hoses

Post by volkster999 »

I don't think I've ever seen this. How old are the hoses?
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tyang
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Re: Weeping Heater Hoses

Post by tyang »

When I saw Michael's 330 America's hoses a couple of weeks ago, they certainly looked like they were sweating greasy coolant. I don't know how old they are, but I know they were not original hose. Original Pirelli hose has a spiral wrapped texture embossed into the rubber.

Tom
'63 330 America #5053
afwrench
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Re: Weeping Heater Hoses

Post by afwrench »

Hi Michael, I know this sounds gross but if you can summon up the fortitude , take just a little taste of the fluid [ dont swallow ] that seems to be seeping out. If it tastes sweet it is coolant/antifreeze. If not ,it is probably the hose itself losing integrity somehow. Perhaps the temp differential where it is in contact with the metal is to blame. Mike
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Re: Weeping Heater Hoses

Post by 330GT »

afwrench wrote:Hi Michael, I know this sounds gross but if you can summon up the fortitude , take just a little taste of the fluid [ dont swallow ] that seems to be seeping out. If it tastes sweet it is coolant/antifreeze. If not ,it is probably the hose itself losing integrity somehow. Perhaps the temp differential where it is in contact with the metal is to blame. Mike
My wife cringes everytime I 'taste' a puddle in the garage. The Honda was making a puddle every once in a while. It turned out to be plain water by taste, so had to be A/C condensate. But we weren't using the A/C. However, a look at the owner's manual says that the A/C is automatically turned on (w/o the indicator light being on) whenever the defrost is used. My wife loves the defrost and turns it on whenever she uses the car. Problem resolved.

As you mentioned, anti-freeze is sweet (that's why animals drink it), brake fluid is tart and thin while regular oil is thicker. Gas, of course, is best detected by smell.

I haven't heard of a water hose weeping, but brake and fuel hoses can and do weep if they aren't up to snuff. You may find a tiny split upon careful inspection after removal, particularly if this is occurring near a bend.
Regards, Kerry
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tyang
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Re: Weeping Heater Hoses

Post by tyang »

O.K., you guys are more nuts than me! I've never actively tasted a fluid from any of my cars unless I was absolutely sure it was water! Gasoline accidentally ingested when siphoning gas, I'll admit, but tasting brake fluid? Kerry, there's got to be a better way!

Tom
'63 330 America #5053
afwrench
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Re: Weeping Heater Hoses

Post by afwrench »

Perhaps one of the great minds on this site can invent some kind of "Infared Fluid Testing Device " and sell from a place like Griots Garage for $389.00 plus shipping.Im no engineer so tactile dectective work is all I have. Mike
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Re: Weeping Heater Hoses

Post by 8339 »

Hi Guys, I use a product called cooltrak which is a coolant test strip. It's not the most accurate but it will indicate ph level and freeze point. If you were to hold the test strip against the weeping coolant hose it would most likely change color and tell you if it's coolant or not. Depending on how coolant hoses are made some will weep after a period of time especially those hoses which are manufacturered in multiple components. Not all hoses are alike. Some of the older European hoses were made from natural rubber which did not last as long as more modern neoprene or synthetic EPDM hoses. Some hoses are reinforced with webbing and again are made from multiple components. If an inner core develops a leak it may only weep on the outer portion. Hope that helps. By the way if you really have to have the most accurate method of testing coolant, brake fluid or even battery electrolyte, you need to purchase a refractometer.


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Michael Greenspan
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Re: Weeping Heater Hoses

Post by Michael Greenspan »

Well, I have to admit that the idea of tasting the sort of gooey stuff is not very appealing, it would probably ruin my minimal ability to enjoy a decent bottle of Burgundy. I did do the finger roll and smell tests but other then it was kind of greasy and didn't have much of a smell I couldn't tell much.

But there is another page to this.

I took a drive yeseterday up to ERA to see what was happening with the tow points and the front belly pan. The hose was shiny and moist when I pulled out of the garage but I decided to open the heater valve and see if it got worse. The drive was about 50 miles and the car never really warmed up completely - just a couple of notches off the bottom of the temperature guage since it was in the 30's. I got up to New Britain and wanted to see what they would think about this. I opened the hood and much to my surprise the hoses looked and felt dry. So, is it possible this is condensation and the sliminess is due to old hose surface?

And in case you are wondering about the tow points, the belly pan and my two air vent knobs here is the status.

The tow points are at the powder coaters, the belly pan has had a female mold made and after that gets cleaned up a male will be made and then the aluminum piece will be formed. Finally, I got the two aluminum knobs that I made back from Tom after he drilled and tapped them and they are now on the way to the powder coaters as well. I am sure Tom will have more pictures when they return.

Thanks for all the comments.

Michael
1963 330 America #4969
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tyang
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Re: Weeping Heater Hoses

Post by tyang »

Here's a preview of Michael's handiwork with his knobs:
Image

Tom
'63 330 America #5053
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