Can I replace a leaking (coolant) metal line with a flexible hose?

[derolph]

I found a leak in a line on my 88 LX-i. The photo belows shows it; see the red arrow.



I could probably buy this part from a Honda dealer but that means paying an outrageous price. Both ends of the metal line connect to sections of flexible hose, both about 4 to 5 inches long, which then connect to a pipe on some other part of the engine.

Clearly, the only reason for the mounting bracket supporting the two lines is simply to support the lines, to keep them up off of other parts on the engine. So, I'm thinking I could use a hose (about 12-14 inches long) to replace this section of pipe and the two short sections of hose attached to it.

I would cut off most of the metal coolant line from the two-line supporting bracket and then I might be able to get some type of clamp to attach the new flexible line the two-line supporting bracket which will be reinstalled because the other (non-coolant) line is still intact.

Does this sound feasible or would the longer flexible section tend to rub/touch against the engine somewhere and possibly cause a problem with the line?

[Vanilla Sky]

I'd go ahead and do that for now, but as soon as I got the chance, I'd buy the correct part from the junkyard.

[DBMaster]

I would just replace it with a single piece of hose and not look back. There is no reason I can think of that it has to be metal. You could literally just do that for both of those hoses. The other one is just a standard vacuum/vapor hose.

[cygnus x-1]

I looked up that part on hondapartsdeals, it's part number 17135-PJ0-A60. It seems to have been discontinued though. If it were me I would go find one at a junkyard. If that doesn't work then pull that entire tube assembly off and figure out a way to replace it with regular rubber hose. The upper tube on that assembly is just a vent for the valve cover, so it can be replaced with rubber hose too.

I had exactly the same problem on my truck. One of the steel coolant tubes was corroded and leaking, so I yanked it out and bypassed it with rubber hose.


C|

[derolph]

Thanks for the comments. I may try finding one at a junkyard but I think that might be either be a dead-end street or may take a good bit of time inquiring from various junkyards. Also, I'm inclined to agree with DBMaster; I see no other reason for the metal line than the metal bracket its attached to being a way to support the lines. It was just a way to keep everything in its proper place, neat and orderly.

[Bluntman]

I have the right part, I just haven't put it on yet. I have had my car for over 5 years and it came with the bottom line on this bypassed with hose and it has never been a problem.

[Bluntman]

LOL I forgot, on the plus side you don't have to disconnect coolant lines anymore when you have to remove that bracket to work on things. This is how it is now. I will get around to putting on the new part I have at some point.

[Bluntman]

[Bluntman]

[Bluntman]

I had totally forgot about being able just to remove that bracket without having to disconnect the coolant lines set up this way. I remember it made it easier to work on the injectors or whatever I was doing at the time.

[DBMaster]

I think some of the Honda engineers might have been OCD at the time. There are a number of things like this under the hood that I consider unnecessary. But, hey, I'm just a shade-tree mechanic, not a design engineer.

"Dammit, Jim, I'm a doctor, not a..."

[Bluntman]

I think some of the Honda engineers might have been OCD at the time. There are a number of things like this under the hood that I consider unnecessary. But, hey, I'm just a shade-tree mechanic, not a design engineer.

"Dammit, Jim, I'm a doctor, not a..."

LOL, OCD. Yep unnecessary is right.

[derolph]

Well, its done. Blutman, in contrast to your approach, which was to keep the two existing hose sections and connect them with a new section of hose, I removed the two original short sections and put one longer hose to span the whole distance. If I were doing it again, I think I'd take your approach. Getting those two short sections of hose off was difficult. For the new hose, I replaced those old clamps with new screw-type clamps.

While I had the metal bracket off, I used an angle grinder to remove the ends of the rusted coolant pipe, cleaned some rust off the larger tube and bracket, and sprayed some black paint on the them.

[Bluntman]

Well, its done. Blutman, in contrast to your approach, which was to keep the two existing hose sections and connect them with a new section of hose, I removed the two original short sections and put one longer hose to span the whole distance. If I were doing it again, I think I'd take your approach. Getting those two short sections of hose off was difficult. For the new hose, I replaced those old clamps with new screw-type clamps.

While I had the metal bracket off, I used an angle grinder to remove the ends of the rusted coolant pipe, cleaned some rust off the larger tube and bracket, and sprayed some black paint on the them.

Nice job. Much cleaner.