Gen III V8 Engine with FJ60 Radiator - Molded Rubber Hose

[djawahir]

I've been dealing with a lower radiator hose leak ever since I did my Gen III (L59) V8 swap a couple years ago. I had a 15" Spectre Flex Hose with 1.5" ends for this entire time. I hate flex hoses. At two to three times the price of a molded rubber one, they should work flawlessly, but most do not. But at the time, I couldn't find an off the shelf molded hose to fit the weird angle that the engine side port would exit.

I got tired of the leaks this past week and decided to scour the ends of the interweb for a molded rubber hose to fit my V8 setup...and I found one!

The general shape of the hose should be a reverse question mark as you can sort of see in the hardened flex hose that I removed.

After a few days of searching, measuring, buying, and returning, I found two candidates that I thought would most likely fit.

They are below left and below right. The below middle is the flex hose that I'm replacing.

 

[djawahir]

The above left image is the Dayco #70115. The above right image is the Dayco #70792.

 

[djawahir]

I used the Dayco #70115 and cut exactly 2" off the top portion of the hose.

 

[djawahir]

Here are some money shots:

 

[djawahir]

If anyone's asking, I only double clamp the bottom to keep an extra radiator clamp handy. It's useful for patching small rad hose leaks in case you just gotta make it home.

 

[djawahir]

The Dayco 70792 hose may be a slightly more ideal fit, but it requires a cut on each end to install. If anyone uses the 70792, post up how it fits here please. More options are always nice to have.

 

[FJ60Cam]

Nice detective work!

 

[MANUCHAO]

I learned that a bit of RTV on the end hoses with a constant high torque clamps (from napa) like this one, helps to keep the small leaks away....

Thanks for the diligent work on finding these hoses..!!!

 

[NetJunky]

this works for me
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C2WE3C/?tag=ihco-20

 

[djawahir]

this works for me
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C2WE3C/?tag=ihco-20

A flex hose says "I'm wild and crazy" and I'm past those days. So I traded it in for a smooth and debonair off-the-shelf beauty that screams "I'm refined and sophisticated."

 

[lcwizard]

those corrugated flex hoses tend to put a side load on radiator necks causing them to fatigue and crack prematurely. The molded one is a better choice

 

[dbleon]

NAPA 9045 worked well for me... it looks like I have more room between engine/rad though. I guess it does depend on engine placement as well; no one size fits all approach to these things. No coolant leaks in ~25k miles.

 

[MANUCHAO]

NAPA 9045 I guess it does depend on engine placement as well; no one size fits all approach to these things.

Tru dat....... I used that part number, but it did not work for me..
I have about 6"-7" between block, and radiator....

 

[Elbert]

make sure you don't get it where the hoses are pinched or in a bind, top pic post # 4....looks like the hose might be in a twist or bind at the upper portion near the water neck.

 

[djawahir]

Elbert, the hose had a little bubble in the curve before I installed it. I, too, thought it was odd. I don't think it's too bad when it's installed. I think it looks worse than it is.

 

[djawahir]

Tru dat....... I used that part number, but it did not work for me..
I have about 6"-7" between block, and radiator....

I think that my engine is also about 6-7" from the radiator...yeah, it's not one size fits all, but it does fit the Gen III (L59) engine to FJ60 radiator. I didn't know the other Gen III engines had different coolant dump angles...

 

[stayalert]

Many thanks for this info! I was chasing a small leak that I was able to address by tightening/ replacing the hose clamp - during the process I decided I would source a replacement hose for "just in case" - Your sharing this effort made that so easy!