How many heater/coolant hoses? (1 Viewer)

[cartercd]

I would like to replace all the heater/coolant hoses on my '97 FZJ80 with rear heater. The three large diameter radiator hoses are obvious, I've read all about the infamous PHH, and I see a several short sections of 3/8" hose near the top of the block. What else is hiding from me that can be replaced?

Thanks,
Carter

 

[IdahoDoug]

I did all mine that I could see/touch and I think it came to 17 individual hoses. Look for a post on this by me and you'll find some useful tips I got from others. I believe it was in the Fall of '03.

DougM

 

[cartercd]

Thanks for the help, but I haven't had any luck finding this thread. I can't find anything prior to 4/2004 from IdahoDoug. Can someone help a rookie out by locating this thread?

 

[Beowulf]

Doug,
I took the liberty of reposting here from 80sCool.



Message 39670


From: Doug Miller <dmiller@f...>
Date: Sat Dec 14, 2002 11:45 pm
Subject: PHH and 16 other hoses!!

Well, did the pesky heater hose and I have this to say. The PHH is a pain -
yes, but there are a few others that rate even worse in my book.

Jack up and remove the LH front wheel. Remove the rearmost splash shield (3
grommets - lube the part that holds it to the fender and they pop off
without breaking), and duct tape a penlight with it's light right on the
PHH. I also disconnected the starter connection to get more room.

First, the PHH. Many thanks to whomever thought up the tip to remove only
the upper bolt on the metal hose that terminates down at the PHH - you are
my hero. After I got my PHH hose off, it took only about 5 minutes to put a
new one in using this method. The green silicone hose was a joy to work
with - flexible and grippy. I used KY lube to get the hose on easily, and
it's water soluble so I knew it would not impact the hose material or remain
in the system after the two flushes it would get before putting new coolant
in. After all the work getting to it and the old hose off it was
practically an anticlimax. I used the suggested method of sliding it well
up the tube, then line up the tube with the block nipple, and simply slid it
right onto the nipple. Cake.

Many of you knew I'd purchased the Gates heat shrink hose clamps to use on
the green silicone NAPA hose I replaced the PHH with. However I changed my
mind after having to go back and get another set when I discovered my 20
month old son had walked off with them - never to be seen again. I mused to
the counter guy about getting these off. He told me they have to be cut
off, and suddenly I had a flashback to the work I'd just done to cut the old
PHH hose off and realized these things are stout and it would be a HUGE task
to cut one off in that tight space. Huge. Access to the clamp on the block
nipple is so limited you would not even be able to get a dremel tool near
it. And there's no way to use a piece of hacksaw blade or other cutting
blade because one end is directly against the block and there's no way to
move the blade back and forth. So, I used the original spring steel style
that was originally there on the block end, and scavenged another identical
clamp from another heater hose in the engine bay I could easily get to (this
was later replaced with a normal screw style stainless clamp as access was
easy to use on the other end. So, I do not recommend the shrink style for
those of you who - like me - will still own your 80 ten years from now when
this is done again.

My objective was to replace every single heater and radiator hose and I
found 16 others - including a couple that are more difficult than the PHH.
The heater valve sits above the rear end of the valve cover and it has
several short sections. The cotter pin style clamps must be cut off with
heavy wire cutters - no big deal. But after I had these off, I could see
TWO MORE little sections directly behind the valve cover and very tight
against the firewall. These two are a serious pain - mainly since it is so
hard to get back there.

First, a thousand thanks to whomever suggested using lumber across the
engine bay. This single tip is the only reason I was successful - please
step forward if you read this. I put wood across the engine so I could
basically work back there on my knees (pad the wood with an old towel -
you're gonna be there for over an hour total) and this is where you will be
doing most of the other hoses from - atop the engine. I rested the wood on
the fenders, padded with towels. I also used other padding to be sure I was
not mashing the vacuum hoses or other expensive bits atop the engine. I
found I had to remove the large black plastic wire bundle cover on the
firewall, push the wires away (more on this later) and move the heater valve
to one side (with all hoses off it of course). This allowed me to see down
into the limited space betwee the engine and firewall to get those hoses
out. These two hoses connect to a 3 pronged tubular metal part. Cut the
clamps off so you can then cut/split the hoses and remove this tubular part.
Then, you have room to get a pair of cutters in there to cut the clamps on
the firewall end of the hoses where each joins to a metal tube. Be gentle
with the upper tube - it's copper and I managed to distort mine by
accidentally clamping it with pliers. Better to split with a knife and
remove this hose as well as all the hoses on the truck - I've never had to
do this before but removed every one like that. The best knife was a cheap
plastic type where the blade slides in and out and you can keep snapping off
precut sections of blade to get a sharp tip. Some spots were so tight a
utility knife would not work. Buy one of these.

Once these two little (2") hoses are off, cut new pieces. I used original
spring clamps (these are like gold, BTW - can't buy them) on the firewall
ends because you simply squeeze them with pliers, slide them down into this
tight space and let go. The ends closer to the engine I used normal screw
type clamps I'd bought for this project. With careful placement, you'll
find you can position the screw head so that you can get a screwdriver to
them across the space behind the valve cover. The wire bundle will be
constantly in the way. I used a lot of KY here, and the upper of these two
hoses is 5/8 (used green silicone) the lower is slightly larger than 1/2. I
have no idea why this is so, but I could not find 1/2 inch silicone so I got
some heavy red stuff at NAPA, then to cover myself I also got some normal
1/2 in case this stiff stuff could not be stretched onto this odd size. It
could not stretch, and I was unable to use it, opting to put a normal piece
down there (kinda disappointed, but the hose I took out showed no weathering
so this will be good for another 10 years). If you can find 1/2 green
silicone, it is easy to work with and I suspect it would have fit on this
spot with no problem.

I put the 2 tough hoses on the 3 pronged tube (the third prong is easy), and
used it to push the hoses down onto the 2 tubes against the firewall
simultaneously. Gave me better leverage and worked well. Then push the
spring clamps down, and position the screw type clamps so you can tighten
them.

The wire bundle. You're now going to put it back in place. This is the spot
where some owners have experienced wire chafing so it's a good time to check
yours out. You'll have to basically destroy the crumbling insulation
(foil/foam stuff) while moving this bundle earlier, so simply pick and pluck
the rest of it all out to expose the entire section. I used a vacuum to
suck up all these bits so I could see it well and this proved to be a good
call. My wire was in good shape. Before putting the plastic wire bundle
thing back on the firewall, I wrapped the section that was insulated with
aluminum foil secured with yellow electrical tape. Not sure what the heat
source Toyota worried about is, but the foil will dissipate heat well.
Putting that plastic thing back on is a pain in the ass and you'll be glad
you're way back there on the lumber getting the job done. Don't forget the
ground wire that goes on the RH bolt - I nearly did. OK, I did forget, but
found it in my clean up check.

Next, I turned to the hoses coming out of the firewall just to the RH side
of the valve cover. It's another tubular pipe assembly again, which I used
again to push the new hoses back on. Much the same approach - using the
spring clamps against the firewall and screw types on the ends more easily
accessed. There is a 90 degree hose to the lower pipe at the firewall that
I suggest you buy. My hose wanted to collapse with this bend and I had to
use another hose clamp in the middle of this short section to keep it from
collapsing. There are a couple of other hoses coming off this tubular
assembly, but they're simple.

Finally you're in the home stretch. Put new hoses on the heater valve
assembly before re-attaching it to the firewall. The 90 degree hose that
leaves the LH side of the valve is another hose I suggest you buy. I was
unable to get a piece of hose to do this without collapsing, so I went to
NAPA and bought whatever 1/2 inch 90 degree hose they had and cut it to
length. Now you can secure the heater valve to the firewall. At this point,
watch for any wires sticking out of the bundle where the sharp edges of the
heater cable clamp press against it. I'll guarantee any wire thus exposed
will get cut fast. I put a piece of rubber in there just to be safe.

After I did all this, I turned to the large radiator hoses, which seemed
like a joy compared to all the other stuff. Remove the skidplate above the
steering stabilizer to access the lower hose. I bought these from Toyota,
as well as the formed tiny (1/4?) hoses (one's near the distributor). Made
install a breeze. One fly in the ointment for me. One of these tiny hoses
I bought from Toyota I simply could not get to. It's directly under the
intake manifold, directly above the PHH and I could not even see either end
of it. The hose itself is a thing of beauty - several formed curves - and
it will occupy a space on my workbench until I decide what to do about it.
I'll let the board know if I work out a way to get to this thing.

After this, I filled the system with plain water and pulled the block drain
and lower hose after driving around for 15 minutes. Repeated it, then
filled with Dex orange. The whole process took 8 hours, including a couple
runs to the store for the hose, and the NAPA run when I changed my mind
about the heat shrink hose clamps.

Good luck, and plan on the truck being down an entire day for this.



-B-

 

[bkgiii]

.......so much for my thinking of replacing all of mine, too, for good measure....SHEESH!
Thanks for the post, B...

 

[IdahoDoug]

Wow, thanks for finding/posting that! I'd thought it was posted here.

DougM