In my defense, the prior owner had replaced the Tees with metal Tees before I got my ’05. The hoses even looked new-not hard with no end splits. So I figured that my Tee issues were past me- so I would read the FAC at my leisure.
As I looked over the metal Tee situation, what caught my attention is that he used the Four Seasons 84543 Tees and basic hose clamps. The hoses were very crushed down in order to keep the smaller diameter Tees from leaking.
In my great wisdom, I asked the forum about better clamps and was directed to some 1/2 wide smooth surface Norma clamps with rounded edges and external gear teeth.
I got them yesterday and for some reason, I thought could do the job without removing each T.
My plan was that I would completely undue each basic clamp, pull it off, and replace it with the Norma clamp by opening it up, wrapping it around the hose, squeezing it together by fingers or pliers, engage the strap end, and screw it up tight as I have with other hose clamps.
Ha- the Norma clamp was so stiff there was no way I could squeeze it to engage the end while bent/stretched over the engine bay. The Tee had to come off.
Since I had not read the FAQ I did not know how much coolant would be in the hose so I did not drain off some from the radiator. So- first half turn coolant poured past the clamp. Grabbed a towel and stuffed it under the Tee.
I removed the Tee-- which of course took some pulling and tugging to get each hose end off far enough to pull out the T. Slipped the hose clamps on each leg and struggled on the Tee. I quickly found that of course the 16-27mm clamps were way too large to work well on the bottom leg of the T and I would need to get a smaller-sized clamp to work with the Four Season Tees.
So another fight to pull off the T.
Last night I decided to read the Tee FAQ and found some great advice about which metal Tee to use and one warning which had me up all night with worry.
The good advice was from MuNaught who had used the Four Seasons Tee and found its smaller leg diameter eventually leaked even with constant tension hose clamps. He found that Omega Tees had larger diameter Tees and he did not have to crush down the hoses as much to have a good seal.
The real heart pounder for me is when I read 2001LC’s warning “ Be gentle with the pipe come up, that it's attached to. To much side to side pressure on pipe. Then the bond in the water bypass will weep at pipe seam. Than next job well be a rear water bypass joint.”
I had been tugging on the hose in order to get the Tee off twice and not being “gentle” at all. Now I have to wait until my new Tee and clamps come before I find out if I totally messed up and made a huge job out of a small one. This is one of those jobs where you wish you and left it alone-if it ain't broke do not fix it.
How many have cracked the seal on the standing bypass pipe and got weeping? Any simple fix?
As I looked over the metal Tee situation, what caught my attention is that he used the Four Seasons 84543 Tees and basic hose clamps. The hoses were very crushed down in order to keep the smaller diameter Tees from leaking.
In my great wisdom, I asked the forum about better clamps and was directed to some 1/2 wide smooth surface Norma clamps with rounded edges and external gear teeth.
I got them yesterday and for some reason, I thought could do the job without removing each T.
My plan was that I would completely undue each basic clamp, pull it off, and replace it with the Norma clamp by opening it up, wrapping it around the hose, squeezing it together by fingers or pliers, engage the strap end, and screw it up tight as I have with other hose clamps.
Ha- the Norma clamp was so stiff there was no way I could squeeze it to engage the end while bent/stretched over the engine bay. The Tee had to come off.
Since I had not read the FAQ I did not know how much coolant would be in the hose so I did not drain off some from the radiator. So- first half turn coolant poured past the clamp. Grabbed a towel and stuffed it under the Tee.
I removed the Tee-- which of course took some pulling and tugging to get each hose end off far enough to pull out the T. Slipped the hose clamps on each leg and struggled on the Tee. I quickly found that of course the 16-27mm clamps were way too large to work well on the bottom leg of the T and I would need to get a smaller-sized clamp to work with the Four Season Tees.
So another fight to pull off the T.
Last night I decided to read the Tee FAQ and found some great advice about which metal Tee to use and one warning which had me up all night with worry.
The good advice was from MuNaught who had used the Four Seasons Tee and found its smaller leg diameter eventually leaked even with constant tension hose clamps. He found that Omega Tees had larger diameter Tees and he did not have to crush down the hoses as much to have a good seal.
The real heart pounder for me is when I read 2001LC’s warning “ Be gentle with the pipe come up, that it's attached to. To much side to side pressure on pipe. Then the bond in the water bypass will weep at pipe seam. Than next job well be a rear water bypass joint.”
I had been tugging on the hose in order to get the Tee off twice and not being “gentle” at all. Now I have to wait until my new Tee and clamps come before I find out if I totally messed up and made a huge job out of a small one. This is one of those jobs where you wish you and left it alone-if it ain't broke do not fix it.
How many have cracked the seal on the standing bypass pipe and got weeping? Any simple fix?
