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Silicone Coolant hoses

March 07, 2011, 01:56:34 pm

I need to replace a coolant hose on my 2000 U320. Decided to do them all if I have to go thru the whole draining the coolant system thing.

Has anyone used or investigated using silicone hoses that will take higher temperatures and are supposed to last a lot longer? If so do you have a source for buying?

Tom Braum
2000 U320 40 ft

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Re: Silicone Coolant hoses

Reply #1 – March 07, 2011, 02:57:04 pm

We use the silicone hoses on all our equipment, from small heaqter hoses to the larger radiator hoses.  Just check around on prices, as they can vary greatly.
We purchase our supply from the local Freightliner dealer in 50' coils for the 5/8" & 3/4" at a great price. They run specials some times. Keep ears & eyes awake for a good price.  The larger hoses are more costly, if your friendly with your Cummins dealer, they are not tooooo bad.
And for our good customers we use it, for the cheap and tacky ones, we use the cheap rubber hose.
They are a bargin if you keep the coach, just make sure of the proper hose clamps and method of using them.

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Re: Silicone Coolant hoses

Reply #2 – March 07, 2011, 05:18:08 pm

Tom,
I've used limited quantities of McMaster- Carr catalog silocone hose McMaster-Carr to replace various pieces on my coach, but I assume your talking about replacing the heater hose that runs all the way up to the dash?  If so, you would probably would need two 50' rolls - maybe more with Aquahot.  At $4.90/ft it's a little expensive but it is good stuff.  McMaster-Carr is always a good backup if you can find it reasonably priced elsewhere - I used them a lot and I'm always happy with the quality.

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Re: Silicone Coolant hoses

Reply #3 – March 07, 2011, 10:14:28 pm

Tom,

Modern high quality rubber hoses have at least a ten year life.  How did yours fail?  Do you expect to keep your coach a lot longer than ten more years?  If not, silicone hoses may well not be cost effective.

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Re: Silicone Coolant hoses

Reply #4 – March 11, 2011, 09:48:10 am

When I got my coach everything was about about 13 years old, so I thought that it would be a good idea to replace the coolant rubber, so I bought all the replacement pieces except for the heater hose.  When I replaced the old stuff most of it was still in good shape.  Most of it was silicone type and I think it was the original stuff installed by Foretravel.  I didn't replace the heater hose going to the dash, just spliced in new sections near the engine.  Kept all of the silicone stuff for spares or put it back on if it seemed to be better than the new.  The parts connected to the transmission heat exchanger (not silicone) needed replacing the most although it wasn't leaking.  If the heater hose or heater develop a leak my plan is to form a loop bypass at the engine so I can keep driving until repairs can be done. 

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Re: Silicone Coolant hoses

Reply #5 – March 11, 2011, 11:00:05 pm

No reason to create a loop bypass if dash heater core leaks.

I just put two ball valves near the engine into both in & out heater hoses going to front dash.
When our dash heater core leaked anti-freeze out the a/c condensate drain located next to our genset, I closed the ball valves and several months later had the heater core replaced. It was summer, so the dash heater was not needed.

Closing the ball valves, mimics closing the water valve near our genset from dash manual heater control.  While circulating coolant through heater hoses is desirable, it is not necessary.

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Re: Silicone Coolant hoses

Reply #6 – March 14, 2011, 02:11:19 pm

Today @ Freightliner Truck Parts, the 5/8" Silicone Green Heater Hose is $3.62 per ft.
About the same price for the cheap rubber hose from local NAPA etc stores.

Why I buy 50' box at a time.  we use a fair amount of it.
FWIW agn

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Re: Silicone Coolant hoses

Reply #7 – March 15, 2011, 07:29:09 am

I noticed a faint odor of antifreeze up forward and am thinking hose replacement at least is in my future.  Anyone have any tips/tricks for running new heater hoses? 

Chuck

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Re: Silicone Coolant hoses

Reply #8 – March 15, 2011, 10:08:59 am

Chuck,

Don't overlook the radiator hoses for the generator.  When I noticed some antifreeze in the forward compartment on the driver side it was due to a loose clamp on the generator radiator hose.

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