Thread: Should I replace the Radiator Cooling hoses?

How often should these hoses be replaced? I was thinking about replacing them.. Do I replace them all?

How many are there? I seem to have found 4...
LOWER HOSE:
ACDELCO Part # 26354X {#88909051} 1 9/32" x 1 17/32" x 16 5/16"
HOSE,MOLDED 2 DOORS; LWR
HOSE,MOLDED 4 DOORS; LWR

UPPER HOSE:
ACDELCO Part # 26346X {#88909043} 1 1/4" x 21 3/16"
HOSE,MOLDED 2 DOORS; UPR
HOSE,MOLDED 4 DOORS; UPR

Then what are these hoses?

ACDELCO Part # 18287L {#88920912} 19/32" x 24 29/32"
HOSE,MOLDED 4 DOORS; HTR TO ENG, UPR
HOSE,MOLDED 2 DOORS; HTR TO ENG, UPR


ACDELCO Part # 18251L {#88920876} 5/8" x 23/32" x 22 19/32"
HOSE,MOLDED 4 DOORS; HTR TO ENG, LWR
HOSE,MOLDED 2 DOORS; HTR TO ENG, LWR

oh! My car has only 73K, but its 12 years old. So technically it shouuld have that kind of mileage. I would think with rubber hoses its more of a age thing, than mileage..

I don't know I felt the hoses.... they feel like hoses.. are those 4 hoses the right part number? Should I do all 4 hoses? Do you need to take out the headlight for the top hose?

I caled to get a price on replacing the up and low radiator hoses and my mechani wants $150.00. That seems awfully high for 2 hoses.. he said its .7 hours per hose. The other 2 hoses to the heater core they will not change because they say the hoses seize to the core... and when you replace it it will leak...

Does any of this make sense?

First off is this something you can do yourself? And as far as changing the heater core hoses thats BS. All you have to do is remove the clamp, grab the hose and give it a twist to break it free from the heater core line. Then just twist and pull back at the same time and viola! you have removed the hose. Obviously you don't want to hulk up on it as the core is thin metal and "could" break a seam, but if you are carefull you should have no issues. Done this for years and have yet to cause a leak.

And that .7 hours is book time. You will get billed that regardless of the 30-45 min. it takes to change those 4 hoses. The longest part will be refilling the system w/ coolant and bleeding all the air out of it. That I could see taking a good solid hour.

Thanks for the info... I don't think I will do the heater core hoses.. ill have to return them.. I saw the utube video on the other ones.. I think ill just pay someone... hopefully I really needed them... but the car is 12 years old

When they get soft or hard then its time for replacement.