Bottom Radiator Hose

[BigAndrew]

My bike didn't have any antifreeze in it during one of the nights that had a hard freeze so i tried to wrestle the bottom hose off the radiator and it wouldn't budge.. I started to bend the bottom tube thing on the bottom so i just cut the hose in two instead of risking messing up the radiator

My Question is what size is the bottom radiator hose? I should be able to just pick up a hose that size from the local AutoZone right? I sure hope i dont have to order the hose online... I feel like a crack addict that needs a fix, I need to ride my bike :lol: :mrgreen:

 

[dan filipi]

There is a hose that's longer and will replace both upper and lower.
I don't have the number for it right off but take the old with you like chas said. I think we have that number around here somewhere.....

 

[kah92340]

Here is the Napa number for the hose 7733, cut it in half and use for top and bottom.

 

[radioman]

If you were just trying to drain the system there is a drain bolt (plug). If you mean the engine was frozen, then you need to check the engine over very carefully cause they don't always crack on the outside where it can be seen. Don't ask me how I know that. I got one of those napa hoses and found it to be about an inch to short. Good luck with yours. Radioman

 

[BigAndrew]

Thanks for the help guys :salute:

I ended up getting some random car radiator hose with a slight bend that was the right diameter and it fit perfect after cutting off about 6 inches, The hose ended up costing me $11

If you were just trying to drain the system there is a drain bolt (plug). If you mean the engine was frozen, then you need to check the engine over very carefully cause they don't always crack on the outside where it can be seen. Don't ask me how I know that. I got one of those napa hoses and found it to be about an inch to short. Good luck with yours. Radioman

I did all this before it got cold enough to freeze and i didn't want to mess with the drain plug cause i was afraid i might mess it up or it would get clogged easy since my water is rusty :head bang: I flushed it several times and ran some radiator cleaner through it about 2 years ago... i guess it wasn't good enough :rant: :fiddle: :lol:

 

[mcgovern61]

Are you only running water in your engine?

If so, that is not really good in an aluminum engine. The antifreeze is also antiboil! Water can boil when under pressure and create steam that gets trapped in your system and cause significant pitting in places you cannot see. Also, the temp gauge may not reflect boiling to steam conditions because steam is a gas and the temp sender will only read in liquid. Not saying you are having this trouble, but if you are not using the correct antifreeze ( and experience high ambient temps like summer in Florida) your potential for damage increases rapidly.

The other thing in antifreeze that is often overlooked is the anticorrosive chemicals added that prevent corrosion from disimilar metals from the different components in the engine cooling system and other things found in water (can you say sludge build up in the radiator?)

 

[BigAndrew]

Are you only running water in your engine?

If so, that is not really good in an aluminum engine. The antifreeze is also antiboil! Water can boil when under pressure and create steam that gets trapped in your system and cause significant pitting in places you cannot see. Also, the temp gauge may not reflect boiling to steam conditions because steam is a gas and the temp sender will only read in liquid. Not saying you are having this trouble, but if you are not using the correct antifreeze ( and experience high ambient temps like summer in Florida) your potential for damage increases rapidly.

The other thing in antifreeze that is often overlooked is the anticorrosive chemicals added that prevent corrosion from disimilar metals from the different components in the engine cooling system and other things found in water (can you say sludge build up in the radiator?)

:blush: The water was only ment to be temporary.. but I ended up letting it stay in there :headscratch:
I'm going to flush the system several times now and then wait a few more weeks and run some radiator cleaner through the system a few times then I reckon ill ad some distilled water and antifreeze
:fiddle:
When I unbolted the cap that the bottom part of the bottom radiator hose it attached to I saw that it has a rubber o-ring instead of a gasket. I just bolted it back afterwards crossing my fingers it wouldn't leak but no such luck :fiddle:
Guess ill have to order a new one, Does anybody know what size it is or where to order one?
It's not leaking much now
I thinking about sitting that cap o-ring side down in a shallow pool of brake fluid to soften up the rubber seal for a temp fix

 

[slabghost]

Auto parts stores carry a variety of "O" rings. They should be able to match one up for you.

 

[scdmarx]

When that happened to me I wasted a most of a day driving around looking for something that would work. Giving up, I finally stopped at a local bike shop to order whatever I had to, to get that oring. The guy behind the counter rolled his eyes, pulled out a box of all different sizes of orings and told me to have at it. Less than a minute later I was giving him a dollar for exactly the right oring. Really didn't look any different than the old one, but the new one worked.

 

[BigAndrew]

Thanks Guys, I guess i'll have to take my lazy butt up to hopefully just one part store instead of 3 or 4 :doh: