lower radiator hose

S

steve228

Member
Joined
May 9, 2008
Messages
11
Location
Pearlington,MS
Hi everyone., I have a question...what lower radiator hose are you guys using for a 92 camaro serpentine conversion?
I've tried the flex hose but can't get a sharp
Enough radius at the radiator. Outlet is 1-1/2" water pump is 1-3/4".
Front sway bar is right in the way but I can mount to it but the flex
Hose won't bend enough to attach to waterpump
Without kicking out. Waterpump is also 92 camaro reverse rotation.Thanks for any suggestions.
 
All I can tell you is that I have a '88-91 vette serp drive on my '72, and the lower hose is one of them flex hoses with the spring molded into the rubber,....and about 6" forward of the frame/cross support I clamped it to a ~1.5" brass plumbing fitting and then to a piece of molded Rad hose that goes 90* into the lower Rad/return fitting.....essentially making up my own lower hose, same as I had to do to the upper hose, same solution....

:smash::smash::surrender:
 
There's a lot of places who sell 1 1/2" and 1 3/4" aluminum tubing, 90 degree elbows, 45 degree etc..... Or you take the easy way and buy the radiator plumbing kit from Summit,Jegs or Speedwaymotors.... It's a convenient kit but in my opinion a bit overpriced at 80-100 $$$
 
I use plumbing thin wall brass/chrome finish pipes for the coupling pieces....common in two sizes 1.5 and 1.25" diameter.....plenty enough for the flows required, just look at the diameters of the rad fitting or pump, or t-stat housings.....

make the bends out of traps if you have to....

:smash::cool:
 
you can go to a plumbing supply house and get heavier 18 gauge chrome plated or rough brass tubing . the heavier gauge tubing is stronger and lasts longer.the crap at home centers you can crush with your hands and the heavier stuff you'd have to put lots more effort in to it. well worth the effort.
having spent decades in the plumbing business you'd be amazed the cool stuff I've done to cars with plumbing supplies. like when i put brass tubes in small block chevy heads........
 
7t9l82 said:
you can go to a plumbing supply house and get heavier 18 gauge chrome plated or rough brass tubing . the heavier gauge tubing is stronger and lasts longer.the crap at home centers you can crush with your hands and the heavier stuff you'd have to put lots more effort in to it. well worth the effort.
having spent decades in the plumbing business you'd be amazed the cool stuff I've done to cars with plumbing supplies. like when i put brass tubes in small block chevy heads........
Click to expand...




Speak UP man, have any pix??? like to hear of the problem and how that helped out, if it's years ago, I understand no pix.....

got my curiosity up with this one......:smash::surrender:
 
that was loooong ago.
there is a narrow area in the small block chevy ( and other) heads. we always called it the pushrod pinch. you drill out the area the pushrod goes through and take brass tubing coated with epoxy( I've also seen red lock tite used) and press it in, then you get your die grinder and widen that pinch. sometimes you hit brass depending how far you take things. that makes the flow numbers really go up.
i got a pair of the supposedly junk 882 heads flowing right at 300 c.f.m using that and other tricks. i will tell you it took 2 to 3 cans of stop leak to keep the water where it should be as i got a little close to the water jacket. but it would amaze you what you can do with something if you need to. I'm thinking of doing some modern heads sometime soon , haven't done anything like it in years, may show a couple local guys how we used to do it. i feel like i need to do for the young guys what the older guys did for me.:cool:
 
I have the serpentine kit on my 68 ZZ4 powered convertible. It's at the body shop now getting painted. As I recall, I had no problem with the lower hose. I did have a problem with upper hose. Had to custom make the upper hose using corregated aluminum "hose" material...essentially a corregated aluminum tube. Bought it from Summit.


..........and as I've posted before, my 68 ZZ4 powered car with a Be Cool BB radiator, has 100% ethylene glycol in the cooling system. My cooling system never pressurizes with the pure ethylene glycol. I don't have to worry about leaks due to cooling system pressurizing with water present. Heating due to less cooling efficiency with ethylene? My ZZ4 runs consistently colder than a witch's tit.
 
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