Custom radiator hoses

[chuckdizzle]

The upper radiator hose in my brother's e30 was handmade by the previous owner who built the turbo setup. Its essentially two different hoses that were cut and coupled together using the gnarliest and sharpest hose clamps ever and a piece of what I think is PVC. One of the hose clamps let go and I'm looking for a way to replace it with a single hose instead of handmaking another one by hacking up several spare hoses to make it work.
The size of the radiator and the turbo placement seem to be the issue.

Or is there some sort of slip on silicone or rubber sleave that goes over the hoses instead of between them and then I could hose clamp it down?

[SkiFree]

A custom one piece radiator hose isn't really a feasible idea (they'd typically be done in a production-style setup, so you'd be looking at full production prices).

You have 2 options (unless someone has some other ideas.

1) You can fiddle around with short sections of silicone hose along aluminum or stainless tubing to get what you need. You'd need to get an exhaust/fabrication shop to put a little bead roll on the tube-ends (to keep the pipes from blowing off) once you've demod fit.


2) Use a flexible hose like those found through jegs/summit.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-390048/replacementparts

[chuckdizzle]

A custom one piece radiator hose isn't really a feasible idea (they'd typically be done in a production-style setup, so you'd be looking at full production prices).

You have 2 options (unless someone has some other ideas.

1) You can fiddle around with short sections of silicone hose along aluminum or stainless tubing to get what you need. You'd need to get an exhaust/fabrication shop to put a little bead roll on the tube-ends (to keep the pipes from blowing off) once you've demod fit.


2) Use a flexible hose like those found through jegs/summit.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/su...placementparts

The stainless steel flexpipe looks to be the most straight forward method. Thanks

[chuckdizzle]

I guess the next step would be to add a proper expansion tank to the cooling system. At the moment its just a plastic bottle nestled near the oil dipstick. I was thinking of this universal tank from Moroso

Would it be alright to mount it up against the firewall, close to the positive battery terminal? The original expansion tank location won't work with the current piping from the intercooler.

[einstein57]

Much cheaper and easier to just run an m42 radiator.

[chuckdizzle]

Much cheaper and easier to just run an m42 radiator.

I'm liking this idea since we would prefer to have the stock fan back in place, there's something wrong with our electric SPAL fan.
Does the M42 radiator have better cooling capability than the radiator from the M20? Found a great deal on an S14 radiator from an M3, would that be worth using?
We're having issues while the car sits for long periods of time after "enthusiastic" driving, temperature was going up into the 220's and climbing and I feel as though we're lacking a proper fan setup, even with the 16" SPAL fan in place.

edit: just realized the benefit after looking at the photo again...integrated expansion tank!

[einstein57]

Its smaller then a m20 radiator but i'm boosting with no temperature issues.

[TheTacoMan]

Its smaller then a m20 radiator but i'm boosting with no temperature issues.

I have issues with temp climbing in mild traffic with a m20 radiator, I do like the idea of delete the plastic reservoir. I am running an electric fan. Is the m42 radiator any better?

[chuckdizzle]

Its smaller then a m20 radiator but i'm boosting with no temperature issues.

good to know, I'm hoping that switching back to a stock fan setup will also remedy some overheating issues while sitting

[einstein57]

I use the stock fan clutch and no electric pusher. Stays at half in bumper to bumper traffic.
I will be adding a spall pusher and cutting up an m20 fan shroud when i replace my a/c pump