Radiator Hoses for Speedway Rad + SBC 350

[gigamanx]

Hey all, a few minutes in the garage turned into a total mess of coolant when I tried to raise my radiator support about 1/2" to fix the gap between the hood and the front grill. Well, hose popped off, fluid leaking everywhere. bolts came out of the radiator support and now the holes don't line up. Joy.

Well, looks like its all coming apart and the fluid is going to be drained. While I'm at it, I may as well get these hoses right. I used a couple that were good enough but I know they aren't right. Could someone give me part numbers for ones that worked well?

Speedway 19x22 radiator modified lower spout and its a chevy 350 engine.

Top one is just a universal to get me going. The problem with the universal is that the top of the tube is higher than the top of the radiator causing an air bubble sometimes.




the lower is just a kinky mess

[joedoh]

looks like a factory TBI 4.3 s10 (93-96) hose might fit the top. for the bottom I like the factory lower hose for a 55 chevy v8 car, it requires a little trimming, I have the number if they cant find it.

those flexy hoses arent usually worth anything, even if they have a spring in them. getting a lower that is reinforced is really important or it will suck shut.


IF you are feeling especially froggy, take a coat hanger and bend it around till it goes in the center of both the rad and the water pump, then take it to the parts store and they will let you look at all the hoses hanging. thats how I found the 55 car hose, which is a very simple hose, looks basically like an L.

[gigamanx]

Originally Posted by joedoh

looks like a factory TBI 4.3 s10 (93-96) hose might fit the top. for the bottom I like the factory lower hose for a 55 chevy v8 car, it requires a little trimming, I have the number if they cant find it.

those flexy hoses arent usually worth anything, even if they have a spring in them. getting a lower that is reinforced is really important or it will suck shut.


IF you are feeling especially froggy, take a coat hanger and bend it around till it goes in the center of both the rad and the water pump, then take it to the parts store and they will let you look at all the hoses hanging. thats how I found the 55 car hose, which is a very simple hose, looks basically like an L.

I tried taking a bent piece of wire to the auto store and the guy's head just about exploded when I said I need this shape, but I wouldn't give him the year make and model. Left frustrated which is why I'm here. I don't want to order 15 different hoses trying to find the right diameter and bends. I definitely want a reinforced one because both tubes are a bit close to the serpentine belt. The last thing I need is some rubber on rubber action. I'll order your suggestion JD and see how it goes

While I'm at it...maybe I should install the heater hoses too while all the fluid is out. That was supposed to be a future job, but oh well...gotta wait till the winter thaws about a bit more anyway.

[capnduane]

I went to O'Rileys and the manager let me go thru their hoses on the rack. I found one from their stock of molded hoses that needed some trimming, and it fits and looks good. It is below the inlet to the radiator so no air pockets.

[joedoh]

what shenanigans. the parts guys around the corner just walk me in the back most times now, great guys.

below is the pictures of the s10 upper hose, and I bought two almost identical lower hoses when I bought the 55 chevy hose, this is the second in the picture. it is listed as a 67 chevelle v8 hose, but it was like I said almost exactly the same.

[mr48chev]

Well from where I sit is that Cobbled in Speedway radiator being cobbled in there and nothing fitting right rather than fabbing a decent core support that allowed for a radiator with an outlet that was lower on the outlet side. Plus I am not sure what that thing is on the driver side that looks like an Idler that replaced something but along with being ugly it is in the way of stock GM upper hoses.

I'd think that an upper hose designed for the donor rig that that engine came out of would be a good start and go from there. Plus an angled outlet to allow the hose to loop around the back of what ever that thing is. That straight outlet is intended for a radiator like Capnduane has with the center inlet or a stock AD radiator with a center inlet.

[mr48chev]

Looking at this side it looks like if you use a thermostat housing that angles to the side you can run a hose right around the ac eliminator and right to the inlet on the radiator real smooth.

That hose he use on the TF might work as it should be long enough to lay down and go around the eliminator unit.

[gigamanx]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

Looking at this side it looks like if you use a thermostat housing that angles to the side you can run a hose right around the ac eliminator and right to the inlet on the radiator real smooth.

That hose he use on the TF might work as it should be long enough to lay down and go around the eliminator unit.

I originally had an angled housing and it ran right into the bracket you are mentioning. That is an AC delete bracket for the original serpentine setup. If I remove it, the serpentine belt doesn't have the correct route.

I've cut and hacked that stupid right side bracket already just to make it fit. Supposed to be for that engine, year, and power steering, but with the S10 motor mounts, there was interference. Then the water pump side hit the same bracket so I had to cut some more. Then the top of the bracket covered one of the accessory holes in the intake manifold. It does the job and cost a whole lot less than an aftermarket serpentine setup.

[_Ogre]

try going back to the angled neck thermo housing
i had issues with the ramjet motor air filter sticking out in the way
used a 1.5'' ss exhaust elbow to fill in the center section
similar method on the lower hose also gave me a spot to install the fan temp sensor

[gigamanx]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

similar method on the lower hose also gave me a spot to install the fan temp sensor

hmm..didn't even think of doing something like that. Here I am trying to use all the ports from the intake manifold and I could just as easily cut the upper hose and stick the sensor in between with a little bridge piece and sensor. Got a part number for that doohickey?

[skymangs]

look at the first few pages of my s10 swap how to, I list the actual part numbers.

[gigamanx]

Originally Posted by skymangs

look at the first few pages of my s10 swap how to, I list the actual part numbers.

I noticed the thread mentioned a lower radiator hose and no upper. The part listed is Gates p/n 22433. I'll give that one a try as the upper

Tried two already and neither of them fit...I ended up getting my existing lower hose to fit nicer so just working on the upper now.

ones that didn't work Gates 22087 upper, Gates 20475 lower. Both were the wrong diameter to fit.

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by gigamanx

Gates 20475 lower. Both were the wrong diameter to fit.

big or small? 20475 fit both the water pump and my mustang radiator and ebay radiator? speedway maybe uses a different size?

[gigamanx]

Originally Posted by joedoh

big or small? 20475 fit both the water pump and my mustang radiator and ebay radiator? speedway maybe uses a different size?

Too small. The top hose was actually the same outer diameter as the inlet pipe lending me to believe it would take some muscle to stretch it over the inlet or the thermostat housing. It's ok...ordered Skymangs' suggestion to see if that helps. If neither fit, I may go Ogre's route since I kind of like the shiny tube bit in an engine bay over more rubber hose.

[dsraven]

whenever I run into problems like this I usually make a trip to the local part store and they usually let me walk through the aisle of rad hoses to match up a few hoses that may work. since they usually only stock faster moving parts you will end up with a hose that will be available for a few years at least. if no hoses seem good then I just get some exhaust tubing bent up to fit from point A to point B, get the ends of the tube expanded or shrunk to match the related connection and connect the ends to the rad and engine with some short pieces of rad hose. use a good quality clamp as well. then fab up a support bracket if required on a long run to keep things from sagging and consequently disconnecting. when done take it all apart and zinc coat the inside of the tube and paint the outside, or whatever you decide. if you want to get fancy you can also put the little flare in the tube to help stop the hose from slipping.

[_Ogre]

ogre's little doohickey is all ogre, i welded half a 3/8'' ss couple in ss exhaust tube total cost $2 and i still have half the coupling
though you can buy them at summit or speedway at $53 +tax+shipping

my thoughts on why the fan sensor is in the lower hose:
in the upper hose the fan sensor will turn the fan on everytime the thermostat opens
in the lower hose this allows the radiator to do it's job of cooling the coolant
only turns the fan on when the coolant out of the radiator is above the fan sensor preset
this location has worked fine for 33k miles

[gigamanx]

Well I may be a little closer. Skymangs suggestion of gates 22433 gets me the perfect bends however the inner diameter of the hose is larger than both my radiator outlet and the thermostat housing. I just need that same shape in a smaller diameter tube maybe by 1/4 to 1/2in. What a pain this process is. Another week with the truck not running :/

[skymangs]

i never remember having that problem. I did those swaps all the tiime back in the day.

[skymangs]

of course you could always do what I did on jerrys' 48, cut the hose and use an exhaust adapter to get the correct angle.