So for good routine maintenance, when is the good time to change the heater core hose? I changed the radiator hoses when I changed the radiator. The heater core hoses are now 9 years old and 125K miles.
Driving home from school yesterday at 5pm and it was F-in hot!
Everything is good but I notice the A/C is have trouble keeping up. All gauges read normal so I chalked it up to the weak sauce A/C of the Miata not being able to handle the extreme heat.
Later I go to wash the car and notice a lot of wet stuff under the car. Initially I thought the A/C condenser but it was too much water for that.
Popped hood to see distinctive green liquid and sweet smell. I turns out I had the upper radiator hose burst. It must have burst close to home because as I said, car never warmed up beyond mid level.
$25 later for a upper radiator hose and a gallon of coolant and gallon of distilled water and I'm back on the road and the A/C is cooling good again.
This is the second time I had a burst hose. Three years ago one of the heater core hoses sprung a leak but I let the car cool down, topped of the radiator and got home OK.
At 109k miles 5 1/2 years ago the timing belt broke 15 minutes from home. Had to call AAA to get a tow.
175k miles and the old girl is still running good.
So for good routine maintenance, when is the good time to change the heater core hose? I changed the radiator hoses when I changed the radiator. The heater core hoses are now 9 years old and 125K miles.
Gabriel
The Gates website says - A replacement interval of four years for all coolant carrying hoses -- especially the upper radiator, bypass and heater hoses -- can help prevent unexpected failure
http://www.gates.com/brochure.cfm?br...ocation_id=541
"Catastrophic"? There was a lot of luck in that catastrophy.
Stripe Das Sape
We are leading the world to democracy by example.
Now is the time to replace ALL the hoses. You just replaced the weakest one and now it's going to hold pressure and stress the next weakest one. Better to replace them at your leisure now than under a streetlight in the middle of nowhere at their whim. BTDT
how hard isit to pullou dash ad fx heater core and to add ac to a car?
Adding AC to a Miata? Easier to buy one with it and sell the NON-AC car to a spec builder.
Heater Core, no need to remove the dash. http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread...ghlight=heater
Chris
91 Miata (#3), Rattle Can Grey(previous owner), Greddy Turbo @7 PSI and Manifold (Only items remaining from the kit), TDR I/C, Godspeed Radiator, RM DP, 2.5 Enthuza Bipes, BEGI AFPR, ACT, Lightened Stock Flywheel, Yellow Konis, FCM on Stock Springs, HDM2S, MOMO Wheel, Ratsback Front CF Lip, Black Rota's on EcstaXS, Corrado Rotors & XP8's on Front w/ 1.8 rears.
http://austinmiata.com/
Wishlist: Megasquirt to run 12-13 PSI, White non-spray paint job, 8" 6UL's, RX7 LSD, Evans Waterless Coolant
It's hard to keep the windshield from fogging up when it rains if you don't have a heater core.
'94 Black & Black & Tan
'99 head swap, JR header, TDR intake & header blanket, MegaSquirt, RB hollow bar, Tein Flex, 15x8 6ULs, HD M2 Sport, FM cat, Borla cat-back, black '95M interior, MOMO Zebrano, IL Motorsport console...
Dyno Days
8/16/08 (bone stock): 103.1 hp/99.0 lb-ft - Dynojet
8/23/08 (Borla cat-back): 108.2 hp/104.1 lb-ft - Dynojet
8/13/11 (more stuff...): 126 hp/116 lb-ft - Mustang dyno
Roger Moore: the Danny White of James Bonds
yea, but often I need a little heat to keep the inside of the window from getting too cold, and condensing.
Personally, I replace all my hoses, water pump, CAS seal, front crank and cam seals when I replace the timing belt. It adds a little more to the cost of doing a timing belt change, but at even 120,000 miles, I'm comfortable taking the Turbo '97 across country, as I have no fears of being stranded by something so trivial as a blown hose or thrown belt......
.....man I'm so overdue for a road trip!
'08 Copper Red GT PRHT, '06 Accord EXL, '05 Dodge Magnum R/T, '01 V8 Dakota for pulling 2135 Chaparral.
Daily Driver: 2013 Club edition in Pearl White Mica
Lightness? What's that? I drive a PRHT!
Sorry to hear your trips not going so well. At least it will be a trip you won't soon forget.
I still remember a trip to Tucson that my family took in the 70's where my Dad experianced 3 flat tires, and a fuel pump failure within 1800 miles of driving, while putting up with 4 kids, wife, and pulling a camper trailer behind a station wagon. Good times!!!!
'08 Copper Red GT PRHT, '06 Accord EXL, '05 Dodge Magnum R/T, '01 V8 Dakota for pulling 2135 Chaparral.
haha I rmember those road trips fun stuff
This happened to me last summer. The top radiator hose busted just as I pulled in to driftdevil's apartment complex. He was cool enough to chauffeur me to the auto parts store of choice for the fix.
You need to replace all of the hoses at the same time. I personally went with silicon because I was tracking the hell out of my car last year.
Just give your car a once over before Hallett and do all the PM necessary, as you know.
Gabriel: As far as heater hoses go, squeeze 'em! Are they still stiff, or are they mushy and very pliable. If it's the latter, replace them.
I'm going with silicon heater hoses. Once installed, i'll give an update with pics.