[itschrome]

ok my radiator hose is really lose and has been touching the engine by the oil cap, this has been causing it to kind of melt, which makes me want to replace it. dont need it melting through and spewing coolant every where. i see it has to clamps with flat head screws so i'm not to worried about being able to replace this. I just want to know if i need to drain the collant be fore doing this? it doesn't feel like there is anything in the hose when the car is off so i'm assuming no. am i wrong?

 

[Ranger]

It is not melting. It's wearing from rubbing the cam cover. Yes, the hose is full of coolant. Either drain via the plug under the radiator or by pulling the hose.

 

[itschrome]

ok good to know, and yes it is melting. the other day it was smoking and when i checked it it was melted on to the cam cover and stuck too it. when i loosened it off the cover and drove some more the smoke came back and when i checked again the little bit that was left on the cover was gooey and kind of bubbling giving off a black smoke.. again i could be wrong though, i had spilled a little oil and wiped it off the best i could so maybe that got hot and was smoking. i dunno. either way i just want to replace it thank you for you help once again man!

 

[Ranger]

If that cam cover is getting hot enough to melt a radiator hose, you have bigger problems to worry about. When you replace it, put a protective sleeve over it or wrap it in aluminum tape or some such thing.

 

[itschrome]

yeah i thought of that. I dont run very hot so i'm not sure what the cause. the hose feels really soft and gumy, unlike most hoses i have every felt in a car. not hard and plastic like at all. so i am wondering if maybe some body did some kind of questionable repairs and used a less than ideal hose. maybe, i dunno. if i had a camera i'd post pics and a video. its super lose and soft which i find just so odd..

 

[Ranger]

Might be deteriorating from oil or such. I'd replace every hose that feels like that. Soft & gummy is not what you want in a coolant hose. They are definitely deteriorating.

 

[itschrome]

thats what i thought. thanks a lot dude. this is gonna be my first attempted a taking a wrench to my caddy, wish me luck! (i need it, hahaha) you can go ahead and close this issue.

 

[Submariner409]

If your car has a plastic sight shield which runs the width of the top of the radiator area, there may be a channel molded into the rear underside of the shield into which the upper hose is supposed to be clipped. That keeps it off the engine.

 

[Ranger]

I don't think the '96 had those Sub. I know my '97 Deville didn't.

 

[itschrome]

sub: yeah its not there i saw mention of that in an earlier post and looked into it with no luck. i picked up a hose last night and since its not soft and loose it will hold its self away from the engine.

 

[Submariner409]

Any way to jury-rig a couple of "retainers" with wide black wire ties ? They wouldn't have to be tight - just keep the hose length away from the engine by 1/2"+.

 

[Mark C]

The 97's (probably 96's too) have a bracket attached to the middle of the radiator support that holds the hose up and away from the front valve cover. It bolts to the radiator support and has a half round bend in it that the radiator hose sits on. Someone probably tossed it if they had to remove the fans, or radiator for any reason.

 

[Dadillac]

When I replaced the hoses in my '02 I cut a piece from the old hose and wrapped it around the new hose where it contacts the valve cover. Just added insurance

Don