Hoses
Coolant hoses are a vital part of your cooling system as they are the veins of your Duramax's cooling system. These rubber radiator hoses carry coolant to your cooling components and are responsible for getting coolant to and from your radiator. Over time, they can become worn out, torn, or bulge due to damage or overuse. Merchant Automotive has everything you need to replace or upgrade your Duramax coolant hoses to keep your engine running cool throughout any weather.
Coolant hoses are rubber hoses that carry coolant to your system's cooling components. You will usually see these coming from the radiator's top and bottom and going to your thermostat housing and engine block. The factory coolant hoses are made from a pre-formed rubber material that is designed to fit perfectly in your Duramax engine bay. These can become damaged or worn out over time, requiring you to replace them with a direct replacement or upgrade them to a silicone radiator hose.
What Is The Difference Between Rubber And Silicone Radiator Hoses?
When shopping for radiator hoses for your Duramax, you will notice you have two primary choices. You can go with a direct replacement, a rubber radiator hose, or you can choose an aftermarket silicone hose that is usually offered in various colors. While OEM replacement parts are generally superior to aftermarket components, upgrading to silicone radiator hoses can help extend the life of your radiator hoses while giving your engine bay a great new look. Silicone radiator hoses have better flexibility characteristics, meaning they are less prone to cracking and tearing when compared to OEM rubber hoses.
What Are The Symptoms Of A Bad Duramax Coolant Hose?
Coolant hose problems usually revolve around tears, cracks, and bulging. Since coolant hoses are exposed to extreme heat cycles, this can eventually break down the rubber and cause them to crack or tear. In some severe cases, a coolant hose can get a bubble or bulge, which could eventually lead to the coolant hose rupturing or bursting. Check over your coolant hoses periodically to look for any signs of cracks, leaks, or deterioration.
What Does It Mean When A Radiator Hose Becomes Swollen?
If you notice your radiator hose has become swollen, such as a bubble or bulge in the radiator hose, there are a few things that could have caused this. Let's take a look at the three reasons to give you a better understanding of what to look for:
- Too Much Pressure - If there is too much pressure in your coolant system, usually caused by generic radiator caps not properly rated for your system, a bulge can appear in your radiator hoses. Since the system is pressurized, the additional pressure can cause a weak spot in your radiator hose to be exposed.
- Interior Hose Wear - If your coolant hose has additional wear in one section of the interior of the hose, it can lead to a bubble being formed. These hoses are reinforced to take on the extreme pressure of the system, but a small section of interior wear can cause the hose to bulge out.
- High Heat Exposure - If your coolant hose has been exposed to high heat from the exterior or interior, you can have a bubble form on the hose. This can be from nearby heat sources in the engine bay or a superheated coolant due to a stuck thermostat.
