Coolant hoses & crossover pipe - Sources/thoughts

[Meanmyz]

Hi guys,

This spring I picked up a second ZR-1, a Competition Yellow 1995 with about 50,000 miles that I found in sunny southern California. The car is not perfect, but it has potential.

Anyway I recently noticed a coolant leak that appears to be some loose bolts on the water pump.

In trying to get to the water pump, I removed the throttle body extension (air horn) and then decided if I was to retorque all water pump bolts, it would be hard to get in there if I didn't remove the coolant crossover tube.

This was great fun. If the spring clamps that kept working their way to where you couldn't reach them wasn't enough, the coolant hoses just wouldn't come off of the crossover tube! When I got them loose I found that the pipe was basically rusted onto the hoses.

I figured that I would just clean these areas up, repaint and voilla!..like new! ...well there are quite few areas inside the pipe that are also bubbled up with corrosion (structurally intact but corroded).

The coolant hoses are undoubtedly original, as they are date stamped from 1995.

My questions...

The hoses are not bubbling out in any areas, but I gave them a workout in trying to get them off.

-Would you replace all the coolant hoses because of age?

-Is there a source for these hoses other than White Racing or using Samco silicone hoses? I would like to buy something that looks original (GM preferably, but not necessarily) Also, I absolutely am not digging Kurt, as we are very fortunate to have suppliers like him for our cars, but maybe there is another (cheaper) source?


The coolant crossover pipe...

-Should this undoubtedly be replaced?

I do see that KW has a replacement made out of stainless steel. (awesome, but Ouch$$$!

Hoses (ouch$$$) + pipe (ouch$$$) = Ouch, Ouch$$$$ (Maybe that's the price to play, but that is why I ask)

I would really appreciate some thoughts on this. Thanks!

Jeff

[tomtom72]

Nice car Jeff! I have often thought that the center cross over pipe could be fabricated from copper fittings and L tubing....but I never actually sat down to try. Off the top of my head: L tubing + either cast or drawn fittings, a coupla of T-ees and maybe even some 90* street eLs to eliminate the 90* molded hoses at the I/H outlets(?) I'm just thinking out loud mind you. Use 95/5 to sweat the stuff up and I do believe it would hold just fine. The only negatives I see is it would add one more metal to the cooling system and that could be bad for electrolysis(???), and too much weight causing unwanted sagging?? The OE piece is fairly light as I recall. I suppose if I knew how to weld, I could do it from aluminum?

I bit the bullet and bought the SAMCO hoses because I drive mine quite a bit. There was something about 17 yr old hoses that gave me anxiety!? Back in the old days when you knew the guys at the local independent parts store you would go behind the counter to the hose rack and start looking. I'm sure you could find other hoses from other apps that would either fit or could be cut up to work. Heck even the parts books back then had graphic drawings that were accurate to help ya out. LOL I guess it's a question of price vs buy it now? I took the path of buy it now as I rent garage space so all my work is done Al Fresco at a different location. I need to have what I need to do the job or it's a waste of time. LOL

Sorry, I'm not much help!

Tom

[Blue Flame Restorations]

I have a coolant pipe that I would be willing to sell.

[WVZR-1]

Originally Posted by Meanmyz

Hi guys,


-Is there a source for these hoses other than White Racing or using Samco silicone hoses? I would like to buy something that looks original (GM preferably, but not necessarily) Also, I absolutely am not digging Kurt, as we are very fortunate to have suppliers like him for our cars, but maybe there is another (cheaper) source?


The coolant crossover pipe...

-Should this undoubtedly be replaced?

I do see that KW has a replacement made out of stainless steel. (awesome, but Ouch$$$!

Hoses (ouch$$$) + pipe (ouch$$$) = Ouch, Ouch$$$$ (Maybe that's the price to play, but that is why I ask)

I would really appreciate some thoughts on this. Thanks!

Jeff

Marc offers a hose package that closely resembles the OE:

http://www.zr1specialist.com/HAT%20W...ucts/hoses.htm

I've a set of OE/NOS if you insisted on original- I've never considered a sale but I might!