Radiator Hose

Blew the lower radiator hose in the Signet entering a car show just as I parked it.......

Question, which manufacturer of molded radiator hose do you recommend?

Never in my life have I had this problem but I know it was my fault as early last night and to make a long story short...... I filled the overflow steel container a bit too much and I feel the water had no place to go but to burst a hose and right as I was idling pulling into a space at the pre-show of the biggest car show of the year in these parts...

Thanks for the answer..

I like Good Year hoses.

go to NAPA. They will have them in stock and they are pretty good quality

Thank you MoparDude

I bought a new lower hose from Advance auto parts. Shoved all the way to the stop at water pump and radiator. Started the engine and immediately cut a hole in the hose with the p/s belt. They had made that hose a short as possible.
I went to Oriellys paid much more for a Gates brand hose, same install, fit fine.
I lost only some coolant and my time. Advance lost a customer.

I like Gates also.

Well all righty then, Thanks a lot guys

Any good well known name brand. They are perhaps made by the same company anyway. Just make sure to get a good name brand and make SURE it has a support spring in it.

Over-filling the overflow should have had nothing to do with it, assuming your overflow tank has a vent to atmosphere. The max pressure should be whatever your radiator cap relieves at (~16 psi). You should have it checked, or just replace it.

I don't recognize your engine setup at all. Why is the alternator on the driver's side, and what is component under that? Maybe a Harrison AC compressor (GM's)? Is your water pump inlet (lower hose) on the passenger side, like later A-body SB's?

Bill, the Signet normally runs at around 200 - 210 degrees being a 91 360LA roller cam motor without any problems or at least until it idles or in traffic for ten minutes in 90+ degree weather.

The reason you do not recognize this is because it is a Street and Performance billet setup for a Vintage AC unit which has been this way on my Signet many many years yet in the past on my high horse power 340's and they never overheated. 4 days ago it was 115 degrees and I drove this car that day without a problem. This particular 360 came from a truck with 38,000 miles changing out the injection for a carburetor and the distributor for a GM coil in cap HEI.

The alternator sits there because the AC compressor was on the right side and what you see somewhat below it is a engine pulley, makes it way cleaner to get to the engine dipstick as well as the engine oil filters. The radiator cap is working just fine and yes the water pump is an 8 blade unit with the hose on the passenger side. It's been this way for the past year and is my daily driver. The radiator is a Griffen and the bracket which hold both electric fans attach to the radiator side bolts so there aren't any plastic thingies going through the fins. Believe me, its a very clean setup and tight for the amount of space the 64 engine compartment has. Believe me, if it had more room, it would be running an engine fan and a front radiator pusher fan as well.

This happened Friday night and Saturday morning I went looking for a replacement molded lower radiator hose with a spring going through it which it had, I wound up getting a flex hose with a spring and as of today I am still searching for what it had.

Oh well, I even missed the big yearly show here on Saturday with over 750 cars just looking for a molded hose with a spring as my priorities know no boundaries.. BTW, I have five other vehicles all registered and insured and very drivable as well, but I love this car and need it for my sanity..

PLEASE help me... 1991 360 engine - Aluminum radiator - lower hose on passenger side -

I went to Napa today, they will not let me view their radiator hoses, they want to make my decisions for me, just like the rest of this town's cops, courts and churches..

I truly need to know what manufacturer and part number for your lower radiator hose on your early A-Body with a 360 engine and an aluminum radiator for the left side.

I do not want to use the ripple hose or whatever it's called.............

I have a 64 Valiant running a 360 with aluminum radiator. I didn't install the hoses but I can go have a look to see if it has any numbers and manufacturer print on it if that helps. Here is my set up. Is this similar enough to yours?




Also a good friend of mine was at the same show I think. He knows your car. He used to be quite a famous mopar collector. He sent me this picture yesterday. Was this at the same show?

Your friend actually heard about mine from his and my friend Mike from PFG computer, wet both of us never saw each other's Signet. I would have made it to that show had I found the radiator hose it needed. I was at the Pre-Show show downtown Friday night when it blew. On another note, I thought about buying his 64 a year or so ago when I first viewed it on Craigslist w/o the hi-rise. Before the show, I told Mike that I have an extra hood for him if needed.

BTW, my griffin radiator is different than yours as it's similar in size to the stock one only thicker. As far as the hose, I'll make something in aluminum with rubber ends this week rather than go through changes if this ever happens again. Persons at auto part stores have become simply morons.

Thank you for posting...

No problem.

Actually the picture I posted in not a picture of one of his cars. This is a picture he took at the show. It is someone different.