New coolant line seapage?

[Neiko1967]

So I'm switching from snowmobile season to motorcycling season and decided I would look into my coolant puddle that popped up over the winter. I believe it was the upper hose going to thermostat housing that needed a little tightening. After dumping water to wash away the residue and letting it run to dry up I noticed on the hose end going to radiator that there were beads of coolant sealing from the thread area in the middle of hose. I wiped it and waited and sure enough it was blue coolant. Not sure how this is possible unless it leaked on the top and seaped in on the threads on top and made it's way through the inside of the hose down to the bottom. Is it possible?

 

[Bush]

What that tells you is that the inner portion of the two layered hose has been compromised and is now leaking coolant into the reinforcing thread area. Time to replace before you blow a hose.

 

[Neiko1967]

That is a brand new hose I installed in August. It wasn't Honda OEM as they didn't have any. I went to NAPA and they had a radiator hose of the same diameter that was for a Ford I believe that ended up lining up with the bends.

 

[970mike]

Old hoses need to be replaced as they start to weep from the inside out.

 

[Igofar]

Looks like you may have over tightened the hose when you installed it, and may have made the metal pipe egg shaped.
This is very easy to do, alas, all is not lost, if you have two ball peen hammers, put the large ball end up against the end of the pipe, and take the smaller hammer and gently tap the face of the larger hammer until the pipe is true again. Several small taps are much better than large strikes, be gentle.
Also when you replace hoses, I like to lightly paint the inside of the hose with some grey antiseize to allow it to not only slip on the pipe easier, but it also allows the rubber surface to slip as the clamp is tightened up, and stops it from bunching up, which also causes leaks.

 

[Bush]

That is a brand new hose I installed in August. It wasn't Honda OEM as they didn't have any. I went to NAPA and they had a radiator hose of the same diameter that was for a Ford I believe that ended up lining up with the bends.

Well then maybe Larry has the answer, but why it would seep through the threads does not really fit that idea of a bent pipe. Another possibility is that overtightening caused an inner tear on the hose wall.

The OEM is still available from Honda. Finding patience for an order might have been the better choice?

 

[Neiko1967]

Looks like you may have over tightened the hose when you installed it, and may have made the metal pipe egg shaped.
This is very easy to do, alas, all is not lost, if you have two ball peen hammers, put the large ball end up against the end of the pipe, and take the smaller hammer and gently tap the face of the larger hammer until the pipe is true again. Several small taps are much better than large strikes, be gentle.
Also when you replace hoses, I like to lightly paint the inside of the hose with some grey antiseize to allow it to not only slip on the pipe easier, but it also allows the rubber surface to slip as the clamp is tightened up, and stops it from bunching up, which also causes leaks.

I don't believe I over tighten them because I was Leary about doing that in the first place because of the earlier threads I read. I did go back out and wiped everything down and seems like the seapage has slowed way down. Maybe when I was putting it together it absorbed some coolant. I will keep starting it up and heat it up a few times to see how it does. I will continue to look for OEM in the meantime.

 

[Igofar]

Its probably not seeping through the threads, but leaking out because the pipe is not round anymore.
It could also be the automotive hose is much stiffer and not sitting square on the pipe, again, causing it to leak.

 

[Neiko1967]

Thanks for the pictures! Hopefully I don't need it. the leak isn't coming from between the hose and the radiator neck so I don't think I'm out of round. I did see some seapage on the top part. It's like beads coming from the middle of the hose and not the inner wall. I did order OEM and hopefully they have it in stock.

 

[Bush]

Thanks for the pictures! Hopefully I don't need it. the leak isn't coming from between the hose and the radiator neck so I don't think I'm out of round. I did see some seapage on the top part. It's like beads coming from the middle of the hose and not the inner wall. I did order OEM and hopefully they have it in stock.

I was about to mention this before your latest post. Good source for OEM parts. Partzilla is another one.

2001 Honda ST1100 AC RADIATOR | PartsFish.com

Shop online for OEM RADIATOR parts that fit your 2001 Honda ST1100 AC, search all our OEM Parts or call at 800-964-1882

www.partsfish.com

This one is .78 cents cheaper than the Partzilla site, at $16.10 - plus shipping, of course.

 

[Neiko1967]

I already ordered it from Partzilla and if they don't have it I'll try Parts fish. Thanks