Stopping silicone hoses leaking

[Mcalvert]

Any hints for stopping leaks around my top and bottom hoses? I got a set from Caterham recently and I am having real problems stopping them seaping, particulatly the bottom hose at both the radiator and the water pump end. I've just tightened up the jubilee clips again as tight as I possibly can, and hopefully this will cure it, but I'm not very confident as I have already done this several times.

 

It's almost as if the hoses are fractionally too large. Should I be wrapping the radiator and water pump ends with something - perhaps self amalgamating tape? Any bright ideas please?

 

Thanks - Michael.

[Peter T]

Best to use some silicone grease on them, it stops them from weeping, you can buy it from any good plumbers merchants, or B & Q, it is used in the assembly of push fittings.

 

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[stevefoster]

Funny, my hoses were a nice tight fit and have never leaked at all

Didn't know about silicone grease...

 

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[caterhamnut]

Mike - where the things you fitted the hoses too perfectly clean? I know when I took my old rubber hoses off to change too silicon, the pipes on the radiator and rail where crudded up where the rubber had 'aged' onto the metal pipes. That would prevent a good seal I would have thought.

 

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[Beelzebub]

I've had numerous small leaks from several of the silicon hoses on my car. It appears that the Jubilee clips have to be tighter than with the traditional rubber hoses. What worked for me was lubricating the inside & the outside of the hose end with a smear of silicone grease. This allows the hose to contract in a uniform fashion when constricted by the hose clamp. I also lubricated the worm mechanism of the hose clamp. Lastly I used a socket to tighten the clamps up. This allows the clamp to be tightened further without fear of the screw driver slipping or damaging the slot in the clamp. 😬

[YellowSeven]

Also consider buying tidy hose clips, jubilee are cr@p and dont offer a uniform clamping force.

 

Try using a 'ABA Spring Clip'

 

Not cheap but very clever and you wont get leaks, they offer uniform clamping and self adjust according to temperature.

[ECR]

I have started to use Mikalor clamps instead of "jubilee" clamps. Prior to this I used a socket to tighten jubilee clamps and whilst it does allow you to tighten them better than with a screwdriver it also allows you to overtighten them and strip the worm drive....The Mikalor design reduces/eliminates this greatly

 

It sometimes works if you place the hose clamp over or adjacent to the area of the beading on the outlet from the rad and tighten there

[puremalt]

Interesting, where can i get these ABA or Mikalor clamps, specialist or a standard tool shop. I have a Monks & Crane Industrial fasteners near one of my clients, I will try there.

 

Excellent!

[YellowSeven]

PureMalt

 

Demon Theives sell both.

 

RS Sell Mikalor but only the zinc & stainless ones (stainless band zinc bolt, a complete stainless item is available)

 

For ABA try www.automec.co.uk (For Coolant Hoses go for the 'Spring Clip')

 

HTH