Hidden heater hoses on a 2004.5

[MJWenrich]

When changing the upper/lower radiator hoses I had to remove the inner right fender cover to get to the lower hose and fight with the factory clamps. While down there, I looked rearward alongside the engine and saw two straight heater size by-pass hoses. They appeared to be in no man's land without removing parts and my question is: What would the service life be for these hoses? I did not change the heater hoses going to and from the cab since they were still supple and they also looked like a special order hose and a case of beer job for a later time. The beer is only to replace the blood lost in changing the hoses.



The engine has 115K on it and at 9 years old I was concerned about the larger hoses. Should I be concerned about those lower straight by-pass hoses?



Mike

 

[Motorhead]

Are they the blue silicone hoses? They usually last a lot longer than the rubber radiator hoses.

 

[Wayne M.]

Can't picture what you're calling out. Can you get a shot somehow?

 

[jgillott]

Trans cooler lines if you have an auto maybe?

 

[mwilson]

When changing the upper/lower radiator hoses I had to remove the inner right fender cover to get to the lower hose and fight with the factory clamps. While down there, I looked rearward alongside the engine and saw two straight heater size by-pass hoses. They appeared to be in no man's land without removing parts and my question is: What would the service life be for these hoses? I did not change the heater hoses going to and from the cab since they were still supple and they also looked like a special order hose and a case of beer job for a later time. The beer is only to replace the blood lost in changing the hoses.



The engine has 115K on it and at 9 years old I was concerned about the larger hoses. Should I be concerned about those lower straight by-pass hoses?



Mike

Please provide either the truck or engine serial number and I will look it up, also will post a pretty picture.....



If you prefer not to place the serial numbers on the forum please PM or e-mail me. -- email address removed --



Mike.

 

[jelag]

Before I retired... I always had 3-4 trucks and we were buying a new truck yearly or ever 14-15 months... we'd drive them 400 to 500K miles and sell them... I had some early 1st gen dodges than fords and back to 3rd gen trucks... in all these trucks and all these miles. . I had one bypass hose fail on a Cat engine in a Navstar... and one lower hose on one of the Fords... We just didn't have hose failures... So we just didn't change them.....

Just my thoughts...

 

[MJWenrich]

These are black hoses the same size and color as the heater hoses and appear to just be bypass hoses to get around a protrusion on the lower part of the engine block if I recall correctly. Cannot get a picture as I have the truck back together. I will private message Mike Wilson as he suggested and possibly a picture will show the hoses better than I can describe. I believe when I looked at the rear hose it linked up the line with the return heater hose but I will try today to see what I can from below. No way you can see these from the top. Could be carrying some other fluid though. BTW, these are short sections, maybe 4-6 inches long or so. Bottom of and parallel with the block and just above the oil pan. Of course if I drank the beer first on this repair, all this may change.

Mike

 

[mwilson]

These are black hoses the same size and color as the heater hoses and appear to just be bypass hoses to get around a protrusion on the lower part of the engine block if I recall correctly. Cannot get a picture as I have the truck back together. I will private message Mike Wilson as he suggested and possibly a picture will show the hoses better than I can describe. I believe when I looked at the rear hose it linked up the line with the return heater hose but I will try today to see what I can from below. No way you can see these from the top. Could be carrying some other fluid though. BTW, these are short sections, maybe 4-6 inches long or so. Bottom of and parallel with the block and just above the oil pan. Of course if I drank the beer first on this repair, all this may change.



Mike

All I can see is the single heater line that goes to the rear of the engine and then splits to feed both the heater core and the transmission cooler. transmission cooler is on the left hand side, the feed line for that comes around the rear of the engine after teeing off from the main line on the right.



There are two black rubber hoses on that one line, #4 and #8.



I can not visualize a second line running with it.

 

[MJWenrich]

It is No. 4. I can see it from underneath and it is much higher on the block than I recalled. And I cannot see all the way back but it could be only the one hose. These blocks are sooo deep that I was thinking it was much lower from my vantage point thru the wheel well opening. What do you think on frequency of service? I would not want to blow this hose out on the road. It appears to me that you need to remove a lot of equipment to service this hose and might be something you would do when changing out the molded heater hoses above it. And thank you for the clarification.

Mike