I just learned on another line about a new product we should all have. Gates makes a flexible heater hose that can be bent into tight turns instead of using the costly factory molded hoses.
Here is a link to the product.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... MEWAX%3AIT
I just paid $17 for a molded heater hose for our Corolla from an auto parts store (the dealer wanted $29!). This product would have saved me $12 and left me with 2 feet of "spare" hose to use on other cars too.
This would be perfect for the Tercel heater hose that will not use a strait hose without kinking. No shop should be without a piece of this stuff. I bet it is available in local auto parts stores too, or soon will be. I know NAPA belts and hoses are made by Gates, they may have this in stock now. I am going to buy it and carry in my tool box a peice of this stuff in any car I take on any long trips.
What a great invention, and LOOONG over due.
Great New product!
- Petros
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- My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
- Location: Arlington WA USA
Great New product!
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
- garyfish
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- My tercel:: 1985 Tercel SR5, stock; 1987 T4WD DLX wagon, manual tranny
- Location: North Coastal California
Re: Great New product!
Thanks for posting!
At that eBay link: it's about $5 for 3 feet of moldable 5/8" heater hose... plus shipping from South Carolina ($14 shipping to NorCal -- that's excessive!)
But, as you point out, you can probably get up to 3 usable lengths out of that 3' piece. I'll probably get some if I can find it locally.
Wonder if Gates also makes smaller-diameter moldable hoses? I could've used some 3/8" when I re-did the vacuum hoses associated with the charcoal canister on my Terk... there's a couple hoses down there that have some real tight bends.
At that eBay link: it's about $5 for 3 feet of moldable 5/8" heater hose... plus shipping from South Carolina ($14 shipping to NorCal -- that's excessive!)
But, as you point out, you can probably get up to 3 usable lengths out of that 3' piece. I'll probably get some if I can find it locally.
Wonder if Gates also makes smaller-diameter moldable hoses? I could've used some 3/8" when I re-did the vacuum hoses associated with the charcoal canister on my Terk... there's a couple hoses down there that have some real tight bends.
1985 Tercel SR5 4WD wagon, 300K
1987 Tercel DLX 4WD wagon, 6-speed manual, 274K -- got this one running Jan. 2015 (had been sitting for 2 years); this has been my daily driver since 2016
1987 Tercel DLX 4WD wagon, 6-speed manual, 274K -- got this one running Jan. 2015 (had been sitting for 2 years); this has been my daily driver since 2016
- ARCHINSTL
- Goldie Forever
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- Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:52 pm
- My tercel:: Goldie is a 1986 SR5 attualmente con Weber/also owned the first T4WD in STL in late '82
- Location: Kirkwood, a 'burb of St. Louis
Re: Great New product!
Wow ! Thanks!
Wish this would have been available a few months ago...
I got the three OE molded hoses from Butler Toy...ready? USD $57 !!!
And - that was quite a bit cheaper than what various STL Toy dealers wanted...
Tom M.
Wish this would have been available a few months ago...
I got the three OE molded hoses from Butler Toy...ready? USD $57 !!!
And - that was quite a bit cheaper than what various STL Toy dealers wanted...
Tom M.
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
Re: Great New product!
Instead of more costly OE pre-molded heater hoses, I'm wanting to order some of these flexible hoses today so I can bring them as spares on my trip next week to go get the Terc I bought in Idaho. The eBay link in this thread is long dead...what are these called (or what's the Gates part number)? Looks like I'll need three pieces - what lengths do I need to correspond with the Toyota OE hoses discussed here?
- Petros
- Highest Ranking Member
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- Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
- My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
- Location: Arlington WA USA
Re: Great New product!
I would just carry and upper radiator hose, that is the one under pressure and most likely to blow out. if the heater hose goes you can by pass it until you can get to an autoparts store and buy straight hose to replace it. Usually heater hoses hold up pretty good, but they do occasionally fail (but not as much as the upper rad hose).
there is one heater hose that you can not improvise, it is the short one from the back of the engine off the metal tube that comes from the back of the water pump housing. this short hose has two 90 deg bends and several wiggles that are too tight for any hose. I tried to use an extra long length making several loops but there was no way anything except the molded hose would work. if you carray any heater hose, carry that one, usually has to be special ordered.
the flexible hose on the OP is rather stiff and does not really make tight bends very well. I have had a 2 ft piece in my shop for 7 years, and still have not found a use for it. That is maintaining a fleet of 5 older cars used as daily drivers, and a number of other project cars.
there is one heater hose that you can not improvise, it is the short one from the back of the engine off the metal tube that comes from the back of the water pump housing. this short hose has two 90 deg bends and several wiggles that are too tight for any hose. I tried to use an extra long length making several loops but there was no way anything except the molded hose would work. if you carray any heater hose, carry that one, usually has to be special ordered.
the flexible hose on the OP is rather stiff and does not really make tight bends very well. I have had a 2 ft piece in my shop for 7 years, and still have not found a use for it. That is maintaining a fleet of 5 older cars used as daily drivers, and a number of other project cars.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
Re: Great New product!
Awesome info, thank you! I am placing a RockAuto order tomorrow for some spare stuff to bring along. Got belts and NGK plugs and wires in my shopping cart but wasn't sure about hoses so this is great.
- 4wdEconoBox
- Top Notch Member
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- My tercel:: 1985 Toyota Tercel SR5 4WD
- Location: Talladega, Alabama
Re: Great New product!
I always just run my standard 5/8 heater hose a little longer to make the curve not as tight so that it doesn't kink. Isn't as pretty, but it works good, and 5/8 hose is usually ready available and cheap. I actually look into the gates hose if mine becomes a problem though.