The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

I need to change my coolant hoses, what's the best option? Current ones are perished, it it worth going rubber again or any other options? and where to get them? Thanks.

Which model? You can get silicone hoses for the Sprint.

Rouse Motorsport are good.

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Sprint, ;- DBL 532V

1850, can you get silicone for an 1850? and would they be the way to go?
Also, actual coolant as well, will waterless work in our cars?

Club has UK made replacement radiator and heater hoses for some models, start there

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1979 Dolomite SE (Black Obviously)

1991 Rover 216 GSi in Lynx Bronze

Dave

1850 and Sprint hoses are interchangeable AFAIK.

You CAN use Evans waterless coolant, there is one variant (can't quite remember WHICH one at this moment) that suits the slant engine best.

Whether you SHOULD use it is more a matter of personal preference (and endless debate amongst the membership here).

Waterless coolant just naturally runs hotter than water/antifreeze mix, so you can expect the guage to read higher in normal running. This can exacerbate issues with fuel evaporation due to higher underbonnet temps and increase the stress factors for nervous drivers (Most slant drivers have panic attacks at every upward twitch of the needle as it is)

Then there is the cost factor and the risk of hose failure due to poor quality modern rubber losing you the whole expensive lot, not to mention the need to carry spare stuff as you can't get it at any roadside garage. So, for me, the downsides outweigh the advantages, but it's not my decision to make!

Steve

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'73 2 door Toledo with Vauxhall Carlton 2.0 8v engine (The Carledo)
'78 Sprint Auto with Vauxhall Omega 2.2 16v engine (The Dolomega)
'72 Triumph 1500FWD in Slate Grey, Now with RWD and Carledo powertrain!

Maverick Triumph, Servicing, Repairs, Electrical, Recomissioning, MOT prep, Trackerjack brake fitting service.
Apprentice served Triumph Specialist for 50 years. PM for more info or quotes.

Sprint bottom hose is longer than 1850 as the alternator around which it passes is slightly longer. You can fit a Sprint hose on an 1850 but if the other way round you'll be stretching the hose if OE alternator is fitted. The A127 alternator is shorter yet than the 1850, so that's a remedy.

Silicone is definitely the way to go but buy a European made version
not a poor quality from further afield.
Please use proper quality hose clips, I only use JCS.

It is viable to make all the hoses on an 1850 using "off the shelf" components, but
I don't know if there is any price advantage over buying a Sprint set.
(Usefully you can do away with the metal pipework that links the heater return to the water pump.)

The correct version of Evans coolant for a slant four is labelled "Powercool".
I found it gave the same temperature gauge reading (I use an 88 degree thermostat).



Ian

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I have found silicone hoses to be excellent. But equally I have genuine OEM stuff from other manufacturers that is stll perfect after 20+ years use. Trouble is the "proper" dolomite hoses simply are not found as OEM.

As to coolant, I have a friend (the source of my oem hoses, he worked as a forklift engineer for most of his life) who only ever uses neat ethelene gycol (blue) antifreeze concentrate in his cars. They run clean as a whistle. And at £15 for 5L it is an economical solution. Downside is it should be changed every few years, but no mor edifficult than changing oil. And the "penalty" for developing a leak or whatever is minimal.

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Clive Senior
Brighton