[Vwdiesel] radiator hose question

[Val Christian]

Scott,

I haven't run into the specific problem you have.  I can tell you something
I've done in the past.  Take a segment of the old hose, perhaps an inch 
or two long, and attach it with RTV (rubber cement might work) as a 
contact barrier between the bolt and the hose.  Then add that hose
to your periodic inspection list.

It's unfortunate that power steering in a Rabbit is really not needed.   
All the hoses are frustrating.  My 91 Jetta requires unfastening and moving
power steering hoses to get the oil filter off, after the bottom shroud
is removed.  The oil filter cannot be removed from the top because of 
air conditioning plumbing.  The 77 through 79 VW diesel Rabbits were 
a bit simpler.

Consider the reinforcement game.  It will protect the hose.  The greater
long term concern is really whether the engine shifting on the mounts,
as you drive it, will cause stress on the radiator, causing some kind
of mechanical failure of the radiator tank to tube connection, or 
something similar.

Good luck.

Val



> 
> My radiator recently rotted out and so I replaced it.  Of course the new
> one is slightly different than the old one and one of the results seems
> to be that the lower radiator hose is near a bolt head one the A/C
> compressor.  The result of this was that the bolt finally managed to rub
> through the hose the other day causing a decent leak in the hose.  I've
> replaced the hose but the new one seems perilously close to the same
> bolt.  Has anyone dealt with this successfully?  The car is an '82
> Rabbit Diesel with all those extra hoses running around the engine
> compartment like A/C, power steering, etc.
> 
> Thanks,
> Scott Alexander
> Warren, NJ
> -- 
> Scott Alexander <salex at dsl.cis.upenn.edu>
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Vwdiesel mailing list
> Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
>