The Ford Barn

HDowse · 05-16-2016, 04:47 PM

I got all the wiring done today except for the dash assembly. New Cokers mounted and balanced on wheels. Figured out how to install the seatbelts. Queen Mary horns in and working. I fired up the motor, listened to it purr, shut it down after 5 minutes and noticed antifreeze on the floor, coming from the heater hose nipple on the lower hose. It was leaking around the concave metal part that is on the outside of the lower hose. I need some advice on how tight is good for that niple connector. Maybe I wound it on too tight and caused a hole at the inside corner? Should I goop in some RTF or something else when installing it? I'll test it tomorrow after removing the hose and examining it. Not my favorite piece of hose to work with. Thanks for any suggestions.

42merc · 05-16-2016, 04:58 PM

When I install that hose fitting, I make sure the punched hole is snug on the pipe & use #2 Permatex on the underside plate & nipple.

Works for me.

Kurt in NJ · 05-16-2016, 05:45 PM

The hole needs to be cut clean, slightly smaller than the pipe
there is a tool for cutting the hole, baisically a piece of dowell with a nail for the center, and a blade like xacto screwed to the side ---done this way I have not had any leaks

perhaps you can back off the outer nut and put some permatex under the plate

SofaKing · 05-17-2016, 05:48 AM

I had leak at that fitting also, statically. I took a 5/8 od steel tube and butt-welded it to a piece of leftover steel tube from the upper radiator hose, so it is "T" shaped. Then I drilled out the hole so water would flow. I split the lower hose in two and installed it with a short stub on either end of the steel "T". 'Had to do the same on the upper heater hose as well because I could not find the right fittings to attach to the waterpump.

Darrell S · 05-17-2016, 02:06 PM

I installed one on the 48 recently. I used #2 Permatex on the inside piece and made the hole in the hose with a short 3/8" pipe nipple ground down sharp on the end. It made a snug hole and it hasn't leaked yet.

How do you like your new Cokers? Did you use rim strips?

HDowse · 05-17-2016, 04:22 PM

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On further investigation after pulling off the lower hose with the nipple on it, I discovered that the shape of the outside portion of the nipple did not correspond to the arc of the hose. I found a pipe the right size and tapped the unit to fit. In addition, the upper surface of the outside piece was not flat so the cinch nut couldn't get uniform pressure around the surface. I ground that down to eliminate those uneven spots, gooped the inside and outside pieces with permatex and put it all back together. My friend whose lift I am using, used to run the local garage in our small town. Aside from being a wealth of information, he has some unique tools, including some big rubber stoppers that one can plug a radiator with and then pressure test to check for leaks. We plugged both ends and the nipple when I took off the lower hose, put some air to it and found the leak that way. We'll retest tomorrow to see if the solution really worked.
Darrell, no I did not use liners, didn't realize they existed for 16" wheels as they do for 19's and 21's in the Model A world. Coker didn't have standard bias ply tubes so sent along radial tire tubes that look much more heavy duty that the standard ones. According to Coker, running radial tubes in bias ply tires is OK but no the reverse. The tires are mounted but the car isn't ready for them to be on the hubs quite yet. They seem good, time will tell.

Darrell S · 05-17-2016, 05:25 PM

The reason I asked about the rim strips is because Old Henry said in one of his posts he has had no more flat trouble since installing the strips. I know there has been problems with the valve stems parting company with the tubes. I"m about ready to put new tires on myself so was wondering. I didn't know about the radial tubes, learned something new again. Good luck and have fun driving the old Ford.

05-16-2016, 04:47 PM	#1
HDowse Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Hancock, New Hampshire Posts: 375	Lower hose leaks at heater connection I got all the wiring done today except for the dash assembly. New Cokers mounted and balanced on wheels. Figured out how to install the seatbelts. Queen Mary horns in and working. I fired up the motor, listened to it purr, shut it down after 5 minutes and noticed antifreeze on the floor, coming from the heater hose nipple on the lower hose. It was leaking around the concave metal part that is on the outside of the lower hose. I need some advice on how tight is good for that niple connector. Maybe I wound it on too tight and caused a hole at the inside corner? Should I goop in some RTF or something else when installing it? I'll test it tomorrow after removing the hose and examining it. Not my favorite piece of hose to work with. Thanks for any suggestions.

05-16-2016, 05:45 PM	#3
Kurt in NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: on the Littlefield Posts: 6,159	Re: Lower hose leaks at heater connection The hole needs to be cut clean, slightly smaller than the pipe there is a tool for cutting the hole, baisically a piece of dowell with a nail for the center, and a blade like xacto screwed to the side ---done this way I have not had any leaks perhaps you can back off the outer nut and put some permatex under the plate

05-17-2016, 05:48 AM	#4
SofaKing Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 756	Re: Lower hose leaks at heater connection I had leak at that fitting also, statically. I took a 5/8 od steel tube and butt-welded it to a piece of leftover steel tube from the upper radiator hose, so it is "T" shaped. Then I drilled out the hole so water would flow. I split the lower hose in two and installed it with a short stub on either end of the steel "T". 'Had to do the same on the upper heater hose as well because I could not find the right fittings to attach to the waterpump.

05-17-2016, 02:06 PM	#5
Darrell S Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Everett WA Posts: 346	Re: Lower hose leaks at heater connection I installed one on the 48 recently. I used #2 Permatex on the inside piece and made the hole in the hose with a short 3/8" pipe nipple ground down sharp on the end. It made a snug hole and it hasn't leaked yet. How do you like your new Cokers? Did you use rim strips?

05-17-2016, 04:22 PM	#6
HDowse Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Hancock, New Hampshire Posts: 375	Re: Lower hose leaks at heater connection Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) On further investigation after pulling off the lower hose with the nipple on it, I discovered that the shape of the outside portion of the nipple did not correspond to the arc of the hose. I found a pipe the right size and tapped the unit to fit. In addition, the upper surface of the outside piece was not flat so the cinch nut couldn't get uniform pressure around the surface. I ground that down to eliminate those uneven spots, gooped the inside and outside pieces with permatex and put it all back together. My friend whose lift I am using, used to run the local garage in our small town. Aside from being a wealth of information, he has some unique tools, including some big rubber stoppers that one can plug a radiator with and then pressure test to check for leaks. We plugged both ends and the nipple when I took off the lower hose, put some air to it and found the leak that way. We'll retest tomorrow to see if the solution really worked. Darrell, no I did not use liners, didn't realize they existed for 16" wheels as they do for 19's and 21's in the Model A world. Coker didn't have standard bias ply tubes so sent along radial tire tubes that look much more heavy duty that the standard ones. According to Coker, running radial tubes in bias ply tires is OK but no the reverse. The tires are mounted but the car isn't ready for them to be on the hubs quite yet. They seem good, time will tell.

05-16-2016, 04:58 PM	#2
42merc Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Buchanan, MI Posts: 676	Re: Lower hose leaks at heater connection When I install that hose fitting, I make sure the punched hole is snug on the pipe & use #2 Permatex on the underside plate & nipple. Works for me.

05-17-2016, 05:25 PM	#7
Darrell S Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Everett WA Posts: 346	Re: Lower hose leaks at heater connection The reason I asked about the rim strips is because Old Henry said in one of his posts he has had no more flat trouble since installing the strips. I know there has been problems with the valve stems parting company with the tubes. I"m about ready to put new tires on myself so was wondering. I didn't know about the radial tubes, learned something new again. Good luck and have fun driving the old Ford.