radiator hose leak

[kitfox812]

The hose fitting on the left side of the radiator is oozing coolant. I have changed hoses, removed the radiator and had it pressure tested, tried gasket maker between the hose and fitting, tried narrower screw clamp, all to no avail.
The bead is a little small but I cleaned it up good and tried it again this morning and still had a little bit of coolant after my morning flight. I would appreciate any pictures of the hose run from the spider to the radiator. I have an old skystar s-7 and I understand it was changed. All other fittings are good. I would like to find some spring clamps instead of the screw type. Any ideas except "get a jabaru" will be appreciated.

Rich

[rogerh12]

If your using that Evans waterless coolant, it's like an oil. Clean it off the inside of the hose and off the fitings, MEK works good. Then put it all back together and use a hydrolic hose clamp if you need it. you can torch them much better than the simple automotive type.
Roger

[kitfox812]

Thanks for the reply, Roger. I am using Evans although it doesn't seem to effect the other fittings. I am not familar with the hydraulic clamps. Can you give me a web address for the clamps you are talking about?
Rich

[rogerh12]

Ya thats the thing, everything is fine until you get a leak and the Evens gets on the fitting and hose interior where it touches the fittings, then, it leaks more because it leaked before. That is why you have to get it all off the parts if you want them to stick together mechanically very well.
As for the hose clamps, I buy mine off the shelf locally, any place that makes hoses will have them, just check the yellow pages. The clamp part is pretty wide, and is made from a solid strip of steel which has the screw tracks formed into it, thus you can really screw them down hard.
Hope this helps.
Roger

[Peteohms]

Thought I had a leak and it turned out to be the cap.

[catz631]

Roger,
Spring clamps will probably solve your problem They keep constent pressure on the hose as the temp changes. The screw clamps are good at one temp.
I have fought this same problem for awhile now so when I changed out my hoses and went to spring clamps (wide ones like the new Rotax engines use)...no leaks .. except at the few hose conections where I couldn't easily get a spring clamp to fit. I have to tighten them up from time to time
I got my spring clamps at Graingers. I don't remember the size but they were MUCH cheaper then buying from Rotax !
Dick Maddux
Fox4, 912UL

[kitfox812]

The Leak is FIXED!. Was talking to a fellow pilot who mentioned he was an ex Navy CB and worked on many different engines while in Danang, Vietnam. I asked him to look at the fitting and he found some imperfections on the back side we had all missed. He sanded the heck out of it and it hasn.t leaked since. Go Navy.

[Dorsal]

Great news, and thanks for the tip.