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Tech / General EngineIs your car making a strange sound or won't start? Thinking of adding power with a new combination? Need other technical information or engine specific advice? Don't see another board for your problem? Post it here!
I'm putting my new molded heater hose onto my GTA, in front of the air intake. (Thanks to everyone who advised me to get the right part.)
One problem. The old hose clamps (original?) don't want to open up enough to slide over the nipple ridge and go where they are supposed to.
I got the old hose and the old clamps off easily enough. Maybe because the old hose was so rotted.
Are they supposed to open up? It looks like maybe all I have to do is soak them for a while in Liquid Wrench. Might be rusted up inside where the band is supposed to slide around.
I have the screw backed all the way out. Clamp still won't expand. Push, pull, nothing.
By the way, a regular hose clamp won't work there, not configured right.
Do they even sell this type of hose clamp anymore? OK, I googled it, I think they are called Wittek Tower hose clamps. Looks like you can still buy them. Might have to buy new ones.
They press down on the U-shaped piece at the end of the screw, which draws the band up toward the screw head. I've hated them since I first encountered one: they work somewhat OK when new, ONCE, but any dirt, rust, etc. keeps them from working right; the band inevitably gets little bends in it when tightened, which keeps it from being tightened further, past a certain point; and instead, after any of those things happen, the press-down piece just pokes a divot in the hose. Single use ONLY. For a long time the only viable replacement was the familiar old worm-gear type, which really isn't much better.
You open them up by backing the screw out and prying up on the press-down piece with a screwdriver or something.
The factory finally got wise and replaced them first with the open-wire nut & screw things and then with the spring type, which IMO is superior BY FAR to any kind of "tightening" clamp, for the simple reason that it retains tension even when the soft deformable material of the hose, deforms as it inevitably does. Not only that but those do away with any type of threaded fasteners, which as we all know are DEATH in a mass-production environment and require constant strict quality control of various sorts (e.g. torque verification), as opposed to the spring type that just goes on in one step, is consistent no matter how it's put on, is FAR quicker, and is reuseable.
I'd use a regular hose clamp, but the screw on it doesn't fit into the tight space there. Gas lines in the way, I think. I think I can use a regular hose clamp on the lower nipple, but it won't fit onto the top nipple. Anyone able to use regular hose clamps up here, where you do the throttle body bypass ? Actually, now that I think of it, maybe a spring tension type would work in there, with a pliers to slip it over the nipple. I'd worry about it being tight enough though.
Well, I looked at it some more, and I think I actually CAN get away with using 2 regular hose clamps and a short flathead screwdriver, or 2 spring type hose clamps, and a pliers.
Put the clamp back on the hose and nipple, use a nut driver on the bolt and gently tap the bolt down. It will loosen the clamp right up, may need some lube to make it move easier.
If you absolutely have to reuse this type of clamp, open them up before removing the hose; loosen the screw, take a wide, bladed screwdriver, place it where the arrows are and smack the handle with your palm (do both sides). It'll push the band open. Just use common sense and be careful to prevent damaging the nipple the hose is attached to (like a heater core).
Last edited by paulo57509; 09-02-2023 at 03:27 PM.
work somewhat OK when new, ONCE, but any dirt, rust, etc. keeps them from working right; the band inevitably gets little bends in it when tightened,
I bought a bunch new when replacing some hoses years ago. VERY easy to twist the U-shaped part. It doesn't really affect the functionality for the most part, but annoying as hell to have a brand new clamp look abused.
I ended up using some regular hose clamps I had in my toolbox. They went on more easily than I thought. Drove it around, checked for leaks, all good. And the molded hose fit on perfectly. Thanks for all the help.
09-01-2023, 09:44 AM
