The hose failed again!
 

As the title reads:
The hose failed again. Idk why but all my engines had this hose in bad condition. Maybe because it is located high up or being close to fluids that leak out of some of these cars (fumes, fuel, oil, coolant, and add the heat, the vibration, wrong style/wrong quality clamps used, and some forgotten maintenance) :))

I kept seeing a stained area on the same hose... not far from the upper radiator hose housing, it was a spot that was often wet and usually leaving a mark after drying off. First I couldn't locate the source.

I checked around a few times and even tightened hose clamps after a long cruise (when system was hot) but I kept spotting the same marks later on.
It was the zerex g05 coolant leaking out... I finally found the hole, in the heater hose (not too big but noticable even when car is cold). The thicker hose failed, idk how and why. It was new when I installed it. Appr 3inches away (up)from where the upper radiator hose connects...see pictures. It was hiding underneath...including the leak itself which wasnt visible too much at all. But it was always there.

I made this hose back in '14 after learning that Volvo discontinued this part (it was created using a piece of 3/4 inch inner diameter coolant hose and a 1/2inch ID heater hose jointed by a copper adapter/union).

A few days ago I decided to do it again (I had to).
I searched around a lot on different websites to see something that would work best, easy and cheap, for our d24 and d24t engines and something that would be available off the shelf...i gave up finding a one piece and proper size and length and shape hose...
I ordered some hoses that I thought will work:

A 3/4 inch diameter hose that has a 90degree turn,
A 1/2 inch diameter hose that has a 90degree angle,
And you'll need 4 good quality clamps (i like using ABA fully stainless clamps)
And you need to find/buy/create a strong, preferrably copper (corrosion) piece that connects them.
The 90 angles make it look so much nicer, also, none of the two sides would get twisted or pressured by being bent.
Also, you can customize the length for yourself by cutting off some of the short ends of both hoses (this way the unit wont sit higher than your expension tank/reservoir.

All these parts should be inexpensive at any parts store.
The heater hoses are made by Gates, pictures show part numbers. They were $6-9 per piece. It was a very nice exact fit at the radiator hose end, pretty good at the cold start thermostat end too.

I'm happy I found it and now it should be able to hold for at least a couple of years. It looks okay and this section of hose npw sits so stable. Also, very convenient to work around it in case you need to touch the hard fuel lines or the return lines.
There is no chafing bc this hose has that 90 angle. It makes all the difference, the previous solution was not as good and not as good looking.

See the pictures and check yours!
PS. While at the cooling system, I got the thermostat out and installed a new one (87°C made by WAHLER).
The car hasn't had cooling problems or overheating issues but occasionally I saw the gauge needle climb up a millimeter towards the hot zone (it left the optimum "very middle" position) on a few long trips when I was loaded and trying to keep 65-70mph uphill but of course I couldn't (=didn't want to harm the engine in any way, blow a hose or get any issues far away from home).

It got properly bled and now I'm so curious to know how (if) this project helps.
Especially because I had some injector difficulties that also finally got solved a few days ago (maybe I'll post a new thread later).
The 1/2 size hose with 90turn haven't yet arrived by today so I used standard/straight 1/2inch ID hose to get it back on the road again (I like the idea of the angles bc I want to cut some of the ends so the whole thing will be "lower"...and you cant go much lower when using straight hoses)

Happy Dieseling everyone...and keep posting!

Might be worth checking for possible Electrolysis Corrosion condition.

"Radiator and heater hoses can also fail from the inside out due to electrolysis corrosion. Rubber is normally non-conductive so you would think this would be impossible. But the coolant can react electrochemically with the synthetic rubber, causing it to degenerate, pit, crack and eventually fail. If you cut open a hose that has failed because of electrolysis, the inside will usually have fissures, cracks and pits created by the electrochemical attack."

http://www.aa1car.com/library/coolin..._corrosion.htm

More helpful info:

http://www.sancarlosradiator.com/Vol.../education.htm

Electrolysis
 

Thank you for this great information.

Both links are very interesting and useful articles. It could be part of this Forum's "cooling system /maintenance" sticky.

I'll do the above mentioned test and monitor the cooling system even more than before.

80degree vw audi diesel thermostat
 

Someone asked me to post this for the part #s.
I am hoping it is the correct part!!!!

80°Celsius version.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F231657214551

No that is not a good one for the D24, as it is pictured. Look at the side profile photo. Notice the lack of the bypass closing disk. That would allow a significant amount of coolant to continue to cycle thru the engine after reaching operating temperature, without being sent thru the radiator.

This one looks more like the correct one (notice the bypass disk on the engine block side), although it might not be a name brand Wahler like the one you linked, and does not have a small air bleed hole (which is much less important than a bypass blocking disk ;).)

80 degree thermostat for D24T
 

What about part number Wahler 4088.80D? Seems to be the same as VW Audi 035 121 113. This is the 80 degree thermostat for Audi 80 90 100 200 4000 5000 back to 1978, including the D20 five cylinder diesel variant. This part will be around for a long time. :D

Ouch! You are so right about that bypass blocking disc!
I'm sorry for not noticing that difference!
I continued searching today and found this one:
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F123005152200
Made by Wähler, 80°C and it has the bypass blocking disc.