Jump to content

Lower Radiator Hose Install

TheJudge
 Share

Recommended Posts

TheJudge New Member

TheJudge

Posted
Posted

Happy New Year all,

     I am attempting to replace the lower radiator hose on a 2003 Silverado 2500 HD with an 8.1 L engine. I have tried both a Gates and a Delco hose but neither one will go on to the lower radiator outlet far enough to allow the horse shoe clip to engage. Although the hose fittings visually look he same there is something with the inside dimensions, either diameter or depth that isn`t correct. I am waiting on a replacement from my local dealer to see if that will fit. If not I`m prepared to make my own hose using the OEM fitting that I removed and the hoses that I will take off from the new Gates replacement I purchased and some old school clamps. I don`t like the idea of micky mousing something like this but I`m out of ideas. Has anyone else run into this problem or have any suggestions as to where I can get a proper replacement hose if the dealer replacement is a no go?  

 

      Thanks in advance for your thoughts or suggestions.    

C/K Man Enthusiast

C/K Man

Posted
Posted

Is the new hose hanging up on the internal O ring?  Sometimes it is hard to get those type of connections to seat.  At the very least you should wet the O ring with antifreeze or use a little silicone grease on it.  Usually you can leave the clip in the new hose and push it on the radiator until you hear it snap.  

txab Senior Enthusiast

txab

Posted
Posted

Just make sure the radiator stub out is clean. The an noted try a lube to help it slip all the way on. Even if you got some KY gel or similar

TheJudge New Member

TheJudge

Posted
  • Author
Posted

 I applied a little grease to the o ring but when you push the fitting on the horse shoe clip gets about 1/2' from the grooves in the radiator outlet and then binds up. I removed the clip and you can see that it`s not anywhere near close to the grooves. I even removed the o ring and get the same results. I can`t really compare the old outlet internal dimensions to the replacement as all of my measurement equipment is at work. When you reinstall the old, OEM lower fitting it slides in with no problem. Keeping in mind that this is done with the V notch aligned both in the fitting and the outlet on both the old and replacement parts. I`m stumped. There are some things about this truck though that make me wonder if it was intended for a diesel engine and someone ordered it with an8.1 L and it was built and shipped that way.

                                 Anyhow, Thanks for your reply.   Happy New Year!  

 

           

  • 1 year later...
BillB22 New Member

BillB22

Posted
Posted (edited)

OP - did you ever get any of the new replacement hoses to seat into the groove? I'm dealing with this now and know how frustrated you must have been. I've lubed my new hose/O ring and I'm still at least 1/4" away from locking.

Edited by BillB22
  • 7 months later...
  • 1 month later...
Mike1606 New Member

Mike1606

Posted
Posted

I have the same problem with a 2005 Chev 2500 with the 8.1 .I tried a Delco lower hose which would not go on far enough

to relax the c clip  It was lubed and everything was clean I tried some light tapping with a wedge of wood No go .I got a GM hose 

It won't fit . I am an auto tech with 48 yrs behind me .I checked on Identifix and some GM dealers no information .I was thinking of pulling the rad to see if I could get to fit that way  I would like to hear if there was a fix.

 

Thanks Mike

  • 5 months later...
Mike1606 New Member

Mike1606

Posted
Posted

II got a lower rad hose to fit. I bought a new GM rad and lower hose from the GM Dealer.I installed the hose on the rad to make sure it would fit .I installed the rad and hose everything fit. I tried the new hose on the old rad when I had the old rad on the floor it would not fit but the old hose would I didn't see any difference in the hoses. So thats an expensive way to do it but I have all new hoses and rad

Mike

  • Like 1

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Forum Statistics

    250.5k
    Total Topics
    2.7m
    Total Posts

  • Member Statistics

    342,965
    Total Members
    8,960
    Most Online
    DaleB
    Newest Member
    DaleB
    Joined

  • Who's Online   7 Members, 0 Anonymous, 1,139 Guests (See full list)

  • Latest Articles

  • Posts

    • Chuck FB
      Tire psi

      By Chuck FB · Posted

      You must have that upgraded gvw package which is only available or at least was in 2025 with the diesel engine for the 3/4 ton and that gave the truck physically the larger 12.0 ring gear rear diff and the 3500 rear spring pack. There is a difference in what the diff housing looks like externally as one tell tale and also your truck should have the upper overload spring pack and the frame pads that the pack goes up against.    The pressure the tpms system kicks the alarm in on a stock setting truck, that is a good question and was just from what I recall but I doubt I made any notes on it as I knew for the rear that it was not at all what I was after regardless either. Being that you have a diesel and if running on stock tires the minimum pressure on an empty truck seems to be around 50 psi from hearing of those that have weighted the front axle but the rear axle is very similar in weight to a gas truck and again a near empty truck on the rear could go down to 35 pounds at minimum. However the weigh scale is the proper way to know for sure as a guide.    As to changing the readings on the dash from metric to the US measuring system, oh yes that is done easily but what I was attempting to explain was that I can't pick and choose items I want to have in US and those I still want in the metric system at the same time as its either all or none. For example lets say you drove into Canada and switched your dash over to metric so your speedometer read in km an hour, well then your reading kilopascals on your tpms readout and your wife looks over and says what the hell is that saying in the tpms screen and you say "darned if I know, I think its Chinese" !
    • Chuck FB
      Some Assembly is Required

      By Chuck FB · Posted

      This is partly why I decided to have switched over to Amsoil SS as a way of hopefully preventing the buildup of the sludge/carbon on the pistons and clogging of the oil control rings and the carbon that would cause the compression rings to stick in their grooves as well as stay cleaner up top of the heads in the valve train in the first place, an oil that has tested better by third party testing over typical shelf oil and also doing my best to run relatively short OCI. However in saying that I don't think there is any way to easily prove the oil I was using prior allowed for a buildup at the OCI I was doing, nor in the other direction to make claims the Amsoil is keeping everything clean either. There really isn't a window into the engine is there to know anything for certain even if oil samples were taken for example that showed still healthy oil being dropped out of the oil pan other than engine tear downs that extensive and expensive testing of oils does to actually visually see what is really going on inside the engine. I wish there was some easy method of seeing what is going on but I don't happen to be aware of that if there is.  
    • jgaudet99
      Tire psi

      By jgaudet99 · Posted

      My truck is a ¾ ton but my placard also says 80 for the rear tires, I think I might have the upgraded suspension to the 3500 series maybe.   I put my air down to 60 and the light was still on, and there was no way I was putting over 60 psi in the rear empty and not towing because I knew the actual number Toyo gave me and I didn't wanna ruin the center of my tires!   And you actually can change it in the settings from metric or is and it will show kph or mph then when you go into your tire settings it will be either psi or kpa, but it would be nice to just change it directly on the tire psi page 
    • Grumpy Bear
      Some Assembly is Required

      By Grumpy Bear · Posted

      Common Sense Assembly   Your driveline is forgiving of the occasional mistake. It will even often forgive the random serious blunder. But it will not forgive a continuous bad habit.      What? Not everything needs to be a five thousand word essay.       
    • Grumpy Bear
      Gas Prices

      By Grumpy Bear · Posted

      We drove about 15 minute east today to visit a friend and saw a steep increase in price in the same county. About 50 cents a gallon steepper. 

  • GM-Trucks.com Clubs

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...