Swollen Radiator Hose - Honda-Acura.net

Shameinator · 09-06-09, 05:00 PM

My upper radiator hose is swollen and buldging. I am going to replace it. My question is do I need to worry about my water pump being on its way out? the reason I ask is because if I remember correctly this can be a sign.

I searched the forum but couldn't find much. Any help would be great.

The coolant is only about 8k old and the thermostat is new and I have no overheating problems whatsoever. the motor has 95K on it.

I know I will need to do the waterpump timing belt and timing belt tensioner soon but I am trying to avoid it for a few weeks so i can get the money up to do the work.

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bluetwo · 09-07-09, 01:32 AM

Since it's really only safe to say you need the pump and timing belt done I want to say do it to be on the safe side.

Still seems like you might be able to make it a little longer but why push it?

**CivicSiRacer** · 09-07-09, 01:47 AM

That is a sign of a blown head gasket. At least that's what happened with my 93 Civic. I replaced the hoses and they started to balloon again, took it to the shop and verified that it was.

**asiandoood** · 09-07-09, 08:59 AM

You'll need to replace the hoses as soon as possible before they burst. Radiator hoses decay from inside out. I would suggest not driving long distances until the hoses are replaced as you may risk blowout and overheating and /or more damage from it.

Do the water pump when you do the timing belt. Honda's are usually due at about every 80-90k miles. If your water pump is on the way out, it would mean bigger problems such as overheating, not ballooning hoses.

Shameinator · 09-07-09, 03:15 PM

thanks for all the input guys. I am planning ondoing the water pump and timing belt in the next couple of weeks I just need to get the money first. I have side work going on that i haven't gotten paid for yet. I am almost positive I dont have a blown head gasket but these are the same hoses from my old motor when i did so they probably just need to be replaced. I will go buy some hoses and coolant today and fix the immediate problem.

IanB · 09-09-09, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CivicSiRacer

That is a sign of a blown head gasket. At least that's what happened with my 93 Civic. I replaced the hoses and they started to balloon again, took it to the shop and verified that it was.

What is the logic behind this? What would cause a rad hose to balloon from a blown head gasket? This seems like more of a coincidence than a correlation.

**CivicSiRacer** · 09-09-09, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IanB

What is the logic behind this? What would cause a rad hose to balloon from a blown head gasket? This seems like more of a coincidence than a correlation.

Well considering I changed my head gasket 4 months ago and my hoses are not ballooing anymore. I took it to my sponsor who works on race cars all he had to do was look in the radiator and you can see little bubbles coming up. These were bubbles from the cylinder pressure.

The pressure inside your coolant system is only about 15psi or so. The pressure coming out of the cylinder heads is usually 190-210psi ish. So pressure from the cylinder heads was leaking into my coolant causing the hoses to balloon. Yes you could have a bad head gasket into the exhaust system causing you to billow white smoke, I wasn't getting that.

Plus the hoses you should be able to touch with your bare hands. My hoses were freaking scalding. Heat coming from the cylinder heads.

IanB · 09-09-09, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CivicSiRacer

Well considering I changed my head gasket 4 months ago and my hoses are not ballooing anymore. I took it to my sponsor who works on race cars all he had to do was look in the radiator and you can see little bubbles coming up. These were bubbles from the cylinder pressure.

The pressure inside your coolant system is only about 15psi or so. The pressure coming out of the cylinder heads is usually 190-210psi ish. So pressure from the cylinder heads was leaking into my coolant causing the hoses to balloon. Yes you could have a bad head gasket into the exhaust system causing you to billow white smoke, I wasn't getting that.

Plus the hoses you should be able to touch with your bare hands. My hoses were freaking scalding. Heat coming from the cylinder heads.

Thanks for the additional info. I've never heard of that before.

**CivicSiRacer** · 09-12-09, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IanB

Thanks for the additional info. I've never heard of that before.

Yeah I never had a blown head gasket before. I always thought a blown head gasket would mean white smoke coming out the tailpipe.

During autocrosses my coolant temperature gauge would show perfect temps. 1st run still fine, every run after that the needle would rocket to red zone. So there was heat coming from somewhere.
And the other thing that just went on me (July 2009) was my radiator (from the pressure fromthe cylinders) which I changed when I got the car (back in 2006) when the same shop found a crack in the radiator cap neck. So I'm guessing the previous owner knew about the head gasket, which over pressurized the cooling system, which cracked the radiator, which lead to the ballooning hoses.

I swear my car is possessed.

cruzalekz · 09-12-09, 12:06 PM

you just need a new radiator cap

Shameinator · 09-12-09, 10:14 PM

yea I replaced the hose and the cap is next cause I need to go get coolant I leaked a little out while replacing the hose.

Shameinator · 09-13-09, 05:30 AM

I replaced the leaked out coolant and I did a simple head gasket check. I had my brother start the car while I watched the fluid in the radiator for bubbles. I had no bubbles and I let it run to make sure it did not bubble. I let it go through one heat cycle and checked the fluid again. No bubbles and no loss of fluid so i think its safe to say my hose swelled due to being old and being on there when my last motor with a bad head gasket was in there.

09-07-09, 01:32 AM	#2
bluetwo Relevance is irrelevant Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Augusta, GA Posts: 6,056	Since it's really only safe to say you need the pump and timing belt done I want to say do it to be on the safe side. Still seems like you might be able to make it a little longer but why push it? __________________ ________________________ 00 Honda Civic EX daily driver 84 Honda Nighthawk CB700

09-07-09, 01:47 AM	#3
CivicSiRacer Honorary Moderator Alumni Join Date: Sep 1999 Location: Someplace with cones=AUTO Posts: 8,656	That is a sign of a blown head gasket. At least that's what happened with my 93 Civic. I replaced the hoses and they started to balloon again, took it to the shop and verified that it was. __________________ Sponsored by: KAM Racing Sports, Falken Tires, Progress Technology, Brady's High Performance, Taggart Performance Engineering, Rotora Brakes Autocross is: 90% driver, 5% car, & 5% CRAZY MOJO! Autocross Help Page

09-07-09, 08:59 AM	#4
asiandoood in search of unicorn(s) Join Date: Aug 2000 Posts: 26,229	You'll need to replace the hoses as soon as possible before they burst. Radiator hoses decay from inside out. I would suggest not driving long distances until the hoses are replaced as you may risk blowout and overheating and /or more damage from it. Do the water pump when you do the timing belt. Honda's are usually due at about every 80-90k miles. If your water pump is on the way out, it would mean bigger problems such as overheating, not ballooning hoses. __________________ *[BLOG]* *[N1 Concepts]* *[ENDLESS 8]* F/S: JDM EG9 Parts - PM me for info

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09-07-09, 03:15 PM	#5
Shameinator Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Sacramento Posts: 209	thanks for all the input guys. I am planning ondoing the water pump and timing belt in the next couple of weeks I just need to get the money first. I have side work going on that i haven't gotten paid for yet. I am almost positive I dont have a blown head gasket but these are the same hoses from my old motor when i did so they probably just need to be replaced. I will go buy some hoses and coolant today and fix the immediate problem.

09-12-09, 12:06 PM	#10
cruzalekz Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 474	you just need a new radiator cap

09-12-09, 10:14 PM	#11
Shameinator Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Sacramento Posts: 209	yea I replaced the hose and the cap is next cause I need to go get coolant I leaked a little out while replacing the hose.

09-13-09, 05:30 AM	#12
Shameinator Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Sacramento Posts: 209	I replaced the leaked out coolant and I did a simple head gasket check. I had my brother start the car while I watched the fluid in the radiator for bubbles. I had no bubbles and I let it run to make sure it did not bubble. I let it go through one heat cycle and checked the fluid again. No bubbles and no loss of fluid so i think its safe to say my hose swelled due to being old and being on there when my last motor with a bad head gasket was in there.