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EvanDJ Samba Member
Joined: December 15, 2009 Posts: 49 Location: Minnesota
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Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 12:21 pm Post subject: What is this spongy hose |
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My son was poking around the engine compartment of our 91 Camper and found this really spongy and nearly collapsed hose. He sent me a pic and I went to the local VW dealer and they said it was no longer available.
I told him to go to the local parts store and see if there are any dimensionally correct hoses for possible replacement.
Anybody know where I can get this gem or what substitute hose I can get for this spongy nearly collapsed hose in the picture.
Thanks |
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deprivation Samba Member
Joined: September 14, 2006 Posts: 1220 Location: Austin, Texas
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Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 12:27 pm Post subject: |
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That spongy hose is trouble!
It is the hose for your oil breather tower! If it collapses enough it can, in some cases, cause your main seal to blow and you will be in a world o' hurt. REPLACE IT IMMEDIATELY! Don't drive around with it like that.
You can use a section of heater hose temporarily but be mindful of the fact that heater hose will deteriorate and it can rub on the doo-dad on the throttle body shaft.. Someone here recently posted that they put a polyethelene tube inside the breather hose like a stent in a heart patient. Very clever idea. _________________ 1986 Westy 2WD auto a.k.a. "The Old Girl"
www.kittenfart.com |
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powderedwaters Samba Member
Joined: November 11, 2009 Posts: 117 Location: Victoria, BC
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Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 1:08 pm Post subject: |
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Depriv is right, change that mother out. Heater hose from the local FLAPS (3/4 ID Heater Hose) works fine and is way way cheaper than from the stealership. Just buy a metre of it to keep on hand. The fit is a little tighter than stock but I found a great improvement in engine idle when this hose was redone. _________________ 89 VanagonGL Hannover Edition 2.1 AT |
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50350
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Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 2:20 pm Post subject: |
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There is not US spec hose that is both a good fit and will handle the oily corrosive gasses that I am aware of. 3/4 inch silicone heater hose may be the best bet. It offers some oil resistance and can be forced over the ends. 7/8" dish washer drain hose probably fits better, but probably can not handle the oil and corrosion as well.
Of course the original VW hose didn't work very well either, the original stuff started failing within months of the time these vans were driven off the dealer's lot. |
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Steelhead Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2007 Posts: 1791 Location: Kentfield, CA
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Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 2:36 pm Post subject: |
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deprivation wrote: |
It is the hose for your oil breather tower! If it collapses enough it can, in some cases, cause your main seal to blow and you will be in a world o' hurt. |
hmmm... that's a relationship I wasn't aware of. until last week, my main seal was leaking, but had been for a while. I also noticed that hose was rotting and leaking. Mechanic fixed the mainseal and replaced the hose. Glad I noticed. _________________ '77 Bay Window / '89 Caratsburg (aka. the Stormtrooper) |
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deprivation Samba Member
Joined: September 14, 2006 Posts: 1220 Location: Austin, Texas
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Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 3:09 pm Post subject: |
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Steelhead wrote: |
that's a relationship I wasn't aware of. |
I did not personally experience this but I remember someone here having a problem with a mainseal repeatedly blowing. Every possible, plausible avenue was investigated. After seal number three or four was installed (and blown) they were observing the engine as the ran the RPMs up and down, which caused the breather hose to totally collapse and pinch - the case pressure went up and - pow- oil everywhere.
They replaced the hose and everything was okay.
Tales Of The Unexpected, I guess. _________________ 1986 Westy 2WD auto a.k.a. "The Old Girl"
www.kittenfart.com |
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EvanDJ Samba Member
Joined: December 15, 2009 Posts: 49 Location: Minnesota
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Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 3:41 pm Post subject: |
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Deprivation & everybody,
Thanks for the reply and guidance. I just got off the phone with my son and he will try to get something to replace this hose from the local parts store.
I never imagined a relationship between the main seal & an oil breather hose but we learn something new everyday thanks to the collective wisdom of sites like this |
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Perales Samba Member
Joined: May 07, 2007 Posts: 2046 Location: Nova Scotia
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Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 5:15 pm Post subject: |
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Sticky nomination! _________________ -- 1987 Westfalia automatic (Captain Vino) |
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whip618 Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2002 Posts: 761 Location: Albuquerque
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Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 11:36 pm Post subject: |
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When the hose on my syncro started looking like that although not rotted and leaking I installed a spring inside to keep the hose from collapsing, it's worked well for about 20K miles.
Phil _________________ Life is simple....either you're qualified or you're not.
USSVI.......Pride Runs Deep
USSVI Life member and Holland Club member
Samba Member No. 3307 |
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greenbus pilot Samba Member
Joined: March 14, 2008 Posts: 1285 Location: Wisconsin: Rustbelt, USA baby!!
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Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 2:14 am Post subject: |
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I actually have a few miles of silicone heater hose in my garage, in 5/8", 3/4" , 1" and 1-1/4". I have used it for oil breather applications and it basically lasts forever. If you need some, PM me, and I would be happy to send some out if you cover the shipping. I love the stuff, and it comes outta the trash at work! _________________ Sent from a white van down the street. |
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deprivation Samba Member
Joined: September 14, 2006 Posts: 1220 Location: Austin, Texas
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Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 9:47 am Post subject: |
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greenbus pilot wrote: |
silicone heater hose |
What a good idea! _________________ 1986 Westy 2WD auto a.k.a. "The Old Girl"
www.kittenfart.com |
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EvanDJ Samba Member
Joined: December 15, 2009 Posts: 49 Location: Minnesota
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Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 9:58 am Post subject: |
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greenbus pilot wrote: |
I actually have a few miles of silicone heater hose in my garage, in 5/8", 3/4" , 1" and 1-1/4". I have used it for oil breather applications and it basically lasts forever. If you need some, PM me, and I would be happy to send some out if you cover the shipping. I love the stuff, and it comes outta the trash at work! |
That would be awesome, thanks for the offer, You have PM |
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kwesty Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2010 Posts: 1 Location: NorCal
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Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 6:57 pm Post subject: |
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Got my first Westy a few days ago and just got back from trying to get it smogged (California). Emissions were fine, but it failed because of that hose. Guy said it had to be PCV. None of the local stores have it, so now I'm on the hunt for one. _________________ '88 Westy - automatic |
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50350
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Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 9:01 pm Post subject: |
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kwesty wrote: |
Got my first Westy a few days ago and just got back from trying to get it smogged (California). Emissions were fine, but it failed because of that hose. Guy said it had to be PCV. None of the local stores have it, so now I'm on the hunt for one. |
As said before in the this thread there isn't anything out there that will fit. Some 3/4" silicone all purpose heater hose is about as good as you can get. |
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Timwhy Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2009 Posts: 4002 Location: Maine
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Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 2:52 am Post subject: Re: What is this spongy hose |
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EvanDJ wrote: |
My son was poking around the engine compartment of our 91 Camper and found this really spongy and nearly collapsed hose. He sent me a pic and I went to the local VW dealer and they said it was no longer available.
I told him to go to the local parts store and see if there are any dimensionally correct hoses for possible replacement.
Anybody know where I can get this gem or what substitute hose I can get for this spongy nearly collapsed hose in the picture.
Thanks |
After reading this thread. I thought that this too I would add to my list of preventitive maintainance to be done.
Taking the advice given to get a metre, off to the parts store I went.
I bought 36" of "Green stripe 7/8" hose" @ $32/yard.
During the day I stopped back at home to have a look at the original hose. Mine did not look like the hose in the picture, it looked fine.
There is a difference between mine and this (pic) hose. Mine has the sensor in the middle of the hose, so there are two hoses.
Then I started thinking about the $32 I just laid out for 36" of hose, when I really only need 8".
Took the hose back and had them cut off what I needed off of another hose they had and got some money back.
Don't know if this new hose will fit properly but at $.85/inch it's worth a try.
I did stop into Parker hose and they said that the silicone hose would be very expensive and probably not heat rated high enough for what I wanted to do?
That was before I knew that you don't need a yard just a few inches. _________________ '15 Audi A3 Quattro
'09 VW Tiguan (dead)
'87 VW Westy
'91 Tin Top
'90 Cabby
What the Westy wants the Westy GETS
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_search.php?search_author=Timwhy&show_results=summary
http://www.youtube.com/user/TIMWHY2?feature=mhee |
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50350
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Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 9:11 am Post subject: |
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Silicone hose is expensive likely a dollar an inch or something, but since you don't need very much its not a big issue. Silicone will handle the little bit of heat it is going to see very well. Regular heater hose or the all purpose hose that NAPA sells will also work, but will get very hard with time from the fumes.
Last edited by Wildthings on Wed Mar 03, 2010 10:39 am; edited 1 time in total |
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CREGAN Samba Member
Joined: April 26, 2008 Posts: 230 Location: Leduc, Alberta - CANADA
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vanaguy Samba Member
Joined: November 20, 2006 Posts: 225 Location: Sumner, WA
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Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 9:40 am Post subject: Re: What is this spongy hose |
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Timwhy wrote: |
Mine has the sensor in the middle of the hose, so there are two hoses. |
FYI, that's not a sensor. It's a heating element to help prevent icing. |
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Timwhy Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2009 Posts: 4002 Location: Maine
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EvanDJ Samba Member
Joined: December 15, 2009 Posts: 49 Location: Minnesota
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Posted: Fri Mar 05, 2010 5:44 pm Post subject: |
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Yes |
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