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MG MGB Technical - Quality rubber hoses

It seems from various forums that may MG or classic car owners experience quality issues with newly purchased radiator or heater rubber hoses or even fuel hoses. My B is in need of new plumbing, hence looking for adequate supplies. Which (online preferably) supplier(s) would you recommend?
Thanks in advance!
Gerard
69 B GT
GBP

Things may have improved, I don't know, but previously any rubber part or parts that had rubber could be piss-poor, sometimes lasting days and weeks, months if you were lucky.

For fuel line I wouldn't trust braided cover where you can't see the rubber deteriorate underneath and I'd just use modern fuel hose, designed for ethanol too, and I found 6mm fitted carbs better than 1/4".

For cooling/heating I'd only fit a silicone set, possibly from MGOC Spare or if they're still going I got mine from Classic Silicone Hoses, as they put "Fit 'n' Forget".

http://www.classicsiliconehoses.com/

https://www.mgocspares.co.uk/acatalog/MGOC_SPARES_RADIATORS___HOSES__MGB__29.html

In the Archives will be lists of piss-poor rubber parts and other piss-poor parts. Not all parts are poorly made some are very good but others are brap and utter crap. Welcome to the world of tight-fisted classic owners that only want to pay for the very cheapest parts as they never use their classicsso driving quality to the bottom - but they are prepared to pay high prices for anything bling!
Nigel Atkins

Thank you Nigel for your comprehensive feedback.
I am not keen on silicone (except on race cars...), looking for good old rubber with period look, price not being a prime criterion here - but I get your point!
GBP

No problem.

Classic Silicone Hoses Ltd do various options including "‘Classic’ Black – a black/grey style silicone wrap, similar to smooth OEM rubber hoses".

http://www.classicsiliconehoses.com/product-options/

If you want proper period look you want a covering of a cocktail of used black engine oil, rusty water or coolant, road grime and probably blood, spittle and mucus.

If you find that others can now report good quality rubber has returned, lasted say a year without crazing or cracking be interesting to know.

From a previous list of piss-poor quality parts -

with rubber:
. track rod ends boots
. steering rack gaiters
. drop links
. axle strap
. fuel hose
. s/s braided fuel and oil hose
. coolant hoses
. ‘Kevlar’ water hoses
. door seals
. header rail seal
. suspension bushes
. wiper blades (elements)

I've experienced problems with all of above except door seals and suspension bushes, I'll leave you to guess why not with suspension bushes.

Good luck.
Nigel Atkins

I agree with Nigel on modern fuel hose, possibly from a local motor factor, although I bought mine on ebay.

As for radiator hoses, again, I bought some new old stock on ebay.

I don't know about your '69, but my '67 has two bottom hoses, joined by a cast-iron elbow.
The hoses are the same as the MGA, which will give you more search results.
Dave O'Neill 2

Agree with all of the above. My V8 came to me 24 years ago with the original fuel hoses where the braiding was crumbling away. I only changed them a couple of years ago and they were perfect, after always being run on supermarket 95 a dozen years of which was ethanol. The old rubber was still perfect when when slit lengthways and opened out, no signs of splitting or cracking or anything else. I replaced them with plain hose so I can at least keep an eye on the external condition, I don't expect these to last more than a few years as I'd already replaced those at the carb twice including the overflow hoses.

Be careful with multi-layer hoses advertised as ethanol-proof, and with sizing. Some advertised as Imperial for our fitting are actually metric. If you have to force fractionally under-sized hose onto spigots it can rip the inner layer and will then clog up your carbs as in the attached. It doesn't need to be a snug push-fit, the clamp does the sealing.

Similarly cooling hoses. I've replaced the top and heater hoses on the roadster two or three times in 32 years, but the bottom was 'original'. I'd had that hose off a couple of times for work but put it back, but the last time I did decide to replace it. The old hose is still black, smooth and pliable and I'm sure would have lasted for many more years.

Silicone doesn't have to be a pretty colour, as Nigel says and to paraphrase Henry Ford they are available in any colour including black. A bit shiny compared to quality rubber, but it depends on what you are looking for - appearance or longevity.





paulh4

Avoid at all costs, the kevlar pipes, they tear and split even when brand new - I had the bottom hose on the V8 fail with a six inch lengthwise split, dumping all the water - fortunately just as I pulled into a motorway services.

I always ask for cotton reinforced hoses - if you can't see the reinforcing in the end faces then send them back!

I use ISO7840 A1 marine fuel hose - it has lasted 20+ years in the heat of the V8 engine bay.

It is made to much higher quality than car hose - you cannot afford a fuel leak in a boat!
Chris at Octarine Services

Not just shiny and very colourful hoses on offer, Classic Silicone Hoses Ltd also do "‘Classic’ Black – a black/grey style silicone wrap, similar to smooth OEM rubber hoses".


Nigel Atkins

I thought kevlar did have the woven arrangement but apparently it's just chips mixed in with rubbish rubber. The thickness of the walls is also very variable, and this one split along a moulding line where it was thinnest. That's in addition to all the surface crazing.

It split during heat-soak shortly after a spirited climb up the Honister Pass. But next day the coolant level warning ... warned me, I was carrying a spare and some coolant, so we were back on our way in no time.




paulh4

Son Andrew who has a PhD in such things suspects the cause of the Kevlar hose problem is effectively delamination (failure of bonding) between the rubber and the Kevlar pallets
Paul Walbran

Why are the kevlar pellets even in there? If the rubber doesn't part company with itself, why does it need to bond to kevlar? Failures like splitting and tearing are simply the rubber failing, regardless of kevlar. Original hoses didn't seem to need it.
paulh4

Probably a bunch of leftover Kevlar shavings from making something that needs to be Kevlar and some enterprizing fella decided real men would want Kevlar thingys. That's just about how H. Ford got into the business of making charcoal briquets - find some scrap and find a market for it.

Jud
J K Chapin

Yep, either that or a hood idea that wasn't properly tested to see if it would work. As Paul said, there were no issues with the original hoses, which performed and lasted very well - far better than the repro equivalents that are all we can get now. And that's before I get started on design defects, the GRH305 too hose being a prime example.
I fail to see why we should be coerced into silicone at several times the price to achieve similar outcomes to the original hoses.
Paul Walbran

As a follow-up, I have exchanged emails with a gentleman at NuFox - Lee Healey. They are a long established rubber company (dating back 1933, established in Middleton, Manchester area) and are supplying a whole range of radiator and such hoses for many classic cars, also reproducing hoses from drawings or samples.

I take the liberty of posting a link to their pdf catalogue - no commercial but it is a bit tricky to locate on their website: https://nufox.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Nufox-Lee-Healey-hoses.pdf
They are able to supply all the radiator/heater hoses that I would need.

Dealing with them directly is possible - they however operate with a minimum order value of £150 Ex-Works - although they mostly deal through car clubs.

Has anyone here had any experience with their products or know who might sell them? (£150 is way beyond my need for hoses at the moment!)

Thanks in advance - Gerard

GBP

Just fitted the MGOC black silicone ones to my 73 BGT - much easier to get the hoses on than rubber ones as they are more flexible.

Also took the opportunity to remove the rad and flush out the whole system - an incredible amount of crud out of a rad I had previously back flushed in situ .

I had to cut one pipe down quite a bit though, the pipe to the bottom of the radiator was far too long, both against the one I took off, and when fitted - thought I would give it a go before chopping it up but no luck.

Time will tell, but they look the part, especially with the new stainless clips.
Mike Dixon

Better than too short. I've had to cut down the rad end of the bottom hose on the last two V8 hoses I've fitted.
paulh4

This thread was discussed between 05/05/2020 and 26/05/2020

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