I'm gonna change the radiator and heater hoses on my 99 F250 with a 5.4 and everywhere I go either don't have the radiator hoses or the ones they give me aren't even close. Has anyone got hoses that are correct from someone other than the dealer? I don't mind buying from Ford but they sure do like my money.
I was lookin' at the heater hoses and was wondering how in the heck I'm suppose to get those hoses off the heater core fittings? I'm 6'3" and the truck is a 2x4 and I can barely reach them much less remove them and install a new one and what kind of hose clamp do they use on this thing?. Any tips on this? How about where to buy the heater hoses? They look like they are preformed to me so I was wondering if the bulk heater hose from NAPA would work or will it kink.

Thanks in advance...

Q

 

I can't help you on the shopping part, I get all that stuff from Ford, but for the rest, ok.
You need 6 hoses for the job. The upper radiator hose, the lower radiator hose that has a fitting in the middle with 2 5/8" id hoses that go to the oil cooler, 1 coolant expansion feed hose, 1 coolant expansion tank overflow hose, 1 heater core feed, and 1 heater core return line. Why not change the thermostat for the same price. For the heater core hoses that attach at the heater core itself, make sure you buy 2 (new) replacement retaining clips. The old one can't be re-used. (They should be included with the heater core hoses, but you never know.)
Here's how I remove those things:
You need 1 medium size (long nose if possible) if you don't have one, channel-locks will do, and 1 small size vise-grip pliers.
To disconnect the heater hoses at the core, you'll need to squeeze the two tabs on the fitting with the medium vise-grip pliers. There's a tab on opposite sides of the fitting. Lock the vise so the tabs are both pressed in and then twist and pull at the same time. There will be two retaining clips left on each of the heater core tubes. Spread the retaining wings apart and slide them off the tubes. Then install the new ones on. For the heater core feed line (returns to the water pump outlet/thermostat housing in the front of the engine.) , it's easy, use the medium vise grip to compress the tabs of the spring clamp and twist the hose off. For the heater core return line at the back of the block, use the small vise-grip, compress the tabs of the spring clamp and twist the hose off. The upper and lower radiator hoses, the expansion tank feed and overflows are pretty easy, they all use those damned spring clamps too. To remove the oil cooler lines, you'll need to remove the oil filter (Hey, good time for an oil change.) and the cooler assembly. Use a 14mm or 1/2" 6" long Allen wrench in the oil feed tube of the cooler and unscrew it. The oil cooler will fall away from the engine block. The hoses will be easy to change then. Replace all the stupid spring clamps with non-idiotic worm-drive clamps. I sit in the engine compartment to do all this, BTW.

 

Thanks for the in depth explanation. It's just what I needed. I'm gonna crawl all around the truck to familiarize myself with everything you describe, then dive in. I appreciate the help...

Q

 

Can you upgrade to a V10 radiator? Are the V8 and V10's the same?? I dunno... anyways, I think I woud see if I could get the newer radiator with the A/T cooler built in and plumb it up. Couldn't hurt. My radiator spung a leak and I had a new one installed and it had the additional cooler for the AT.

 

I was considering changing out the heater and radiator hoses on a 99 SD 5.4L
I just purchased. I was wondering if you ended up doing your s yourself and how it went?
Thanks,
CRBourret@hotmail.com