Upper hose support

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Aug 2, 2008 | 05:07 PM

drifty4

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Upper hose support

Can anyone tell me if there is supposed to be a metal support that holds the upper radiator hose on a 97 Ranger with the 2.3?

It would be to keep the hose away from the A/C clutch. Any help would be appreciated.

Aug 2, 2008 | 11:38 PM

Rangerman Stan

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From: SE Michigan

I've never seen a support for the upper radiator hose on a 2.3 engine. Are you sure the hose on there is the correct one? I know that sometimes depending on the brand of hose, there could be small differences from one to another, such as where the bend is or how much of a bend it has. Most hoses have a little extra length in them so if you need to shorten it to make it fit better you can cut off maybe an inch or two. You might be able to try that with the one you're working with. Try cutting a half inch off at the end that attaches to the radiator to see if it helps to keep it away from the a/c clutch. If that helps but more room is needed then see if you can cut off another half inch. Sometimes you can angle the hose upward a bit and tighten the clamp to hold it up and away from things it might hit even if it's a straight in connection. However if the hose is an older one and it's sagging and spongy, then it should be replaced.

Aug 3, 2008 | 12:27 AM

B A dawg

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From: People's Republic of CA

Was thinking that too- never seen a hose support.
Was the hose replaced, or is it the original?
The right hose should fit without problems. if it's aftermarket, sometimes they don't fit as they should. Had those problems before.
The Ford number (service part) is F67Z-8260-HA.

Aug 3, 2008 | 04:56 AM

Dan Robertson

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From: Northern Maine

I have a 98 with a 3.0. My upper hose is very close to my alternator. There is a protective plastic sleeve around the upper hose to protect it from chaffing. It is nothing more than a big wire loom.

Aug 3, 2008 | 07:38 AM

drifty4

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Thanks for the posts. I had the hoses replaced at the Ford dealer and it got chewed up. Someone told me that there was a support that they didn't put back on. I didn't remember seeing one but thought I would ask.

The new hose that I put on has a plastic scuff guard also.

It turned out that the dealer didn't bolt the radiator shroud tight and the whole radiator moved. They left some wires hanging on the motor mount also. Needless to say we had a conversation, and they are making it right now.

Thanks again for the information.

Aug 3, 2008 | 12:05 PM

B A dawg

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From: People's Republic of CA

Thanks for the update, good to know what happened.

Aug 4, 2008 | 07:35 PM

ranger pat

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From: Elk River, MN

It could be that the hose was reversed, with the thermostat end attached to the radiator instead of the themostat housing. That would place the hose closer to the A/C.