Cooling system overhaul complete

Shredicus

Shredicus

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Just got done replacing my Degas bottle, upper radiator hoses, t.stat and housing, water outlet and serpentine belt. Lesson learned from this: hose clamps are the devil.

Yes even with the stupid hose clamp pliers
 
Did you also replace the belt tensioner and the idler pulley??
 
Nah, I was going to do the pulley but autozone gave me the wrong one and it didnt fit. I inspected the existing tensioner and pulley though and they seemed to be in really good shape. No play or wobbles, nothing looks too worn.
 
I say this because there is a TSB on the idler pulley. The one from the factory is unflanged and so it can let the belt slip off if the tensioner starts to fail. I changed mine out with the updated flanged one which was only $30. Max can get you all the parts at a really good price.

The belt drive seems extremely quiet now and the car also feels like it runs much smoother.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MOTORCRAFT-...:Lincoln|Model:LS&hash=item2ebbcec751&vxp=mtr

Thats the part you need. I suggest everybody gets this installed asap. Can save you a lot of headache for very little money.
 
Could you so kindly list all the P/Ns please? I will be due for this soon! 137k km or 85k miles on the clock..
 
M4rk said:
Could you so kindly list all the P/Ns please? I will be due for this soon! 137k km or 85k miles on the clock..
Click to expand...

Here are the numbers:

Belt - JK6 917 Interchanges with #2W9Z8620GB

Tensioner - 4L8Z 6B209 AA Interchanges with #BT81

Pulley - 7W8Z 8678 A Interchanges with #YS337


If anybody has a belt slap noise on cold start up...replace these three items. Or you can wait like i did and have it fail. Save yourself the headache.
 
wow.

Those cooling pieces add up. Ive heard that the mustang cobras have a similar system under high pressure.
 
@TooManyToys: Yeah I did, they definitely made the job more bearable but it was still absolutely hellish getting them to grip right on the harder to reach clamps.

@Black: Hm that's interesting. I may have to pick one up. And yeah I was pretty shocked by how quickly all the little bits and pieces of plastic and rubber add up although I didnt do nearly as thorough of an overhaul as he did
 
Yeah it's not a perfect tool, but it's better then the alternative. Part of the problem at least for mine is the cable is a little too long so I have to squeeze the pliers past the holding lever's stop to get some of the clamps fully over the nipples. I've been told the Mayhew tool is better, but it's around $80+.
 
TooManyToys said:
Yeah it's not a perfect tool, but it's better then the alternative. Part of the problem at least for mine is the cable is a little too long so I have to squeeze the pliers past the holding lever's stop to get some of the clamps fully over the nipples. I've been told the Mayhew tool is better, but it's around $80+.
Click to expand...

:shifty:

Hey now, we're talking about cars here not our shady weekend activities:D
 
I think I'm going to replace all the clamps with standard hose clamps when I pull everything apart again. Those OEM clamps were a royal pain.
 
They have the advantage that when the rubber is compressed under the clamp over time they continue to provide tension against the hose, keeping a better seal against the (politically correct) connection tube that has swaged retention flange on the end.

Does that sound more automotive Shredicus?
 
TooManyToys said:
They have the advantage that when the rubber is compressed under the clamp over time they continue to provide tension against the hose, keeping a better seal against the (politically correct) connection tube that has swaged retention flange on the end...
Click to expand...

Exactly.
 
TooManyToys said:
They have the advantage that when the rubber is compressed under the clamp over time they continue to provide tension against the hose, keeping a better seal against the (politically correct) connection tube that has swaged retention flange on the end.

Does that sound more automotive Shredicus?
Click to expand...

I was just making a nipple clamp joke :(
 
Yeah. Use these
g7144.jpg


not

17115.01.jpg



Because they will expand and contract with the hose as it's heated/cools.
 
Got it - oh well, I was looking forward to getting rid of those suckers. Guess I'll have to just by the special pliers you need instead of using regulars with a screw driver.
 
Yeah the hose clamp pliers helped a lot with this, but honestly I found a pair of vice grips to be almost as effective wherever I had the space to use them.
 
I'll agree with that. I've got a set of needle nose Vice Grips that I also used on several areas, providing I had side access. The only place that I would recommend a worm clamp is on the reservoir hose that connects to the crossover tube behind the motor's driver's side head. For me even with the hose clamp it was frustrating.
 
If we were to patch in some aluminum pieces could we use the regular hose clamps then??
 
BlackLS06 said:
Here are the numbers:

Belt - JK6 917 Interchanges with #2W9Z8620GB

Tensioner - 4L8Z 6B209 AA Interchanges with #BT81

Pulley - 7W8Z 8678 A Interchanges with #YS337


If anybody has a belt slap noise on cold start up...replace these three items. Or you can wait like i did and have it fail. Save yourself the headache.
Click to expand...

It is funny to see this here today. This week I've been thinking about my belt slap on cold start up and decided to replace the tensioner and idler. This makes me even more confident in my rather simple diagnosis.
 
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