Replacement
cooling hoses for the MGBGTV8
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Concern
over poor quality replacement hoses
There have been reports for some time that the quality of replacement rubber cooling hoses for the MGBGTV8 have not been as good as the spares items previously available. But why has the quality dropped off with a reduced service life and loss of reliability? So I contacted Peter Beadle, an acknowledged expert in MGBGTV8 spares and formerly parts manager with Moss and before that University Motors when the V8 was launched, who confirmed there is a problem with the quality and reliability with the V8 cooling hoses available from most spares suppliers. (8.8.07) What is the position with V8 cooling hoses? Peter Beadle explained that Dunlop and Avon, the manufacturers of the string reinforced original equipment for the V8 who had gone on to supply the leading spares suppliers with V8 hoses for many years, had pulled out of the market in the last few years. The reason - simply the market for pre-1975 replacement string reinforced hoses was just too small. So far as he was aware there was no UK manufacturer doing string reinforced cooling hoses now so stocks of original string reinforced hoses had run out quite rapidly. To maintain a spares service, replacement hoses in either straight rubber or Kevla reinforced rubber had been sourced by the leading MG suppliers. These have been sold direct to enthusiasts and distributed through service and spares specialists around the UK. These alternative replacement parts usually have a "Z" after the part number - so do look out for GRH512Z and GRH511Z when buying spares hoses for your MGBGTV8. Performance of the alternative hoses Straight rubber and Kevla reinforced rubber hoses do perish over time and seem to do so far more rapidly than the original equipment. When they start to weep they are then likely to split so enthusiasts with these hoses need to watch them very carefully indeed. They can blow when a V8 has been turned off after a run when the accumulated heat in the engine raises the temperature in the cooling system but similar conditions might easily occur in slow moving traffic on a hot day. So with those risks in mind it would be wise to replace rubber and Kevla reinforced rubber top and bottom hoses on a preventative basis every two years - Peter even suggested replacing them every year might be better as they are not that expensive and are relatively easy to change. Can string reinforced V8 cooling hoses be sourced overseas? Peter mentioned that new supplies of string reinforced cooling hoses for the MGB 1800 models had been sourced from manufacturers in the Far East and were available from leading MG spares suppliers and through the distribution system, so the problem for MGB enthusiasts was better. But what |
about the V8 hoses? Well Peter confided there were moves to source string reinforced hoses for the MGBGTV8 from similar overseas manufacturers. Peter said this project would need a pair of original V8 cooling hoses and it is hoped a longstanding V8 enthusiast with a pair of the hoses in their much valued personal stock of spares would make them available as templates for remanufacture. So hopefully that sourcing project should be underway soon and then supplies of the better quality string reinforced V8 cooling hoses - both top and bottom - could be restored and available to V8 enthusiasts once again. What about silicone rubber cooling hoses? Back in May 2005, Phil Bristow wondered if there was any interest amongst fellow V8 members for sets of MGBGTV8 cooling hoses in a more durable silicone rubber material. He has just completed a restoration on his 1973 chrome bumper MGBGTV8 and found that many new parts were of indifferent quality not least replacement cooling hoses. Given the obvious importance of those hoses he wanted to get the best available, so he began considering silicone rubber hoses. These were not available as a set for the MGBGTV8, but he found they were used for fast road and race applications. Phil noted silicone rubber hoses are extremely durable and long lasting, and he felt they also looked good too with a 'shiny' finish and a choice of colours! But for V8 enthusiasts with even a mild interest in originality they are certainly different! More |
