Heater hose removal at manifold fitting ?
 

On my 96 GMC pickup with a 350 engine, the heater hose is leaking at the fitting. The fitting at the manifold looks like a special GM design that snaps in the hose with a O-ring seal (I think). Is this how it secures the heater hose? How do you remove the hose from the fitting?

Can anyone help me on this? It looks like both the hose end & manifold fittings are a matched set with a "quick disconnect snap-in" style fitting in the intake manifold. I understand that they are fragile and break easily. I have not tried to remove anything yet, until I get some advice from boardmembers. Thank You!

My experience on my 95 is if you jack with it plan on replacing,the one in the manifold is not that bad to do, the one on the water pump is easiest just to replace the whole pump, just make sure the new fitting is the new style, avail at most napa's hope this helps.:bowtie:

Just replaced the motor in my '96 with a '97 S-10 motor (both 4.3L-but sounds like they have the same hose connections). I bought the new hose and connector before starting the swap. After already buying the new parts, I noticed that the Blazer did not use all the extra crap-just had a fitting that a hose (3/4" I think) would go onto and use a regular hose clamp to hold it on. If I'd known this before I started, I probably wouldn't have bought the new hose and special manifold adapter and instead would have used regular hose and a regular fitting. Noticed the fitting is also available at Advance Auto parts. Just a thought. Was also told that the plastic pieces that snap together are brittle and often break while attempting to disassemble. Sounds like it is time to replace the connector assembly or go the more traditional (and I'm sure less expensive) method of connecting the hose to the manifold.

Randy

Thanks for sharing your experience on this. After what you guys went thru, I agree it sounds like the best fix is to change to the proven "old school" style fitting/hose clamp.
I would like to know why GM would take a generic hose fitting/hose clamp configeration & redesign a special replacement that leaks & cost more to buy?

I know this may sound like a bunch of hooey, but it's best to use the original setup when replacing these heater hoses and fittings. The quick-connect fitting that taps into the intake manifold has a certain amount of restriction that the system needs to get just the right amount of circulation. (I'm told that...) Too much flow contributes to blown heater cores.

When you replace that quick-connect fitting you don't have to worry about it breaking off like the factory-original part because every replacement I've seen is made of better materials than the pot metal that GM originally used. :)

You can get a new Quick clamp style fitting at most auto parts stores for around $10.00. Use caution when taking out the old one, I saw a guy crack his manifold taking one out, that one had loctite on it and sometimes the only way to get that loctite loose is with some heat but we all know how heat and aluminum work together so be careful if going that route. If it has corrosion around it use Carb cleaner and soak it. Use some Sea Foam Deep Creep around the threads and let that soak in and it should come out.

Another brain storm by some engineer that could have been better thought out.

I real glad I brought up this subject up before I started tearing into what apeared to be a simple problem. More infromation is always better! Thank you again.

3/4, I was told the same thing when I repaired mine, also was told that if it happened under factory warranty dealer replaced with new design but never recalled the problem, the new fittings are diffinately better JMO:bowtie:

sidestepper this is what you need LISLE #62200 HEATER HOSE COUPLER REMOVER. the auto parts store that has lisle tools will have it. steve

go to GOOGLE and put in LISLE#62200 HEATER HOSE COUPLER REMOVER, it will show you where to get it at. steve

Re: Heater hose removal at manifold fitting ?
 

Old thread, but still good info! :metal:

Re: Heater hose removal at manifold fitting ?
 

Funny stuff. It's there for fast assembly at the factory, I always replace them with a regular hose fitting.

Re: Heater hose removal at manifold fitting ?
 

Is there a trick to getting the old fitting out? I just got done replacing the heater core on my 87 Jimmy and was going to replace all of the hoses. But I'm afraid I'm going to strip it out or break it off...:waah:. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Re: Heater hose removal at manifold fitting ?
 

I'm sure it would break before it stripped. I usually chip the broken part out.

Re: Heater hose removal at manifold fitting ?
 

Is there another option?

Re: Heater hose removal at manifold fitting ?
 

If by chance your fitting is still the original pot metal piece it will likely crumble when you place a wrench on it. Most do. After that happens you can insert the blade from a hacksaw in the center to cut through the threads in two places then use a small chisel to chip it out of there. That's how I did one.

Re: Heater hose removal at manifold fitting ?
 

The ones I have done crumbled so easy I didn't have to cut anything. I had thought about removing the intake but I haven't had to.

Re: Heater hose removal at manifold fitting ?
 

It looks like the fitting on my 87 is a little different than they newer ones you guys are talking about. It is threaded and the heater hose screws on. Here are a couple of pictures. Can the original hose with the metal end be sourced somewhere? I'm worried about breaking the fitting while trying to get it out and I really don't have time to deal with handling that situation. Thanks for the input and help.

Rob

Re: Heater hose removal at manifold fitting ?
 

That's a specialty hose which should be available to buy. That fitting looks fine, looks like it will come out fine too, but I would use a socket.