Radiator hose heat tolerance?

[sketchman]

Not sure if this is OK in this section or not. It's general auto related talk, but sorry in advance in case.

Just got done shoe-horning an eBay civic rad into my Escort and ended up with one section running VERY close to the cat. The cat has a heat shield on it, but still I know they run WAY hot. It's probably about 1/4" from the heat shield.

Think it'll be OK, or should I wrap one/both in some heat wrap or throw in a header to make some room?

And just to get the obvious out of the way, I can't practically move the rad in any direction to help matters, and there's just no other reasonable(non convoluted) way to run the hose than the way I have it, that I can see. It's sort-of convoluted as it is.

[Damkid]

So how is the civic rad an advantage in an escort?

Just doesnt seem worth the hassle me in a bigger engine bay

[sketchman]

I had it sitting around and needed one. It was $20 for some hose and clamps to make it fit plus some play time with the welder and grinder, vs. $70 + for a drop in replacement. I like projects, so....

[Damkid]

I like projects and saving money too but I usually don't make maintenance stuff projects.... To each their own I guess

[blkfordsedan]

I would wrap the hose with some type of heat or radiant insulating wrap. If nothing else, it will help keep the cool water from picking up heat.

[georgeb]

This needs to be moved to the jury-rigged to save a few bucks section.

[sketchman]

I guess when stuff breaks I just always see a project in it somehow. I also just had to replace the head, so I took care of several things that annoy me like the EGR, and the blimp of an air filter holder, exhaust bolts instead of studs in the head to ease install and removal of the exhaust manifold, mild valve deshroud.

Lots of little things that could be thrown in without too much added time.

I would wrap the hose with some type of heat or radiant insulating wrap. If nothing else, it will help keep the cool water from picking up heat.

Probably will end up doing that. Just wondered if anyone had any experience with melting a hose because of exhaust heat is all.

[sketchman]

This needs to be moved to the jury-rigged to save a few bucks section.

The end result is surprisingly decent looking and totally reversible if I so choose. The new lower rad mount bracket bolts in like the stock set of lower mounts and obviously can be changed back with ease. The top mount does the same, and the half rad is easier to get in and out than the stock full setup.

The bay may be bigger, but I swear if they couldn't find a way to cram it full of stuff and put it together in ways that it doesn't want to come apart I think they'd die of boredom.