The Write-up
So this topic seems to come up more and more lately, and I figured since I have once done one line, and now the second, I would maybe share my experience with you folks!
The first thing I did, was gather some tools, supplies and my trusty Haynes Manual.
1) Heat resistant hose, (I hapened to find some that was left behind in my garage by the previous homeowner).
2) A dremel with a cutting disk attachment.
3) Tiny hose clamps
4) A jug of Coolant
5) 2 Zip ties
6) A small ratchett with a 10mm socket
7) Safety Glasses
8) A Clean empty bucket, to collect the coolant (not pictured).
9) Tin Snips, or other heavy duty scissors
The first thing to do, is ensure your truck is completely cool. Next, you will want to prop the hood, and remove the cap on the top of the radiator. You will then need to go under the passenger side of the truck, and locate the shield that covers the coolant lines. This shield can be removed using a ratchett and a 10mm socket. I made a small cut in the rubber end of the line, with a pair of Tin snips I had nearby. This allowed the coolant to leak out, into the clean bucket. I then cut the steel end with a dremmel and cutting disk.
Here is a pic of the rotted piece of the steel line:
The above pic was taken after I cut off a length of steel line from it. I then used the piece of line, as joint piece to connect the 2 ends of hose together.
Here is a pic of the steel line, hose and hoseclamp:
The below pic is for illustration purposes only:
The pic shows how steel line is used to joing the rubber hoses.
The next thing I did was get back under the truck, take one end of the hose, and insert the steel line into the rubber hose. You'll want to make sure that you have all 3 of the hose clamps on the length of rubber hose, and use the one closest to the steel end to ensure a tight connection.
The other end of the hose, had the steel line piece inserted into it, and then the rubber piece which is part of the rig, then has the other end of the steel line inserted into it. The 2 remaining Hose clamps were used to secure the joint between the 2 rubber lines and the steel piece nice and tight.
Zipties were then used to fasten the two coolant lines together. The shield was then returned to it's original location. However, having cut off the steel line which has the mounting point for the other end of the shield, I simply used some steel wire to secure it to the exhaust hanger.
Once this was done, I did the following as per the Haynes manual:
"Place the heater temperature control in the maximum heat position.
Slowly add new coolant (50/50 mix) to the radiator until it's full. Add coolant to the reservoir up to the lower mark.
Leave the rad cap off, and run the engine in a well ventilated area until the thermostat opens (coolant will begin flowing through the rad and the upper rad hose will become hot).
Turn the engine off, and let it cool. Add more coolant mixture to bring the level back to the lip on the radiator filler neck.
Squeeze the upper radiator hose to expel the air, then add more coolant mix if needed. replace the rad cap.
Start the engine, allow it to reach normal operating temperature and check for leaks."
Well that was my attempt at a write-up. I'll keep you all updated if there are any issues!
