Where to get an engine hose??

[Dot]

Where would you people suggest the best place to get a hose for the bus. It is the hose that goes from the engine to the radiator. So far we have had no joy in finding one. Length is 275mm Internal diam at ends is 50mm one end and 55mm the other end. There needs to be some flexibility due to a 20mm deviation along the hose..

[BruceS]

Dot I used to carry a bunch of various sized water hoses. They come in straight form and can be bent in a variety of shapes/angles.
I'd suggest you'll be hard pressed to find a genuine hose for your imported bus.
The ones I carried have a corrugated look about them. Repco etc will have a stack to choose from.
Like this one.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MACKAY-Macka ... 2a3dde1ee1 (bit long. It'd stretch over the bigger size I reckon.)
You can quite easily just use exhaust pipe. Get your local exhaust guy to bend to suit your job & leave a 1 1/2" gap each end for rubber join. Be sure to tell him the size you want each end!!! He can expand it easily. Paint the outside with 'engine black' of course!
As long as you keep your coolant up sufficient they'll outlast both you & the bus.

[Dot]

Thanks, we are off to Mt B tomorrow and there is a Repco there for a try, if no joy off to the exhaust man. (without Chuck)

[T1 Terry]

Only use that convoluted hose as an emergency solution, it will restrict water flow and often leads to over heating. get an adapter made up by the exhaust man, ask for it to be stainless pipe if possible. Show him the size/shape of the existing hose so he can get the bends in the right places and ask it to be short enough for rubber hose to go each end for the flexibility. Look for how many hoses you can make up using this same method, then buy straight hose from the auto shop to fit each end.
Option 2:
look for a hose the right size and shape at one end, get the exhaust man to make a short adapter so you can get the other end to the correct size and buy straight hose in that size.

Option 1 is the better solution as you can find straight hose in just about every town, even if it’s a bit cut off a hose that fits something else.

[Dot]

Thank you boys. Shall pass it on.