I still have the original coolant line that comes from the heater core and goes to the pipe along the firewall. The hose that goes from the other end of that to the engine is also stock...anyway, I'd like to replace them (preventative maintenance). I talked to my parts lady at mazda and it's about $30 for just those 2 little hoses. I can go to autozone and get like 6 feet of hose for $6 bucks or something. Anyway I'd like to know which is more prone to failure if either.



-Dan

Heater hose is heater hose, don't overpay.

They use the same type of rubber. remember to use only distilled water + anti- freeze in your collant sysytem. the hard waer will eave depsoits and eat at you rotor housing.

i think one of those hoses is preformed because it makes a tight radius bend to reach the tubing on the firewall. If you try to make too tight of a bend with autozone,etc type hose.. you may kink it. However, if you make it a large radius bend ... you may get the hose dangerously close to the turbos and DP.. which would be very very bad.



just a thought...

[quote name='chase78' date='May 12 2005, 12:54 PM']They use the same type of rubber. remember to use only distilled water + anti- freeze in your collant sysytem. the hard waer will eave depsoits and eat at you rotor housing.


[/quote]







I go outside, fill the water jug with water from my hose, and put it my motor. have been doing so for years and absolutly no problems with any car I've ever owned or my father as well. I have city water btw.

[quote name='nopistons94' date='May 12 2005, 12:19 PM']I go outside, fill the water jug with water from my hose, and put it my motor. have been doing so for years and absolutly no problems with any car I've ever owned or my father as well. I have city water btw.


[/quote]



^Same here. Anyone have any problems doing this?

It causes rust.

[quote name='GreyGT-C' date='May 12 2005, 12:11 PM']i think one of those hoses is preformed because it makes a tight radius bend to reach the tubing on the firewall. If you try to make too tight of a bend with autozone,etc type hose.. you may kink it. However, if you make it a large radius bend ... you may get the hose dangerously close to the turbos and DP.. which would be very very bad.



just a thought...


[/quote]



Agreed for the above reasons. Get the OEM. In the grand scheme of things on this car, the cost difference isn't that much. Cheaper isn't always less expensive.

[quote name='Triniwarrior31' date='May 12 2005, 04:09 PM']^Same here. Anyone have any problems doing this?


[/quote]





Various minerals and iron deposits eventually leave solution and deposit on your water passages and restrict them. At the same time the deposits effectively insulate the metal from contact with coolant, further reducing the efficiency of heat transfer. They're also hard on the coolant seals. Especially bad when you don't flush coolant very often. Two gallons of distilled water is what...$3? Why not?

yeah, for OEM hoses AND distill water... we are looking at a grand total of about $25 difference. I would pay that just for the peice of mind i would have from knowing that it was right.