What do you do to make your engine look pretty? :)
^This, braided hoses, unless you buy the super expensive ones, are generally a 1 year ordeal, after that they look like crap. I'd never put them on my car personally but they can look good. IMO, most uses they look over the top.
Is there anyway you can clean them up after they start looking bad? Like some metal polish or something?
Braided hoses are primarily a show-car thing, ranmas2004. I know it's tempting, but stick with rubber... colored if you must, but black is good, too. They're just hoses after all, not a high-performance part that warrants attention.
Of course, we all pick and choose what items we like calling attention to. It's a personal style thing. For example, nuts & bolts aren't "high performance" either.
I'm rambling.
IDK. I'm sure cleaning them helps, but they never look the same.
Braided hoses are primarily a show-car thing, ranmas2004. I know it's tempting, but stick with rubber... colored if you must, but black is good, too. They're just hoses after all, not a high-performance part that warrants attention.
Of course, we all pick and choose what items we like calling attention to. It's a personal style thing. For example, nuts & bolts aren't "high performance" either.
I'm rambling.
Braided hoses are primarily a show-car thing, ranmas2004. I know it's tempting, but stick with rubber... colored if you must, but black is good, too. They're just hoses after all, not a high-performance part that warrants attention.
Of course, we all pick and choose what items we like calling attention to. It's a personal style thing. For example, nuts & bolts aren't "high performance" either.
I'm rambling.
Ramble on, sir, ramble on.
And Ranmas, if you're stuck on steel braid, the only way to combat the deterioration is to buy the stupid expensive all stainless ones. The corrosion/wear comes under the braids, so cleaning does little to fix it because you cant actually clean the part that's making the mess.
It really is best to just avoid them, unless you're bound and determined to use them. or, if you actually have a use for them, in which case, you'd buy the high quality ones not the chinsy ones you posted (no offense brah)
Another option is buying just the braid, it's cheaper, and as such, you can get the quality stuff:
http://www.cabletiesandmore.ca/Stain...FQfCKgodxRzraw
She's annoying, but here:
Last edited by TunerMaxima3000; Mar 13, 2012 at 08:17 AM.
Thats not mold, it could be the dye from the refrigerant. You may have a leak of some sort. 
Regarding the AC coolant lines, mine have like a film over them that I can not seem to get off. It is a light green color. It seems to be like mold or something and even after using a wire brush, brillo, and scotch brite I can not get all of it off. Some came off, but not even close to all of it. What the hell will take this off?
Last edited by 4DRZ; Mar 14, 2012 at 08:29 PM.
Yeah Im pretty stuck on the braided lines...lol. Cost is not an issue for me. So are these cool? They say they will not discolor or corrode at all.
http://www.chevyavalancheperformance...roducts_id=893
$55 is not alot to me.......
http://www.chevyavalancheperformance...roducts_id=893
$55 is not alot to me.......
^That looks similar to the sheathing I linked, just has some sort of cover over it. And if they warranty it, even better!
As long as you are aware that those aren't hoses themselves. But they should slip over the hoses you have currently if you size them right
As long as you are aware that those aren't hoses themselves. But they should slip over the hoses you have currently if you size them right
Those are the ones I bought...the sleeves that go over the pipe. I was aware of that. We will see how it goes. Even if it doesn't last I can always just go remove the sleeve. It will look dam good though for a min if it doesn't last!!
That looks good for about a minute, too.
Some like it some don't. It's cool. Never going to please 100% of the people 100% of the time. I value your opinion and you give great advice, but at the end of the day I'm the one that's going to be driving the car.
And Ranmas get some blue silicone hose's the straight kind and bend/form them yourself to match the oe ones your replacing and some nice Ti clamps i think you may like it better then braid.btw you form/bend the hard silicone hose with a heat gun and piece of copper tubing to stick thru it to stop it from colapsing.
1. It's not freon, it's R134 refridgerant, that he's referring to.
2. It's not the refridgerant that's on the hoses, it's the dye inside the refridgerant, possibly, dunno, don't see pictures or proof, but it's possible.
Either way, if it's the dye from the AC, then it's indicating a leak.
There does seem to be a coating on the brake lines, which look a lot like the AC lines, except that the AC lines aren't coated and polish up quite nicely. Maybe quarj17 was referring to those?
And Ranmas get some blue silicone hose's the straight kind and bend/form them yourself to match the oe ones your replacing and some nice Ti clamps i think you may like it better then braid.btw you form/bend the hard silicone hose with a heat gun and piece of copper tubing to stick thru it to stop it from colapsing.
Lol my brake lines have a coating on them as well. Pretty sure it came that way and its DEF not freon. I could tell you exactly how that looks as some major fridge work was needed on my dads rental property I keep up for him
If its the greenish waxy tacking feeling stuff its the anti corrosion coating alot of brake lines and tubing have it and sometimes if the tubing is silicone lined/dipped its from the dip process.
This is what I do... I remove the engines!
Both of them are way too far gone to make look pretty again w/o re-painting.
But man, this took like 6hrs of cleaning, and it's still dirty, I quit, this is good enough so I can at least work on the car w/o getting 10lbs of grime all over me.
Ack, I didn't take pictures of the white car when I was swapping motors, but it's the same, but harder to notice the bare metal because of the white paint.
Both of them are way too far gone to make look pretty again w/o re-painting.
But man, this took like 6hrs of cleaning, and it's still dirty, I quit, this is good enough so I can at least work on the car w/o getting 10lbs of grime all over me.
Ack, I didn't take pictures of the white car when I was swapping motors, but it's the same, but harder to notice the bare metal because of the white paint.
Member
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 72
From: Suffolk, Long Island
It's the two silver pipes that run next to eachother on the firewall. I thought that is what you were refering to in Shock's pic of his reservoir cover. I will take pics of the film I am talking about tomorrow if I get a chance. cjandura, if it is that, should I leave it alone? It looks pretty gross. Lol
Last edited by guarj17; Mar 14, 2012 at 07:22 PM.
Funny how name calling seems to make others "feel" larger. Sad...However, you are correct it couldnt be freon, it would have to be R134, and with this said, it would have to be the dye that is used in R134, which would mean there is a leak in the system at the pipe perhaps. . I stated this as a possibility because this happened to me and it was a leak. The suction hose had to be replaced.
Thanks for the knowledge and clarity of my mistake in wording. Its nice to know a few decent members are still around that dont resort to trying to belittle others.
Why:/
1. It's not freon, it's R134 refridgerant, that he's referring to.
2. It's not the refridgerant that's on the hoses, it's the dye inside the refridgerant, possibly, dunno, don't see pictures or proof, but it's possible.
Either way, if it's the dye from the AC, then it's indicating a leak.
1. It's not freon, it's R134 refridgerant, that he's referring to.
2. It's not the refridgerant that's on the hoses, it's the dye inside the refridgerant, possibly, dunno, don't see pictures or proof, but it's possible.
Either way, if it's the dye from the AC, then it's indicating a leak.
Pretty sure cjandura doesn't need to call people names in order to feel large. 
And TunerMaxima3000 is no prince. You simply caught one on a bad day, while the other was on a good one.
Try not to be too butthurt, 4DRZ... they're both good guys.
Back on-topic to engine bling.
And TunerMaxima3000 is no prince. You simply caught one on a bad day, while the other was on a good one.Try not to be too butthurt, 4DRZ... they're both good guys.
Back on-topic to engine bling.
erty67 sent me three circular decals, 45mm in diameter.
I like the dark gray one, so I stuck it on that new Radiator Cap Cover, and it looks pretty good, IMO. It's not perfectly smooth as if it were painted, but it's 95% good enough. I mean, you have to get down and study the thing to be critical.
I like it so much, now I need a smaller one to put inside my Oil Cap, so the two shades of dark silver match.
Pics:
Notice the Stainless Steel T-Bolt clamps on the upper radiator hose.
I like the dark gray one, so I stuck it on that new Radiator Cap Cover, and it looks pretty good, IMO. It's not perfectly smooth as if it were painted, but it's 95% good enough. I mean, you have to get down and study the thing to be critical.
I like it so much, now I need a smaller one to put inside my Oil Cap, so the two shades of dark silver match.
Pics:
Notice the Stainless Steel T-Bolt clamps on the upper radiator hose.
my friend.
erty67 sent me three circular decals, 45mm in diameter.
I like the dark gray one, so I stuck it on that new Radiator Cap Cover, and it looks pretty good, IMO. It's not perfectly smooth as if it were painted, but it's 95% good enough. I mean, you have to get down and study the thing to be critical.
I like it so much, now I need a smaller one to put inside my Oil Cap, so the two shades of dark silver match.
Pics:
Notice the Stainless Steel T-Bolt clamps on the upper radiator hose.
I like the dark gray one, so I stuck it on that new Radiator Cap Cover, and it looks pretty good, IMO. It's not perfectly smooth as if it were painted, but it's 95% good enough. I mean, you have to get down and study the thing to be critical.
I like it so much, now I need a smaller one to put inside my Oil Cap, so the two shades of dark silver match.
Pics:
Notice the Stainless Steel T-Bolt clamps on the upper radiator hose.
What do you mean? It's anodized aluminum with what look like etched or screen-print (same?) lettering... and that's as much as I can say. I don't really have expertise in that area.
The ideal thing would be simply to contact the manufacturer and have them send me one without the printing. I wonder if they'd do that?
The ideal thing would be simply to contact the manufacturer and have them send me one without the printing. I wonder if they'd do that?
What do you mean? It's anodized aluminum with what look like etched or screen-print (same?) lettering... and that's as much as I can say. I don't really have expertise in that area.
The ideal thing would be simply to contact the manufacturer and have them send me one without the printing. I wonder if they'd do that?
The ideal thing would be simply to contact the manufacturer and have them send me one without the printing. I wonder if they'd do that?
No, 45mm seems right. Maybe I should have prep'd the surface better, or laid the sticker down better. There is a skilled technique to doing that right, I'm sure. And I'm kind of in practice-mode.
erty67 sent me three circular decals, 45mm in diameter.
I like the dark gray one, so I stuck it on that new Radiator Cap Cover, and it looks pretty good, IMO. It's not perfectly smooth as if it were painted, but it's 95% good enough. I mean, you have to get down and study the thing to be critical.
I like it so much, now I need a smaller one to put inside my Oil Cap, so the two shades of dark silver match.
Pics:
Notice the Stainless Steel T-Bolt clamps on the upper radiator hose.
I like the dark gray one, so I stuck it on that new Radiator Cap Cover, and it looks pretty good, IMO. It's not perfectly smooth as if it were painted, but it's 95% good enough. I mean, you have to get down and study the thing to be critical.
I like it so much, now I need a smaller one to put inside my Oil Cap, so the two shades of dark silver match.
Pics:
Notice the Stainless Steel T-Bolt clamps on the upper radiator hose.
I'll try contacting them to see if htey can do it without lettering, unlikely, but worth a shot.
It's been a few days with the vinyl decal on the radiator cap-cover, and I'm pleased to say the extreme heat seems to have no adverse effect on the material. Oddly enough, quite the opposite has happened. It's smoothed out and laid down flat. Actually, it looks better than when I stuck it on. I don't understand the properties of vinyl, but that's what's happened.
erty67, I'm going to reach out to you again for a smaller version that I can apply to the center of my JDM oil-cap, so that the two match. It's going to look really nice. Thank you, Ed. You've been great.
erty67, I'm going to reach out to you again for a smaller version that I can apply to the center of my JDM oil-cap, so that the two match. It's going to look really nice. Thank you, Ed. You've been great.
Last edited by Rochester; Mar 18, 2012 at 12:15 PM.