Cam belt change - Hoses | FerrariChat

Cam belt change - Hoses

Discussion in '308/328' started by mike996, Mar 31, 2021.

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  1. mike996

    mike996 F1 Veteran

    Jun 14, 2008
    6,685
    Full Name:
    Mike 996
    While doing the disassembly work to replace the Cam belts, I noticed some weeping from the fuel hose on the crossover pipe. It wasn't dripping but the hose was damp with fuel/clamps were tight. No signs of seepage on any other hose - fuel or coolant - but I decided I might as well do some replacing.

    Based on some rave reviews here, I contacted SRI about hose availability/prices. But the price, at a bit over 1800 bucks :eek: for all the fuel/coolant hoses, made me decide to use standard fuel and coolant hose. Since all the original hoses, other than the weeping fuel crossover hose, are liquid-tight and not cracked, I'll just deal with standard hose and change it again in 30 years!;)
     
    waymar likes this.
  2. kiwiokie

    kiwiokie Formula 3

    Aug 19, 2013
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    Tulsa, OK
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    John McDermott
    I bought SRI but if I knew then what I know now I would have just spent a little time and sourced it myself.


    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
     
    waymar likes this.
  3. Kidasters

    Kidasters Formula Junior

    Oct 4, 2013
    546
    Houston, Tx
    Full Name:
    Ken
    Change the hoses. To hell with SRI. I bought Viton hose from Jegs. Cheaper and as good/better.
     
  4. thorn

    thorn F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 7, 2012
    3,322
    Tallahassee, FL
    I have SRI fuel hoses ... Installed by the PO. Happy enough with them.

    No way in hell I'd pay $1800 for coolant hoses.
     
    BLACK HORSE likes this.
  5. Dave Bertrand

    Dave Bertrand Formula Junior
    Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 24, 2005
    770
    Castle Rock, CO
    To me, $1800 for a full set of fuel and coolant hoses might be acceptable on a car worth 100 times that much, but not for a 328.
     
  6. Saabguy

    Saabguy Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 28, 2012
    1,753
    Shreveport, LA
    While less costly, the SRI hoses are the ultimate in hose design, the engineers hose designed without the bean counter, if you like other hoses the use 'em but don't denigrate SRI hoses because you think that they are expensive


    YMMV
     
  7. Kidasters

    Kidasters Formula Junior

    Oct 4, 2013
    546
    Houston, Tx
    Full Name:
    Ken
    OK. What do they do? Are they using an elastomer that is especially rare or fancy? Are they spec'ing a durometer that is especially difficult to achieve? Multi-layer aromatic hydrocarbon resistant braiding? They have ISO 23936 testing that no-one has done?

    Help me understand why these hoses are so good they are worth more than gold?

    Or - it's someone charging Ferrari tax. Unless you can explain why it's not.
     
  8. kiwiokie

    kiwiokie Formula 3

    Aug 19, 2013
    1,455
    Tulsa, OK
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    John McDermott
    The hoses do seem to be high quality. The coolant hose almost has two ply with a different smooth inner coating to the outer but I am no expert on hose construction. Also comes with all Norma clamps of the various sizes and the odd hoses like large diameter fuel filler hose and the transparent fuel tank vent hose.


    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
     
  9. Saabguy

    Saabguy Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 28, 2012
    1,753
    Shreveport, LA
    I'm not the hose engineer. There is no Ferrari tax on them although after he (Helms?) developed them I believe he sold them to Ricambi (?)and they need to make a profit. I seem to recall that they are multilayered and surpass every spec for hose, both marine and automotive. But that's just my memory of things. Do some research on them in the forum. One Fchatter went to the trouble to understand hose specs, find hose engineers and design then manufacture a hose without equal .

     
  10. Andy 308GTB

    Andy 308GTB F1 Rookie
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jun 2, 2004
    2,627
    Essex, UK
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    Andy M
    Ferrari 308/328 fuel & coolant is different to other cars. This is why expensive hoses are required.

    Sent from my Mi 9T Pro using Tapatalk
     
  11. conan

    conan Formula Junior

    Nov 13, 2011
    389
    Hi, try to find FKM (fluorocarbon) hoses. They resist bio-gasoline as well.

    Other hoses go hard very soon and may leak.
     
    Kidasters likes this.
  12. SeattleM5

    SeattleM5 Formula 3
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    Jul 9, 2006
    1,203
    Kirkland, Washington
    Full Name:
    Ettore Palazzo
    Kiwiokie, what is it specifically that you know now that you didn't know when you originally purchased the SRI hoses?

    Sent from my SM-G960U using FerrariChat.com mobile app
     
  13. 2dinos

    2dinos F1 Rookie

    Jan 13, 2007
    2,772
    imho
    Maybe just economy of scale? f you bought a run of the mill transmission gear for a 1979 Fiat back in 1980, it was 27 bucks at - the dealer. Now if you need to have just one of them made, the setup cost and miscellaneous processing cost make the cost insane.
     
  14. BLACK HORSE

    BLACK HORSE Formula 3
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    Feb 11, 2004
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    California - Bay Area
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    Rob
    The price gouging is because its has "SRI" stamped on each hose :)
     
  15. kiwiokie

    kiwiokie Formula 3

    Aug 19, 2013
    1,455
    Tulsa, OK
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    John McDermott
    Other sources like Belmetric. Also the radiator inlet and outlet pipes seem to be a slightly smaller diameter than the coolant tubes so the fit is a little sloppy. The hoses are so stiff I have some concern they won’t seal well. I stripped one clamp on a coolant tube hose so there is a narrow window of tight enough to seal vs breaking the clamp. At the time I purchased I thought they were essential but then read rifledriver and others used regular hose so was probably overkill. Not knocking the quality of the hoses just I could have put some of that money towards other things.


    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
     
  16. conan

    conan Formula Junior

    Nov 13, 2011
    389
    In my experience, it is not always easy to find the optimal inner diameter, colour, outer diameter, braiding etc etc. I think the dedicated SRI hoses is a great set of hoses and saves time in purchasing, installation, reliability and maybe looks too.

    If you have the time to look around and has the competence, there are certainly good alternatives for a better price. I usually take a look at Porsche parts and see if I can find good matches.
     
  17. mike996

    mike996 F1 Veteran

    Jun 14, 2008
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    Mike 996
    FWIW - I contacted Ricambi initially asking if they had a hose kit. Turns out they used to carry the SRI hose kits but the price meant that very few people bought them so they quit carrying them. Ricambi do not carry a "kit"per se though, of course, all the hoses are available from them. Of course, hose is available from all sorts of suppliers but I'm essentially lazy and would prefer to buy a kit of hoses rather than sit down and sort out what I need/order them individually. But I guess I'll just have man up and do that! ;)
     
  18. moysiuan

    moysiuan F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 1, 2005
    3,626
    Canada
    The SRI hose kit worked out fine for me as a do it yourselfer, I can afford to pay for parts which give me some sourcing convenience, are cut to the size, etc. I also note that with the coolant hoses, they are silicone and won't "weld" to the metal like conventional hoses do with heat and time (and what makes them not leak). So good for doing work on the car where you can slip a hose on and off if needed. The only downside I see is they do need the clamps tight, and too tight you strip the clamp, not tight enough they might weep. Not had the problem, as I seem to have found the middle ground, but I can see how this could be a frustration, so have a few spare clamps on hand in the even one strips.

    I am sure there are cheaper solutions with off the rack hose of suitable grades, and the OEM rubber hoses seem to last a long time. Depends on how much research and sourcing one wants to do, and if you have the hoses off and can match them up easily verses wanting things in hand before your start taking things apart.

    The coolant hoses do appear to be fine quality, and contrary to a comment about how hard they are mine were quite supple and easy to work with, moreso than the standard rubber.
     
  19. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
    Consultant

    Nov 29, 2001
    12,661
    San Carlos, CA
    Full Name:
    Mitchell Le
    I have never had any problem with coolant hoses from Oreilys even on Ferrari.
     
  20. mike996

    mike996 F1 Veteran

    Jun 14, 2008
    6,685
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    Mike 996
    I ordered the necessary hoses from Ricambi. They are standard-construction hoses. I ordered them rather than sourcing on my own simply because I don't want the hassle of doing that! There is no doubt that sourcing on your own/cutting the length you need, etc is less expensive then ordering specific hoses but I'm prepared to pay (within reason!) for my laziness! :rolleyes:
     
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