Most automakers and belt manufacturers recommend having your hoses replaced once every 4 years. Of course, this will vary with mileage – a car that’s heavily driven may need to have the hoses replaced much sooner.

How can you tell if your hoses need replacing?

There are several key things to look for to see if your hoses are coming to the end of their lifespan.

Look for:

• Kinks
• Stiff or brittle texture
• Surface cracks
• Bulges or bubbles

Inspect the hoses and note any kinks or obvious signs of wear. Squeeze the radiator hoses (when cool ONLY) and see how they feel. If hoses are soft and pliable, there is no need to replace them. However, if hoses feel stiff, crackly, or brittle, they will need to be replaced.

While squeezing the hoses, inspect the surface for small cracks. These can easily become big problems, as they’re the primary point for a “blown” hose.

You can also check where the hoses connect to the inlet or outlet pipe. Look for bulges or bubbles around the hose clamps, as this is a sign of impending failure.

Hoses can last a long time, but replacing them before they fail is always the better option. Once you have identified that the hoses need replacing then consider whether you want to opt for a straight rubber replacement which will likely need changing again in 4 years or click here to see what difference do silicone hoses make.

It has previously been suggested that if you buy a hose, which is the wrong size, you could put the hose in boiling water to stretch it. This will not work. You cannot stretch our silicone hoses. Our polyester reinforced silicone will NOT stretch between temperatures of -40C and 180C so water from a kettle will have no effect. If fact the whole point of silicone as a raw material is that it does not shrink, expand or crack at these temperatures.

Hoses are sold by internal diameter not external diameter. You need to choose the hose with the internal diameter matching the outdoor diameter of the pipe you are wishing to connect to.

It is imperative that you ensure you do not buy a hose which is too small. Even a few millimetres could result in shearing of the inner liner which can mean pieces of silicone make their way into your system.

It is also worth noting that buying a how which is too big will result over clamping which will damage the hose and create bulging for water or air to escape.

To check out our full range of silicone hose sizes click here.

As we are nearing the end of 2020 we thought we would do a roundup of the blog posts which have been viewed the most this year.

1. WHAT DIFFERENCE DO SILICONE HOSES MAKE?

16k Pageviews

In this blog from back in 2018 we answer some of the most common questions regarding silicone superiority and effects on performance. We even discuss applications that silicone may not be the best for. Read full blog here.

2. ARE SILICONE HOSES FUEL RESISTANT?

12k pageviews

We are not surprised that this blog made it into the top 3 this year its a a question we know gets asked often. Can you use silicone hoses for fuel hoses? Well this blog answers this question and provides the more suitable alternative hoses. Read full blog here 

3. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STAGE 1,2 AND 3 TUNING

9k pageviews

Tuning companies often talk about stage 1,2 and 3 mods. But what are these mods and what do they mean? This blog gives you the low down Read full blog here 

4. HOW DRIVING THROUGH WATER AFFECTS YOUR CAR

5k pageviews

Rain is something that we are very familiar with here in the UK. When possible, it’s best to avoid deep puddles, or at least drive slowly through them, to prevent water from splashing into the upper part of the vehicle. But, if you are unlucky enough to stall in water, this blog may give you an insight into what happened. Read full blog 

5. HOW DOES A FUEL SURGE TANK WORK?

4k pageviews

A surge tank is an important part of any turbo’s fuel system as it stops your engine from starving of fuel. This blog goes over how a fuel surge tank works. Read full blog

Silicone hoses are supple, chemical-resistant, anti-conductors, and can withstand a wide range of temperature extremes and therefore really do a great job at replacing rubber hoses. Whilst they are durable and long-lasting, there are a few things which can fail and these are mostly down to user error or lack of maintenance so we thought we would run through some issues you could come across.

Clogged hoses

You do not want your silicone hoses to clog, solidify, or get damaged in their operation. It is therefore imperative that you select the correct diameter the wrong one can render your operation ineffective. Temperatures, velocity, and pressure all change throughout production, so it’s important to factor these variables and be certain that you are you using the right diameter of silicone hose for your application.

Vibration

Although vibration is a normal part of production too much vibration can compromise the lifespan. Heavy vibration can shake loose silicone hoses from their clamps or cause them to become tangled and warped over time. If you think you are getting too much vibration then ensure that you’re inspecting it regularly for worn or loose bearings, rotating components and misalignments.

Hoses Degrading

Not all hoses are created equal. While silicone hoses have longevity they still succumb to wear and tear over their lifespan. It’s important that you choose a silicone hose that’s compatible with your industry’s requirements. There are industries that require a fluorocarbon-lined silicone hose to handle specific liquids such as oil and fuel or the food and beverage industry that needs food-grade silicone. If your hose is degrading consider whether it has been selected properly for the job it needs to do.

The sales of new petrol and diesel cars and vans will end in 2030 the Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said. It’s part of what he’s calling a “green industrial revolution” and he’s pledged to invest more than £2.8bn in electric vehicles. But what do these changes mean for motorists?

Does it mean I’ll have to scrap my petrol or diesel car by 2030? 

Put simply no. The ban is only on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars. The average life of a car before it’s scrapped in 13.9 years, so we’re going see petrol and diesel cars bought just before the 2030 deadline will be on the road until well into the mid-2040s. What it does mean is that numbers will dwindle as car makers won’t be investing in the technology over the next decade. Petrol and diesel fuel will still be available at filling stations, but again expect pumps to gradually be replaced with chargers.

What about my classic car, will I still be able to drive it?

Unfortunately the jury is still out on this one. Some classic car experts predict that the bottom may fall out of the mainstream classic market, with classics becoming gallery pieces. While others predict a boom as petrol heads who can no longer get their fix with a new car switch to classics. But what is likely is an increase in taxes on classic cars and potentially bans from urban areas.

One of the restrictions in the very high tier areas is that you should try to avoid travelling into them other than for things like work, education or youth services, to meet caring responsibilities or if you are travelling through as part of a longer journey. We therefore wanted to inform drivers which areas of the Country are currently in the Local COVID alert level: very high.

At the time of writing this blog the areas in the very high tier were:

Liverpool City Region

• Liverpool
• Knowsley
• Wirral
• St Helens
• Sefton
• Halton

Lancashire

• Blackburn with Darwen
• Blackpool
• Burnley
• Chorley
• Fylde
• Hyndburn
• Lancaster
• Pendle
• Preston
• Ribble Valley
• Rossendale
• South Ribble
• West Lancashire
• Wyre

Greater Manchester

• Manchester
• Bolton
• Bury
• Stockport
• Tameside
• Trafford
• Wigan
• Salford
• Rochdale
• Oldham

South Yorkshire

• Barnsley
• Rotherham
• Doncaster
• Sheffield