# For formed coolant hoses - always go to Honda dealer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [September 2, 2009, 3:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/for-formed-coolant-hoses-always-go-to-honda-dealer/35990 "2009-09-02T03:08:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![love-car-talk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@love-car-talk](https://community.cartalk.com/u/love-car-talk)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 3:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/for-formed-coolant-hoses-always-go-to-honda-dealer/35990/1 "2009-09-02T03:08:38Z")
Is the Honda dealer the only place to go for good fitting coolant hoses of the coolant variety? For an example, here is a link to one that looks mostly like a water inlet hose for my 89 Accord LXi: [http://sho…8788252\_\_\_](http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_Heater-Hose-Drive-Rite_19590323-P_1066_R%7CGRPBELTAMS_518788252___) Does anyone know other places that sell Honda parts at the best prices? Thanks a lot! ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 3:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/for-formed-coolant-hoses-always-go-to-honda-dealer/35990/2 "2009-09-02T03:17:43Z")
The link would not work for me. You can always make your own form fitting hose. Get a length of hose about the same length and diameter, cut a shorter piece of flexible spring with an OD to match the ID of the hose, insert the spring into the section where the bend is and it should work fine with no hose crimping. ---
**Author:** ![love-car-talk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@love-car-talk](https://community.cartalk.com/u/love-car-talk)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 3:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/for-formed-coolant-hoses-always-go-to-honda-dealer/35990/3 "2009-09-02T03:20:33Z")
Thanks. Where would I find this flexible spring? ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 3:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/for-formed-coolant-hoses-always-go-to-honda-dealer/35990/4 "2009-09-02T03:23:52Z")
Heck no! Any good parts store can provide you with the proper form-fitting hoses for your car. They’re usually made by Gates or GoodYear, who probably supplies these hoses/belts for Honda’s built in the USofA. Tester ---
**Author:** ![love-car-talk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@love-car-talk](https://community.cartalk.com/u/love-car-talk)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 3:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/for-formed-coolant-hoses-always-go-to-honda-dealer/35990/5 "2009-09-02T03:38:39Z")
Thanks. I think mine is American made. We have CarQuest, NAPA, Autozone, Advance, and O’Reilly car parts places around here. I found a long water inlet hose that looked fine on one end and sort of weak and ballooned out on the other with old-time clamps on it. I didn’t want to blow it out with a power flush and have a geyser… ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ad7895/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan2)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 4:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/for-formed-coolant-hoses-always-go-to-honda-dealer/35990/6 "2009-09-02T04:17:59Z")
If they are the only place, why not? They will last the life of the car. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 6:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/for-formed-coolant-hoses-always-go-to-honda-dealer/35990/7 "2009-09-02T06:04:27Z")
If the hose is ballooning that means it’s about to pop. I agree that you should use a store bought hose if available. The suggestion about spring loading a hose would be in a situation if a pre-formed hose is simply not to be had. Dealing with oddball stuff a lot I’ve done the hose/spring thing many times with no problems and as a matter of fact, back in the old days many bypass hoses and radiator hoses came from the car manufacturer with springs in them. One of my hot rod cars here has homemade radiator and oddball heater hoses with spring inserts. The odd hoses on that car cannot be purchased so it’s make your own or walk. I get my springs from a local independent hardware store that carries just about every kind of goofy piece of hardware known to man but you could get springs from a home supply store like Lowes, Home Depot, etc. ---
**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 2:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/for-formed-coolant-hoses-always-go-to-honda-dealer/35990/8 "2009-09-02T14:42:47Z")
I went through the same issues with my 88 Accord LXi, trying an aftermarket lower rad hose. I get my OEM parts here: [http://www.thehondapartsstore.com](http://www.thehondapartsstore.com) ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 2:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/for-formed-coolant-hoses-always-go-to-honda-dealer/35990/9 "2009-09-02T14:55:14Z")
I’ve NEVER had a problem finding good form fitting hoses from my local parts store. Perfect fit…less then half the cost from the Honda Dealer. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 3:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/for-formed-coolant-hoses-always-go-to-honda-dealer/35990/10 "2009-09-03T03:31:09Z")
Naw, you can get them anywhere. Sometimes you have to cut the end or something since they will have one that will fit several applications. I have had to go to a Buick dealer though for some of the more obscure bypass hoses before, but only do that when no one else has them. Save the old one to use as a sample. ---
**Author:** ![love-car-talk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@love-car-talk](https://community.cartalk.com/u/love-car-talk)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2009, 4:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/for-formed-coolant-hoses-always-go-to-honda-dealer/35990/11 "2009-09-05T16:00:33Z")
I ended up going old school on that…yesterday I put on a 2 1/2 foot piece of generic hose and new clamps on for about 4 dollars. I was hearing prices up to $37. I am going to try to figure out how to check the timing today and change the p/s belt. I have a weird rhythmic sound coming from the p/s pump area still after swaping the pump out. I hope it is the belt and not pulley bearings or something. Thanks for the help.