when should the hoses and antifreeze be changed. I have a 1999 dodge 1500 v8 van with 85,000miles.
I change coolant every three years/35,000 miles. I change hoses at the next coolant service. Or sooner if there’s a reason to open up the cooling system.
The problem with hoses is they can look perfectly fine on the outside, but they deteriorate from the inside.
Tester
Yeah, change the coolant every three years or so. Hoses typically last the lifetime of the car so few people bother to change them as long as there is no problem. It can’t hurt to change them on a regular basis, as some people also do with the thermostat. My personal preference is to leave 'em be. If a problem develops, it’s easy enough to correct.
I agree with proactively replacing the hoses very second coolant change. Regular inspection, check fro cracks and do the squeeze test, if the hose feels soft when the system is not under presssure, it should be changed. This is very climate dependent. In the Middle East fleet managers change all hoses and belts every 2 years.
I had a hose burst on the freeway in heavy traffic, and was lucky to be 1/2 miles from an exit with a car dealership. I made it with a few quarts left in the system (car had cast iron block & heads) and got fixed up within an hour.
Change the hoses on your van. Experience has shown that after 6 years, or so, hose failure happens more frequently as the months go by. Change the engine coolant about every three years.
Hoses can last a long time, but when they break they put you on the side of the road. I would have them replaced at about 8-10 years, if there is no indication of a problem If the vehicle overheats, have them replaced much quicker.