Is it necessary to replace all the coolant pipes if one is leaking?
4 Answers
Coolant pipes must be replaced if they are leaking because the hoses are subjected to high temperatures, and temporary repairs with glue are prone to failure. Here are some key points about coolant: 1. Function: The full name of coolant should be antifreeze coolant, which is a type of cooling liquid containing special additives. It is mainly used in liquid-cooled engine cooling systems and offers excellent performance in preventing freezing in winter, boiling in summer, and resisting scale and corrosion year-round. 2. Types: Coolant is generally categorized into three types: ethanol-water, glycerol-water, and ethylene glycol-water. The most commonly used automotive coolant on the market is the ethylene glycol-based type.
I've been driving trucks for over thirty years and seen countless cases of coolant hose leaks. There's no need to replace the entire set—just locate the leaking hose and swap it out. Recently, my own car had a leaking connection at the radiator due to aged fittings, and the repair shop pinpointed it perfectly upon disassembly. However, it's crucial to inspect the condition of other hoses, especially in vehicles over eight years old, as rubber hoses can harden and become brittle. If you spot minor cracks, it's best to replace them together. After replacement, never forget to refill the coolant and bleed the air—I once skipped this step and triggered a coolant temperature warning. Coolant leaks are no trivial matter; if you notice abnormal coloration, get it checked immediately. Otherwise, the cost of repairing an overheated engine can be steep.
With twenty years of experience as a mechanic in an auto repair shop, our first step when encountering a coolant pipe leak is to locate the leak point. Typically, we replace just the single faulty pipe, but we also conduct a thorough inspection of over a dozen connection points in the cooling system. If the vehicle has clocked over 150,000 kilometers, the rubber pipes are generally aged and hardened, making it more cost-effective and hassle-free to replace the entire set. Special attention should be paid to the connection pipes in high-temperature areas of turbocharged models, as they are prone to bursting under high heat and pressure. When replacing pipes, always opt for reinforced OEM parts—substandard pipes from roadside stalls won’t last six months. After the job, a pressure test is mandatory. I’ve had clients skip this step, only to end up with another severe leak three days later.
Last year, my used car had an antifreeze leak. After investigation, I found that the rubber hose near the throttle body was cracked. There was no need to replace the entire set. I checked the model number on an auto repair forum and bought a replacement hose at the auto parts market for 40 yuan. Replacing it myself was actually quite simple—just prepare a pipe wrench and new hose clamps, and be careful not to spill antifreeze on the generator during disassembly. The key is to use a hose of the same length and inner diameter. Once, I bought a cheaper one that was two centimeters shorter, and it leaked immediately after installation. I also took the opportunity to clean the rust at the radiator connection. Six months later, everything is still working fine.
