The radiator hose is an automotive part of your vehicle's cooling system. Its job is to regulate engine temperature to prevent overheating and ensure proper combustion of the air-fuel mixture. The hose is a mechanical part that is an integral part of an engine's cooling circuit. It allows coolant to circulate through the radiator and various engine components.

What is the role of the radiator hose?

The radiator hose is not the only part of the cooling system. On a vehicle, there are upper and lower hoses that help coolant circulate between the radiator and the engine. It also helps protect many mechanical parts. It's not the only component you'll find in a car. Strictly speaking, a hose is simply a flexible tube made of rubber, silicone, or elastomer that is used to transport fluid or air, depending on its location and function in the vehicle.

When it comes to the cooling hose (or radiator hose for those who know), we can tell you that it's designed to carry coolant - that was a bit obvious. The radiator hose is essential to the circulation of coolant between the engine and the radiator. Its job, of course, is to keep the engine from getting too hot. The radiator hose cools the engine with its coolant to protect mechanical parts from corrosion caused by high temperatures.

Radiator Hose Features

The radiator hose is an essential mechanical part that ensures the watertightness of the circuit and transports the coolant to the engine. The upper and lower hoses have a diameter of 3 to 5 cm and are made of rubber, silicone, or elastomer to absorb vibrations and oscillations of the engine. They provide flexibility, rigidity (to withstand pressures from 800 to 1,200 millibars), thermal resistance (-40°C to 200°C), and chemical resistance.

Radiator hose location

When you open your hood, it's easy to find the radiator hose, or rather, the radiator hoses. There's the lower hose, located at the bottom of the expansion tank containing the coolant, which sends out the cold coolant and is stronger than its sister. The upper hose is located at the top of the expansion tank. It carries the fluid leaving the engine to the radiator, where it is cooled. It's usually a black rubber hose, so it's easy to spot.

Types of coolant hoses

Based on these criteria, we can distinguish several types of radiator hoses:

• Design:Traditional hose models and modular models. The former can be mounted on different vehicle models. Modular models, on the other hand, are designed with connectors to feed the fluid and can only be installed on certain car models.
• Designation: There are outlet hoses and inlet hoses. Outlet hoses provide fluid flow. Inlet hoses, on the other hand, supply the heated fluid to the radiator.
• Material: As mentioned above, cooling hoses can be made of rubber, silicone, metal, or plastic.

How much does a radiator hose cost?

The price of a radiator hose depends on the type, model and make of your vehicle. Estimates range from $5 to $90, but the average price is around $20.

A wide range of hoses are available from a variety of retail outlets. For example, you can find manufacturer's networks that sell original equipment quality hoses, but at a relatively high price. You can also find independent stores specializing in selling replacement parts supplied by a manufacturer's network. Radiator hoses are also available from online spare parts platforms and silicone hose sales sites.