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Silicon Hoses - How much difference? Is the cost worth it??

Whilst under the bonnet yesterday when I revved the engine hard (Defender 200tdi) I noticed the rubber turbo hoses flexing.

Is this normal? The one that seemed to flex (expand) the most was the bend on the pressurized side of the turbo. I'm guessing it expanded probably 1 or 2 times the width of the rubber hose wall, perhaps 10mm in total.

I couldnt see the hose onto the bottom of the intercooler - it was too much faff to remove the air filter housing!

I think Ive read before that silicon hoses dont flex... This

**theoretically** would mean more pressure into cylinders.

Has anyone changed the hoses only and noticed any difference?? I suspect most will change hoses, intercooler & tweak fuel pump...

Silicon hoses are not cheap and so wont change if theres no *real* difference.

Thanks Jon

Reply to
Jon
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No MORE, but probably faster, because you are not spending time expanding the walls of the tube until the forces in the wall can resist the pressure. Stiffer tubes will have less pressurisation lag.

Steve

Reply to
steve Taylor

Agreed - A point I had overlooked - Thanks.

As to whether Silicon hoses are worth the cost - I guess the cheapest / easiest way to find out is to buy a dozen 2" jubilee clips and restrict my existing hoses. Maybe a job for the weekend!

Jon

Reply to
Jon

Hmmm. Why not bind them with wire ?

Steve

Reply to
Steve Taylor

silicon hoses certainly do flex, more so than rubber ones.

Reply to
SimonJ

It's not the silicone vs 'rubber' that determines the stiffness it's what reinforcement is included. Silicon will give a higher temperature capability but the 'burst' strength is purely a function of the reinforcement. Silicone rubber is actually weaker in tension than natural rubber and neoprene.

Reply to
Dougal

So I'm guessing that the Silicon hoses are heavily reinforced to make them "Superior" to the standard rubber ones? i.e. the reinforcement doesnt allow them to flex? If not, whats the point in them?

Jon

Reply to
Jon

They sure look purdy.....

Steve

Reply to
steve Taylor

They look pretty!

I think they can take higher temp than rubber hoses (I know on the HGV's I work on often as not it is a silicone hose from the turbo to the intercooler, and the rest are rubber) Also they have a smoother surface so less restrictive to the airflow, but I don't think you'd notice the difference on the average land rover!!

Reply to
SimonJ

Ability to withstand higher temps is the reason for silicone - the after market silicone turbo hoses offer a performance advantage ( doubtful if you will feel it underfoot ) by being made with less expansion under pressure. This ccould just as easily be done with rubber hoses so the performance issue is not in the material but in the construction. It is quite normal for the hose off the turbo to be silicone because of the heat and the rest to be rubber. Silicone also lasts longer before it gets all wrinkly and brittle....

The best way to reduce any expansion in any intercooler / hose application is to have as muuch solid pipe as possible ( plastic / ally ) and use flexible joiners only, keeping them as short as possible......

David LLAMA 4x4

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Reply to
David_LLAMA4x4

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