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Forester Deformed Upper Radiator Hose

While poking around under the hood of my 2003 Forester X, I noticed that the upper radiator hose was deformed, or crushed inwards. I released the radiator cap, there was a sucking sound as if under pressure and the hose popped back to normal. The fluid level was up to the bottom of the cap/filler neck in the radiator, and at the "full cold" mark in the reservoir. I cleaned the cap, and blew out the overflow tube to make sure it wasn't clogged. I ran the car for 25 minutes and noticed that the upper hose gets hot and hard, while the level in the reservoir doesn't move at all. After the engine cools for ~45 minutes the upper hose again deforms some, while the level in the reservoir still doesn't move. The temperature guage moves to a smidge over the 1/3 mark and sticks there - it didn't move up or down at all. Is this normal? Cap faulty? Air in the cooling system?

Reply to
Anonymous
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temperature

Reply to
Edward Hayes

I would think it could only be the radiator cap bad or plugged recovery tank hose . When the coolant cools, it contracts and should draw coolant that expanded back into the tank. Unless the hose material has weakend. Perhaps a service station could pressure test the cap.

Reply to
Steve Bukosky

It was the cap. Decided to toss $8 at a replacement cap and all is well now. Thanks for your comments.

-- dave

Reply to
Anonymous

Yes, the cap is bad or your overflow tube is pinched. Instead of collapsing the radiator hose it should have sucked open the little valve on the cap and pulled liquid from the overflow reservoir. That should have required much less suction than collapsing the radiator hose.

Reply to
JW

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