Catalina 350 International Association

While out this past weekend I found a puddle of the red coolant under the engine, and the coolant reserve tank empty. The clear plastic hose that ran from the coolant tank to the top of the head radiator had rotted through. When I went to cut a pc of it off for a sample, it broke off at where it was tie to other hoses. It originally broke off where it was connected near the radiator cap.

Bottom line: I think the heat from the engine or the chemicals in the anti freeze will rot this cheap plastic hose. It looks like a simple fix to replace it with something better. Everybody might want to put this on your list of engine maintenance.

I have found a similar problem with the hose hardening, and also that the overflow bottle (polyethylene) had cracked where the holding bracket contacts the bottle, and at outlet spigot. Getting a seal with a hardening hose puts extra pressure on the bottle and I have decided to chase up some silicone hose to replace the clear PVC. It is more expensive but softer and easier to get a seal around it, and won't harden over time.

I bought a new bottle from Westerbeke.

My hose has rotted also. Coolant overflow tank had large crack on back side you couldn't see until you took the tank off the wall. Couldn't figure out where my leak was coming from.

I have replaced the coolant overflow hose 3 times now (in 4 years). Even with trying to "insulate" it against rubbing on hot engine parts it seems to deteriorate quickly. I have always used the hose from Westerbeke/Universal but would really like to use something a bit more substantial. Has anyone done so? If so, what did you replace this hose with (any help with sizes and source helpful). Thanks.

I used black fuel hose and had no problems over the past 7 years.