If the new straight hose gets from one place to another, doesn't interfere with anything, and doesn't have a kink in it for any needed bends... should work just fine.

It belongs there and the same thing happened to mine not long ago. I bought a new one at the dealer for like $10. I also went ahead and replaced the hoses and O-rings in the fittings for the connection at the engine / intake manifold. Replace it along with with some new hoses, clamps and O-rings. Also it may be a lot easier to take the clamps off the heater core if you have the tool for it. I use a pair of channellocks and it was a real pain in the a$$. Here was my thread with a couple pictures http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...332&highlight=

Edit: When I did the repair on mine I didn't replace the O-rings in the fittings (didn't know any better) They started leaking after the repair. I guess it was from the old age along with tampering with them getting the old hoses off and slipping the new ones on. One fitting has one O-ring and the other has two on it.

Thanks for the answer!

Also might be a good time to inspect or just go ahead and replace the upper and lower raditor hoses along with a new T-stat and fluid. I actually did all of that too. I even put a new cap on the raditor.

I got one out of a salvage yard for a few bucks. The GM part number is 10188036 just in case someone else has the same question.