Heater Hose access?
 

what kinda special tool does one have to use to get the clamps off? I thought I would change them as a matter of PM...but I cannot get a good bite on the clamps?

They are compression clamps and should be able to squeeze them for removal. Try needle nose pliers or better yet needle nose vise grips.

Thanks for your reply :D

The problem is the recess they are in. It almost looks like they were installed at the factory before the fenders were installed..the clamps are faced such a direction that there is no getting a bite on them with ordinary pliers. I was wondering how everyone else changed thiers

Old pair of pliers with length-of-jaw and crossways grooves ground in.

What? Length of Hunh?

Where do I find this?

could ya fit a mini c-clamp in there?

OK I finished swapping out the heater core this weekend. Here are some tips.

Loosen the right grommet for the cable above the inlet hoses. This allows for more wiggle room to get hands in.

There's a 4awg +12vdc feed cable running in the way of the hoses. Unhook it from the battery terminal block, again for more wiggle room.

Spray WD40 onto the hose clamps, then use needle nose vise grips to get the clamp nipples into the right position.

Use regular vise grips to hold the clamps open so you can pull the hoses off. Note try to get the top hose all the way out of the area so you can get to the bottom one better.

Use your friend WD40 again on the heater core recepticles so the hoses slide on easier.

Use the vise grips on the clamps again.

Getting the hoses back on just plain sucks. Try and wiggle as much as possible and have patience. If you dont have patience then buy some -- your gonna need it.

Hope this helps. Took me about 3 hrs to get this done.

Is WD-40 going to harm the hoses over time? I guess probably not as a one time deal, eh? :?

At any rate, thanks for the tips KEOTOK.