Hose replacement
I thought I would add to Kibby's thread and share my first-time experiences doing the Rotax coolant hose replacement.
I had very much the same experience as Bob with the clamps. On the bottom of the engine all the clamps but cyl. #4 at the water pump are accessible with a pair of hose clamp pliers. I also have the cable clamp removal tool but even with that I could not get on that #4 clamp until I saw that it is accessible with the cable tool going down from the top.
I bought the tools on
Amazon, but the cable tool is also available from Rotax suppliers.
I spent 3 hours getting the bottom hoses changed. And figured another 3 hours for the top on another day. That proved to be accurate, there are 2 clamps on top that neither of my tools would get without removing the intake manifolds. I had anticipated this and had new O-rings and lock washers on hand.
It sounds worse than it is, the manifolds come off with no pain and we all had to do them when we prepped the motor on initial installation so I had been there before. The clamp on cyl. #3 was just under the manifold and no way to get on it...
By taking off the manifold and holding it aside I was able to squeeze the clamp and move it back. It is just visible under a spark plug wire in the picture.
and also the clamp on cyl. #4...
The hoses are the most trouble of the 5 year rubber replacement. I have to keep reminding myself that I like to tinker
.
It is a good idea to have the intake O-rings on hand and the proper clamp tools before attempting the coolant hoses.
As Bob noted, the hoses taken off looked to be in pretty good shape, I could not tell that they were deteriorated, but not too sure what to look for or even if rubber deterioration is something that is visible.
I am also going to be replacing the oil lines, except the oil return hose, with the Thermostasis kit from AC Specialty, and the teflon fuel hoses from ACS as well, and as you can see, all those hoses have to be off the engine to get room to work on coolant hoses.