@Jay11STI is your guy on this lol!

 

I saw the title of this thread and my eyes started to buldge in frustration LoL.

To the OP, you are not alone when it comes to having issues with coolant leaks from silicon rad hoses. Of all the mods on my car.....silicon rad hoses are the one mod that I truly regret. I have the grimmspeed rad hoses and have nothing but issues with them from day 1. I tried multiple clamps, all kinds of clamps, and they all leaked. Breeze, Norma, Mishimoto, and some other random assortment of clamps from various stores and retailers....they all sucked. Some did better than others but they all leaked sooner or later. Some within the same day, while others would last a a couple of weeks. After awhile, I finally found a clamp that worked for me. So far, ive had good luck with the HPS t-bolt clamps. They're pricy for a clamp but work. And you don't have to drain coolant or remove the hoses to put these on. You can separate them and open them up to go around the hose.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009AG12F2?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

One thing I've learned from all of this is that I will never, ever, ever use silicon hoses for coolant ever again. Silicon for air induction, no problem. But silicon hoses for coolant, never again! My level of discontent towards them is unmatched. Even when the hoses are not leaking, they emit a coolant smell. It's like smelling a coolant leak but not having one....just all the time. After various attempts, Grimmspeed refuses to post my reviews on their website about how I truly feel about their product.

 

Those look like junky cheap worm clamps. Get some from the parts store

 

^^^^^^^
@Jay11STI my man!!

 

I've never done silicone hoses on coolant because I've always heard/seen that they leak and need to be re-tightened often. Sometimes, OEM is on point.

 

Killerb said the same thing...oem rubber...I have samco on currently an have 2 clamps where I have issues...I alternately have a set of mishimoto ready to go when these ones fail so I'm not waiting on warranty...

 

I have seen this happen to so many people. Stay away unless you need them? But what is the "need" I think they are just bling. For my sons car we scuffed up the nipples and the hoses started to stay better. Later we then added wire style hose clamps which are the best as far as I am concerned.

Like these
Amazon.com: 65Pcs Adjustable Steel Double Wire Tube Hose Clamp Assortment Kit, Bumnay 8 Sizes Steel Wire Tube Clip Clamps with Screws Bolts Locking : Industrial & Scientific

But I would find stainless steel.

 

I mean, didn't we learn in school as kids to always use rubber? Anything else and you're just playing with fire.

 

I have seen this happen to so many people. Stay away unless you need them? But what is the "need" I think they are just bling. For my sons car we scuffed up the nipples and the hoses started to stay better. Later we then added wire style hose clamps which are the best as far as I am concerned.

Like these
Amazon.com: 65Pcs Adjustable Steel Double Wire Tube Hose Clamp Assortment Kit, Bumnay 8 Sizes Steel Wire Tube Clip Clamps with Screws Bolts Locking : Industrial & Scientific

But I would find stainless steel.

They really are just bling. They're advertised and basically an "upgrade". Thick hoses that never really need to be replaced or atleast wont get worn out like the rubber ones. But rubber hoses can last for years and not have an issue. The silicon hose may look cool, but I now know the truth. Truth is they just suck.

I mean, didn't we learn in school as kids to always use rubber? Anything else and you're just playing with fire.

Lmao! Momma says silicon is the devil!

 

I wonder how something like titanium would hold up instead in terms of leaking, etc.

Now that's something that I don't see a lot of, but I know companies like hyperion and RK titanium make.

 

I saw the title of this thread and my eyes started to buldge in frustration LoL.

To the OP, you are not alone when it comes to having issues with coolant leaks from silicon rad hoses. Of all the mods on my car.....silicon rad hoses are the one mod that I truly regret. I have the grimmspeed rad hoses and have nothing but issues with them from day 1. I tried multiple clamps, all kinds of clamps, and they all leaked. Breeze, Norma, Mishimoto, and some other random assortment of clamps from various stores and retailers....they all sucked. Some did better than others but they all leaked sooner or later. Some within the same day, while others would last a a couple of weeks. After awhile, I finally found a clamp that worked for me. So far, ive had good luck with the HPS t-bolt clamps. They're pricy for a clamp but work. And you don't have to drain coolant or remove the hoses to put these on. You can separate them and open them up to go around the hose.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009AG12F2?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

One thing I've learned from all of this is that I will never, ever, ever use silicon hoses for coolant ever again. Silicon for air induction, no problem. But silicon hoses for coolant, never again! My level of discontent towards them is unmatched. Even when the hoses are not leaking, they emit a coolant smell. It's like smelling a coolant leak but not having one....just all the time. After various attempts, Grimmspeed refuses to post my reviews on their website about how I truly feel about their product.

Thanks, I'll probably grab the T-bolt clamps as a temp fix and order some new OEM hoses. Then I'll eventually go back to the OEM hoses and maybe even use the original springy clamps.

so, for like 2 years now, under heavy throttle, i have been able to smell coolant. it's driven me nuts. i can not find a leak, i have pressure tested the system multiple times. i have let my tech flog the car and be 10000000% sure that there's no leak or issue. i have cleaned every area i can think of and looked for leaks.....and with all my time in the subaru community, i'm just NOW realizing, that silicone can make a smell WITHOUT a leak.....holy shit......i genuinely wonder if that could be the issue and if it is, man i'm about to go back to oem hoses.

Yep, these hoses sweat and I also smell it even when they're not leaking.

Disposing of used coolant is such a pain where I live (TN); based on the feedback here, if I could cleanly catch my coolant, I'd probably return to rubber hoses now and re-use my coolant because it's not old.

 

Thanks, I'll probably grab the T-bolt clamps as a temp fix and order some new OEM hoses. Then I'll eventually go back to the OEM hoses and maybe even use the original springy clamps.

Yep, these hoses sweat and I also smell it even when they're not leaking.

Disposing of used coolant is such a pain where I live (TN); based on the feedback here, if I could cleanly catch my coolant, I'd probably return to rubber hoses now and re-use my coolant because it's not old.

I don't see why you can't catch it and reuse. You just need a clean pan. Thats probably cheaper to buy than the new coolant anyway.

 

OEM coolant hoses and OEM spring clamps is all you need. Coolant permeates through silicone and worm clamps don't expand with the hoses. My 22 year old Honda S2000 still has the original OEM hoses and spring clamps...no issues.

 

I just installed some silicone hoses. Now I'm gonna have to keep an eye on em.

 

And we're back and I realize I used the wrong spelling for silicone. I had my OEM hoses and spring clamps so I swapped them back. I caught the coolant in a clean container, trimmed the OE hoses 1/2" for the fatter radiator and re-installed. I got it good and hot, bled it, drove it around, and it's an instant difference; the coolant smell is gone. Now it's time to cleanup wherever coolant squirted over time so I can regain my sanity.

The silicone hoses were just loose enough that coolant would seemingly randomly squirt from them, I would find dried coolant specs in unusual places, but I could see evidence that coolant was leaking from where the hoses mated to the radiator, so I assume coolant would squirt from there and would end up on the plastic accessory belt cover among other places.