Last fall I had the same thing happen. I also had experience it a year
before driving in NJ with the temps in the teens. The long pipe would
shrink in the cold, it would seem. Efforts to loosen the clamp and move
the hose back down the pipe didn't last long before it happened again.

I took the hose all the way off the pipe, draining the cooland and
pinning the hose  back somehow for better access to the end of the
pipe. What I found was a ring of plastic that had broken away from the
main part of the plastic pipe and the metal tube inside the end of the
plastic pipe. The plastic ring was essentially the flange that kept the
hose from slipping off the tube.

I sanded the pipe and mixed up some JB weld and recreated a new
"flange" to match the old one. Worked alike a charm and is still
working. I was minutes away from ordering stainless pipes when I had
this idea.

Jim

On Feb 20, 2006, at 4:20 PM, Ron Mueller wrote:

> Hello All,
>
> I have a cooling system question, regarding my 90 Vanagon.
>
> The plastic cooling lines are leaking at the ends, and as hard as I
> try I can't seem to get the clamps tight on the tubes.
>
> I've been looking around the internet for replacement lines, and have
> stumbled upon an E-Bay listing for a set of stainless steel
> replacement coolant lines.
>
> What I want to ask is; Has anyone had any experience in using these
> pipes?
>
> They seem to be offered in a foot note at the bottom of the item
> description in a two piece system.
>
> I can understand where it might be cost effective to purchace them
> this way to save on the shipping costs, and possibly save some time in
> installation.
>
> Any information or feedback would be greatly appreciated.
>
> I need to get the lines repaired as soon as possible.
>
> TIA
> Ron
>