Last summer i replaced one of my coolant lines with rubber hose.

I noticed a wet spot on one of the pipes when i was doing my gas tank r&r.
Not a hole as such, but a "weeping spot" (the orange coolant really shows
up). The list has discussed pipe replacement in the past (Tim Smith et al)
and bouyed by that knwoledge I bought some 1 1/4" ID coolant hose from a
local commercial supply house.

This is very heavy stuff, 1/4" wall thickness. Great quality US made hose.
Cost around Can$50 for one length. Logically I should have done both, but I
loved dropping the gas tank so much that I left replacing the other pipe
for a future treat.

The overall diameter is greater than the steel pipe so it is a tight
squeeze through the frame holes. But this hose ID allows you to fit it
straight onto the rad at front and to the engine hose via a nipple (no
reducers etc)

I cut up the steel pipe to get it out. while the steel pipe was a bit
corroded at the ends, the inside was absolutely pristine (as was the
outside), not rusty or pitted. But, and ts a big but, the welded seam (the
pipe is rolled and welded) had littel spots of rust on it. Inclusions in
the weld. Sure enough, the spot where the leak was lay on a seam.

So while the famed german steel held up ok, the weld failed.

Can I say that again?

The weld failed.

And it was a machine weld.

Tubing, a well know technology. Heck even the Italians (smile) make great
steel tubing. And god! the British, even during the dark strike ridden days
of the '60s make great steel tubing. Obvious subtext here (using Columbus
and Reynolds as examples), i am teasing, don't get bent out of shape.

The rubber hose works beautifully, but it is not stock, and I probably will
run into problems if I ever have to take my van to a VW mechanic for
service - what will they do? This hose is not in the training manual!

Gott in Himmel, it is not even German!

Alistair