Radiator hose brands

[James McGrath]

Hello everyone.

Need some advice on radiator hose brands.
My Diplomat has sprung a coolant leak on one of the hoses. It's the one that goes from the plastic pipe round the back of the engine to the water pump. Part number 90530796 (or 90265803 or 90295122).

I can't find a genuine Vauxhall part anywhere but lots of other manufactures still make them.
Here are all the brands I can get hold of:

JP Group
Topran
Imperium
AutoMega
Meyle
Metzger
Gates
Thermotec

My mechanic has recommended Gates to me but I've had a problem with them once before. I found it to be a bit ill fitting.
Out of all these brands, which would you go for?

[Robsey]

If it helps...
When I bought a GM timing belt kit for my C20NE from GPS,
The water pump was a Meyle unit.

To be honest most brands that you listed are good at one specific item range but not all the items that they make.

Gates are very well renowned for timing belts. I rarely use any other belt manufacturer.

AutoMega have made a few good bits like throttle position sensors.

All the others, I have heard of but only as an "ebay special" supplier.

One company that I hear a lot of is Roose Motorsports, for people who like to bling up their engine bay with brightly coloured silicon coolant hose kits.
Damned expensive, but again, a highly regarded product.

[James McGrath]

Thanks for that Rob.

They arn't expensive and I have 4 cavs that use that part so I've decided to get both a Gates and a Meyle part.
Then I'll just fit whichever one looks the best.

[James McGrath]

Well they arrived:




I'm glad I bought both as they are slightly different to one another.
The Meyle part is significantly longer at both ends compared to the gates:




I'll report back with which one is best when it gets fitted...

[Robsey]

I'm glad I bought both as they are slightly different to one another.
The Meyle part is significantly longer at both ends compared to the gates:

I'll report back with which one is best when it gets fitted...

I wait with interest.
I remember getting a proper GM breather hose for the top of the sump to cylinder-head pipe. That too was barely long enough.

I would prefer the longer pipe for peace of mind, if it was me fitting them.

[cavalier1990]

Meyle make gasket kits too, and I believe they make them as Genuine parts so I always go with them if I can't locate an OE gasket.

For timing belts, I'd heard Gates mentioned other places (on the Omega Forum) and as you'd mentioned above. Also for OE parts usually suspension/steering Febi make the OE or equivalent parts.

[chrisp]

If it helps...
When I bought a GM timing belt kit for my C20NE from GPS,
The water pump was a Meyle unit.

To be honest most brands that you listed are good at one specific item range but not all the items that they make.

Gates are very well renowned for timing belts. I rarely use any other belt manufacturer.

AutoMega have made a few good bits like throttle position sensors.

All the others, I have heard of but only as an "ebay special" supplier.

One company that I hear a lot of is Roose Motorsports, for people who like to bling up their engine bay with brightly coloured silicon coolant hose kits.
Damned expensive, but again, a highly regarded product.

Yes, Roose Motorsports hoses are VERY expensive, but for the odd shaped radiator top hose on the V6 they seem to be the only supplier. A 'kit' of top and bottom hoses for the V6 is priced in the region of £80 (!) and they want extra to supply hose clamps. My top hose is OK at the moment but looking a bit tired so I may just have to bite the bullet and buy from Roose.

[James McGrath]

I never did report back on this one did I?

Well, It was the slightly shorter Gates hose that was fitted in the end and thankfully it has finally put an end to the Diplomat water leak saga. At least for now!

[GP123]

If it helps...
When I bought a GM timing belt kit for my C20NE from GPS,
The water pump was a Meyle unit.

To be honest most brands that you listed are good at one specific item range but not all the items that they make.

Gates are very well renowned for timing belts. I rarely use any other belt manufacturer.

AutoMega have made a few good bits like throttle position sensors.

All the others, I have heard of but only as an "ebay special" supplier.

One company that I hear a lot of is Roose Motorsports, for people who like to bling up their engine bay with brightly coloured silicon coolant hose kits.
Damned expensive, but again, a highly regarded product.

Yes, Roose Motorsports hoses are VERY expensive, but for the odd shaped radiator top hose on the V6 they seem to be the only supplier. A 'kit' of top and bottom hoses for the V6 is priced in the region of £80 (!) and they want extra to supply hose clamps. My top hose is OK at the moment but looking a bit tired so I may just have to bite the bullet and buy from Roose.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brand-New-Hi ... SwDkVaV1wy

That should be it there.. i typed in C25XE radiator hose to get that top result on eBay. £9.59 and its Meyle.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MEYLE-619-13 ... SwTz1eOLiD

EDIT. In fact there it is for £7.24 inc postage.

[chrisp]

Thanks for looking but unfortunately, if the photo on ebay is correct for the Meyle top hose, then it won't fit the V6. The correct hose loops upward from the engine connection and then back down again to the radiator connection. This gives some flexibility in what is a severely space constrained gap between engine and radiator, but the hose loop, which is higher than both engine and radiator, makes bleeding air out quite tricky. Only the eye-wateringly expensive Roose silicon hose appears to be the correct fitment.