[sixto]

Are those original equipment fittings?

I’m going to have to check if first gen Siennas have metal fittings.

Use the biggest Sawzall with the toughest blade you can find. That is a miserable, miserable job with the cheapest Harbor Freight Sawzall even with a quality blade.

I have been cutting for 30 minutes!

Sixto
‘04 LE FWD 199K miles

 

[sixto]

In our case it was a wobbly inner CV joint. No noise but vibration during acceleration peaking between 40 and 60mph.

The solid outer shaft takes forever. The hollow inner shaft goes quickly.

Sixto
‘04 LE FWD 199K miles

 

[sixto]

I don’t think plastic fatigue is the result of ambient temperature and humidity. More to do with age and operational heat cycles. Possibly inconsistencies in fabrication processes. Even with 6-sigma practices 3 or 4 defects per million sneak through.

Sixto
‘04 LE FWD 199K miles

 

[sixto]

You should be able to clamp the coolant lines to minimize coolant loss but I wonder if there’s room for 3 clamps at a time.

Sixto
‘04 LE FWD 199K miles

 

[sixto]

Isn’t brass good to at least 230*C operating temp in dry air? Is 160*C of coolant a harsher environment? Maybe there’s different specs for a valve with moving parts vs a static fitting.

Sixto
‘04 LE FWD 199K miles

 

[sixto]

Thermostat isn’t open at 160*F

Sixto
‘04 LE FWD 199K miles

 

[sixto]

I wonder about using 3/4 x 3/4 x 3/4 fittings. Must be a very tight fit.

I have a couple of these ready to go -

https://www.amazon.com/Four-Seasons-84543-Heater-Fitting/dp/B000DCNGIS/ref=asc_df_B000DCNGIS/

I had brass barbed fittings on an Econoline for years with no issue so I wouldn’t hesitate. I don’t know what these Four Seasons fittings are made of but they’re sold as automotive heater system parts. I think Dorman also offers metal fittings in this size.

Sixto
‘04 LE FWD 201K miles

 

[sixto]

I finally had a moment to replace the fittings. Not a difficult job but not easy on the back. One plastic fittings had both 5/8” flares broken off, the other had one 5/8” flare broken off. The hoses twisted off the fittings easily but I don’t know if losing the flares was from twisting or disintegration in service that broke off the flares. Both 1/2” flares were intact.

I couldn’t get all the broken flare bits out of the hoses. I hope they don’t lodge in the water pump and cause problems

What colorful language is involved getting a 1/2” hose over a 3/4” barb

Sixto
‘04 LE FWD 203K miles

 

[sixto]

That didn’t go well. The Four Seasons fittings were barely snug. No confidence they’d hold. I used PEX 3/4” tees instead. Getting half inch heater hose on a 3/4” PEX nipple is a bear! I used dish soap to make things slippery and it was still a struggle.

Sixto
‘04 LE FWD 203K miles

 

[sixto]

Thanks and noted and heat would have been welcome working in the open today, but the point of the exercise is to avoid a next time

Sixto
‘04 LE FWD 203K miles

 

[sixto]

It was a learning for me that a 3/4” spec PEX fitting measures 5/8”.

Sixto
‘04 LE FWD 203K miles

 

[sixto]

x2 on a Diablo blade for metal.

Sixto
‘04 LE FWD 203K miles