442 1986 442 experts- Need some clarification on hose clamps

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69hurstolds

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Jan 2, 2006
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Need some verification on some things for 1986 442. I need some 86 442 heavies to weigh in here if you could.

I would like to think I know a decent amount of information about G-body 442 hose clamp styles. But I was taken to "school" by someone with an 86 442 with 75K miles on it. They claim it's all factory style clamps, and no worm style clamps just like factory.

I'm like...wtf? My response was that there were 4 types of different clamps used from the factory on 84-87 H/O and 442 coolant hoses.

4 worm clamps with small flat head screwdriver/ hex heads on the heater hoses. Small heads made it a PITA to use a flat blade on them.
2 Wittek style tower clamps on the bypass hose from T-stat housing to water pump.
3 double wire style screw head clamps for the upper hose and lower hose at radiator.
1 special worm clamp with a riveted on shield for the water pump lower hose connection- protected the lower hose from the A/C belt. (VIN 9 required/included A/C).

What am I missing? I've seen a lot of low mile cars in my time and this is how the hose clamps were set up from what I've seen.

He shows me pictures of the A.I.R. hose clamps which are single crimp pinch clamps and goes on to tell me how his uncle worked at the factory when these cars were new...blah blah blah...basically telling me I'm full of sh*t. I'm still calling Bullsh*t. He shows me pictures of his coolant hose clamps...Wittek and wire clamps where they need to be, wire clamp on lower coolant hose to water pump- that was wrong. His heater hose clamps were single crimp pinch clamps like the A.I.R. hose clamps. Even the hose picture he shows me has evidence of some other style of clamp was there before the crimp pinch clamps. The hoses don't even look original from the factory, but I'm not worried about that as much as what is supposed to be there. (not to mention the non-factory spark plug wires). Sigh. If I'm wrong, I'll own that, but I can find no evidence that crimp clamps were used on G-body heater hoses. And there were 2 types of worm drive clamps used on the coolant hoses.

I won't engage with him any longer because he seems to think he knows how his car was sent out the door from the factory and there's no way it had any worm drive clamps on the car from the factory. Ok. :rolleyes:

86 442 supposed heater hose original style clamps.jpg
 
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565bbchevy

Geezer
Aug 8, 2011
9,590
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Michigan
I don't know what comes on factory stuff but it is very clear that there was a completely different style of clamp on those heater hoses prior to installing those.
I am guessing even though the car in question only has 75,000 miles he is not claiming to be the original owner, I am guessing some things were replaced prior to his ownership and he is just clueless on how it should have came and was probably told it was all original factory.
 
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ELCAM

Royal Smart Person
Jun 19, 2021
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Those hose clamps look a lot like ones used in industrial settings made by a German company called Oetiker. Edited to add they are for PEX and other plastic tubing and they do come in 5/8 and 3/4" sizes.

 
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69hurstolds

Geezer
Supporting Member
Jan 2, 2006
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Yeah, they do. Oetiker makes pinch clamps, or ear clamps, whatever you want to call them in different configurations, sizes, and 2 ear pinch clamps as well. Those are some darn good clamps. We used to use those making some of our own hoses in the machine shop area when I used to work for a living. Makes them fast to assemble, but kind of a PITA taking them apart.

All the A.I.R. system hoses used light duty single ear pinch clamps on the G-bodies. This is the only place I'm aware of that pinch clamps are used. The service parts called out for worm clamps as the replacement. So if you open the hood of a stock G-body and look at the A.I.R. system and it has worm clamps on the hoses, it's likely they had new check valves installed.
 

84 W40

G-Body Guru
Dec 9, 2009
567
782
93
Need some verification on some things for 1986 442. I need some 86 442 heavies to weigh in here if you could.

I would like to think I know a decent amount of information about G-body 442 hose clamp styles. But I was taken to "school" by someone with an 86 442 with 75K miles on it. They claim it's all factory style clamps, and no worm style clamps just like factory.

I'm like...wtf? My response was that there were 4 types of different clamps used from the factory on 84-87 H/O and 442 coolant hoses.

4 worm clamps with small flat head screwdriver/ hex heads on the heater hoses. Small heads made it a PITA to use a flat blade on them.
2 Wittek style tower clamps on the bypass hose from T-stat housing to water pump.
3 double wire style screw head clamps for the upper hose and lower hose at radiator.
1 special worm clamp with a riveted on shield for the water pump lower hose connection- protected the lower hose from the A/C belt. (VIN 9 required/included A/C).

What am I missing? I've seen a lot of low mile cars in my time and this is how the hose clamps were set up from what I've seen.

He shows me pictures of the A.I.R. hose clamps which are single crimp pinch clamps and goes on to tell me how his uncle worked at the factory when these cars were new...blah blah blah...basically telling me I'm full of sh*t. I'm still calling Bullsh*t. He shows me pictures of his coolant hose clamps...Wittek and wire clamps where they need to be, wire clamp on lower coolant hose to water pump- that was wrong. His heater hose clamps were single crimp pinch clamps like the A.I.R. hose clamps. Even the hose picture he shows me has evidence of some other style of clamp was there before the crimp pinch clamps. The hoses don't even look original from the factory, but I'm not worried about that as much as what is supposed to be there. (not to mention the non-factory spark plug wires). Sigh. If I'm wrong, I'll own that, but I can find no evidence that crimp clamps were used on G-body heater hoses. And there were 2 types of worm drive clamps used on the coolant hoses.

I won't engage with him any longer because he seems to think he knows how his car was sent out the door from the factory and there's no way it had any worm drive clamps on the car from the factory. Ok. :rolleyes:

View attachment 179123
Yes you are correct about the four different clamps used from the factory. Those pinch clamps in the picture are NOT the style that the factory used plus they should be worm gear clamp. At the dealer we would use worm gear clamps when replacing any of the hoses. When replacing any of the A.I.R hoses we used worm gear clamps instead of the pinch clamps do to the size of the pinch clamp tool. His uncle must of worked for Ford? I would message him back and tell him that its a rare car with those factory pinch clamps. I can imagine what else is incorrect on the car.
 

maxi426

Apprentice
Sep 20, 2018
86
82
18
Looks OK from here. About 1/8" or so of hose sticking out past the clamp. The hose is up against the casting
 

JAMCAR223

Royal Smart Person
Jun 6, 2014
1,853
5,507
113
Houston, TX.
I'm thinking he wants to know if those are the original clamps from the factory in the respected locations. I say yes. 69hurstolds will know.
 

84 W40

G-Body Guru
Dec 9, 2009
567
782
93
Looks OK from here. About 1/8" or so of hose sticking out past the clamp. The hose is up against the casting
That clamp is over tighten like its not clamping the nipple , look at the top clamp you can see more of the screw thread.
 
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