can i use mains water pipe for coolant pipes?

[dridgy]

hi i have a 1.6d.
i noticed yesterday that one of the the old metal coolant pipes that run under the van was leaking where its corroded.
having looked on just kampers and seen that the new plastic pipes are nearly 70 quid each i started to wonder if there was something else i could use.
could i use the blue plastic mains water pipe.
i cant see why not.
its thick and flexible and you can buy a 25 meter roll of 32mm for about 30 quid.
has anyone done this or has anyone any other ideas, or should i just go and buy the overpriced plastic original pipes?

cheers
John

[Hacksawbob]

I beleive people have used is successfully
pro
cheap

con
possibly not rated to working temperature
slightly narrower, may result change reduction in flow rates/increased pump wear? all conjecture really.


I thought I might build up the end peices to bring it up to the correct diameter to clamp the rubber onto... give it a go and tell us how you get on. In the end I went for the gen Vag parts as I needed to get going with as little down time as I only have the one van on the road.

[dridgy]

ok
well i have managed to cut out the part with the hole in and used a rubber pipe from halfords to bridge the gap for now.
but i will look into this and will probaly have a go at some point, ill let you know what happens.

john

[bigbluebus]

I used the blue stuff when I converted my a/cool to diesel

Never had any issues but am I right in thinking the diesels are lower water pressure than the petrols anyway??

Not sure I'd run the blue stuff in my 2.1

[T3teedub]

Check with Steve Shaw (Gasure). He used blue water pipe in his scooby conversion.

[bigbluebus]

Check with Steve Shaw (Gasure). He used blue water pipe in his scooby conversion.

my ex van?

it was originally a 1.9 wbx, thought it was running the original 'toobs'

[HarryMann]

Never had any issues but am I right in thinking the diesels are lower water pressure than the petrols anyway??

Pressure is low enough either way, not to make a difference, and water pressure between vehicles more a function of how much heat is being put into I'd ahve thought... and a turbo diesel scores there hands down, hence the wider cooling tunnel and bigger fan.

If someones done it, probably OK, but you could boil a bit of pipe in 50/50 water antifreeze to see if anything untoward happened, though I expect it would be years later that problems developed if at all..

and if they did, your piggy bank would then be full enough for the VAG ones.

I wouldn't worry too much about small changes of bore making a big difference but do remember that the cross-sectional area varies as the square of the bore. So 10% less bore will give 81% of the area, and thus flow rate will try/have to be 20% higher

The brown underground soil pipe is the most resilient I think, having to deal with all sorts of chemicals, but that coems in larger diameters only I believe

[T3teedub]

Check with Steve Shaw (Gasure). He used blue water pipe in his scooby conversion.

my ex van?

it was originally a 1.9 wbx, thought it was running the original 'toobs'

I really don't know about the front-to-back tubes but there was a lot of blue pipe-work in the engine bay when I saw it two years ago. He said it was mains water tubing.

[PEET]

I used JCB flex hydraulic hose to replace mine and they have given me no problems in 6 years. Not quite as cheap at £45 but been brilliant.

[dazzzer1]

IF YOU DO USE THIS PIPE IT IS AN IDEA TO USE A METAL TUBE INSERT AT THE JOINS SO THE CLAMP DOESNT SQUASH THE PLASTIC TUBE

[dridgy]

ok i will give it a try some time.

cheers

john

[Hacksawbob]

and if they did, your piggy bank would then be full enough for the VAG ones.

if they are still available!

[shepster]

I've used plastic pipe for the past 3 years and all seems well, good idea about the metal insert though 'cos the hoseclips do squash the pipe a bit.

[syncrosimon]

That blue pipe that comes on a roll is not very flexible, even if you cut a piece out it still wants to roll up. I have noticed this when doing pumbing at home and have bought a 25 meter roll from screw fix for 19.99. Its called MDPE Blue Pipe. It's very tough as it's the stuff you use for getting mains pressure water through the ground. The inserts are £2.59 for 10. If you could then find some fexible car radiator hose that would slip onto the ends you are in business.
A lot of people use 28mm copper pipe.

simon.