Coolant pipes brittle and fractured

[Mickeyluv]

Parallel posted in another forum in the hope that someone can help - hope this doesn't offend - I need to get this sorted out quickly as I can't drive the car right now:

I was checking the coolant and oil levels on my car today and nudged one of the expansion tank pipes (I think they're referred to as Degas pipes) that runs to the thermostat housing and it snapped like a Kitkat. I removed it and it's completely brittle - the slightest effort fractures it into pieces. There's another pipe in similar material that runs from the top of the radiator to the expansion tank and I'm thinking this is going to be in the same condition.

The problem is, I can't find the parts or part numbers - the numbers on the pipe don't bring up any results and I've searched without success on major parts suppliers sites for coolant pipes. I'm really stuck until I can find replacements. I can't even find any online parts lookup or manual.

Can anyone point me in the right direction, or give me the part numbers? The engine is a 1.5TDCI Duratorq.

[unofix]

The Russian website that we normally use for parts information is currently not available. The quickest place you will get the information and parts is going to be at the Parts Department of your local Ford Main Dealer.

[MarksST]

http://www.catcar.info/ford/?lang=en&l=bWFya2V0PT1ldXJvfHxjYXRfaWQ9PTExMTMyfHxjYWJicj09R0NCV3x8dGhrPT0zfHxzdD09NjB8fHN0cz09eyIyMCI6IkV1cm9wZSIsIjMwIjoiRWNvc3BvcnQgQ0JXIDIwMTMtIiwiNDAiOiIzIFBvd2VydHJhaW4iLCI1MCI6IjMwMzAzIFBvd2VydHJhaW4uRW5naW5lIENvb2xpbmciLCI2MCI6IjMwMzAzMDVEIENvb2xpbmcgU3lzdGVtIFBpcGVzIEFuZCBIb3NlczsgMS41TCBTT0hDIERJIFRDIEk0IERJRVNFTCAgIn18fGFscGhhPT0zfHxncm91cD09MzAzMDN8fHNlY3Q9PTA4MzAwMkFGSjh8fHNldD09QzE1RFNPWDMwMzAzfHxpbWc9PUswMjk5NDYwMDN8fGYxMj09LTU4NzE2NjcxMisxMzM%3D

[Mickeyluv]

Thanks, but the link doesn't show the particular model fitted with the degas pipes. I tried ordering from the main agent but three deliveries later and the hadn't turned up and when they enquired with Ford Dagenham there are none currently available due to them being on back order. That's a really poor show. I have an undriveable car for the sake of some plastic tubing.

[Mickeyluv]

To clarify, the degas pipes shown are different my model - it has short hoses connected to the end of the pipes (the pipes are formed with a retaining ring at that end) and an oval expansion tank, whereas the ones shown have the clip connection at both ends which connect to a roughly triangular tank. I wonder if the ones shown can be adapted and may be more readily available.

[MarksST]

Have you tried a Ford dealer’s parts department?

[MarksST]

.

[Mickeyluv]

Yes, but they're on back order and Ford UK does not have any - they say there's no expected fulfilment date. Another dealer said this means "Sometime never". I've spent a day ringing around and none of the dealers has stock. One of the biggest dealership groups did a trace on the parts to see if anyone in the group has stock, and they have access to stock levels outside of the group, but nothing available. I've left the parts on order, but there's no certainty when they will arrive. I've also emailed Ford directly.

[TomsFocus]

31 minutes ago, Mickeyluv said:

Yes, but they're on back order and Ford UK does not have any - they say there's no expected fulfilment date. Another dealer said this means "Sometime never". I've spent a day ringing around and none of the dealers has stock. One of the biggest dealership groups did a trace on the parts to see if anyone in the group has stock, and they have access to stock levels outside of the group, but nothing available. I've left the parts on order, but there's no certainty when they will arrive. I've also emailed Ford directly.

Are the pipe connections anything special?  And can they be removed and reused?  You could buy some aftermarket silicone pipes with the correct diameter and just cut them to length if so.

[Mickeyluv]

One end of the pipe has an annular retaining bulge where it pushes into the short expansion tank hose. I can machine up an adapter for that end. The other end has a push in O-ring fitting with two 'wings' that clip it in place and this is common to a lot of models. The pipe is fitted over a tapered/barbed Christmas tree stub and it looks to have been softened by heat and pushed on. It also looks like it shrink fitted as it cooled, because it so tightly follows the contours of the stub. When I carefully carved away the pipe with a scalpel there was no gap anywhere between the pipe and the fitting. 

The bore of the pipe is 3.7mm and I tried push fitting some thick wall 3mm bore silicone over it and it pulls right off with moderate force - it can't get sufficient purchase on the short stub and because it's tapered a clip won't fit. There are some versions of this fitting with a parallel barbed connection to take a flexible hose, rather than the semi-rigid pipe fitted to my car. It looks like it may be a different size altogether though. Difficult to tell from the pictures.

Flexible reinforced silicone would be a much better material as it could then be re-routed away from the DPF. The existing pipe runs too close in my view and perhaps this contributes to it going brittle.