How to Replace the Water Hoses in a VW Beetle
The VW Beetle is still the beautiful round vehicle you fell in love with in the 1960s. Of course, today's model is easier to operate, work on and drive. Pull the car up into your driveway and give it a good once-over. Check out everything, including the radiator hoses to see if they show wear. Replace the radiator hoses for the 1998 to 2009 models with a few easy steps.
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Things You'll Need
- Replacement hoses
- Flathead screwdriver
- Pliers
- Digital camera (optional)
- Marking pencil
- Utility knife
- Coarse sandpaper
- Jack and jack stands
- Adjustable radiator hose clamps
- Coolant
- Water
Instructions
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Remove Old Hoses
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1
Choose the hoses that fit your VW Beetle at your local auto parts store. The Beetle has a closed system, so the hoses are a little more costly than some vehicles. OES Genuine coolant hoses W0133-1736058 (upper) and W0133-1617939 (lower) will do the trick.
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2
Loosen the old clamps by turning the tension-controlling screw left with a flathead screwdriver. Use a pair of pliers to squeeze the tension spring clamp and move it to a more pliable area of the hose that's out of the way.
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3
Mark how high the old hose came on the machinery so you can put the replacement up the same amount and avoid leakage. Take a digital picture of the original placement so you can replicate it.
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4
Slit the hose downward a couple of inches below the insertion point and peel it away, as needed. Use a piece of coarse sandpaper to clean the area where the hose was stuck to the VW Beetle. Clean the other connection areas while they're free.
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5
Position a container below the radiator to catch the coolant mixture so it doesn't go into the storm drains and thus the groundwater. Jack up the VW Beetle one side at a time, put jack stands in place and let the car down on the stands.
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6
Open the drain plug or remove the bottom radiator hose to drain. Remove the top hose by slipping it off the radiator shroud at one end and the thermostat housing at the other. Discard all the used hoses and clamps. Sand the areas where the old hose met the VW Beetle parts to remove pieces of hose and other grit.
Install New Hoses
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7
Use adjustable clamps with screws for greater protection in holding the new hoses in place. Install the new VW Beetle hoses by reversing the steps you went through when removing the old ones.
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8
Place the clamps on the top hose and slide them toward the middle. Push the hose securely onto the top opening in the radiator shroud at one end and the thermostat housing (at the top of the water pump) on the other. Tighten each clamp by tightening the screw.
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9
Repeat the above step for the clamps and connect the next hose to the bottom radiator shroud at one end and the bottom of the engine at the other. Adjust clamps into place and tighten the screws. Close the drain plug, if applicable.
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10
Recycle the old coolant and fill the remainder of the radiator with a 50/50 combination of coolant and water to the cap line. Add more as it goes down into the radiator. Do this until it stops percolating and making room for more coolant.
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11
Start the VW Beetle's engine with the radiator cap still off. The thermostat will get warmer, and the fluid will drop as the coolant begins to circulate. Finish filling the radiator, as needed, put the radiator cap on and fill up the overflow reservoir to the "full" line.
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12
Check to see that the temperature gauge is no higher than before. Verify the drain plug is closed and there are no leaks at the hose connections or anywhere else.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Add lubricant to the inside of the radiator shroud at the connection to make the job easier.
If you have a "classic" Beetle instead of a "new" Beetle, this maintenance isn't necessary, because those are air-cooled and don't include a radiator.
Never leave spilled coolant in the driveway; it's toxic to animals.
