Hello everyone, I am the owner of a 97 Del Sol Si. Recently my radiator blew out so I ordered a Spec D aluminum radiator. The fan fits on, it's the perfect size, the only problem is that the inlet and outlet ports are too big for the hoses, I tried stretching out the hoses but the ports are just too big. I ordered some silicone hoses but they where the same size as the stock hoses and there is no chance of them fitting. What is a solution to this that doesn't involve stretching the stock hoses? Thank you in advance!

 

did you try lubricating the radiator ports with WD40 or something?

 

Try using del sol vtec hoses.

 

I tried oil, Vaseline, prying the hose, The port of the radiator is about the same diameter as the outside of the hose, so there is no way of stretching it out over the port. I was hoping someone knows of larger diameter hoses that would fit, hopefully silicone but if rubber is all the is then so be it.

 

I ran into the same problem on my car (94 Civic CX). It took an extreme amount of effort but I was eventually able to get them on. My guess is the B-series hoses probably have the correct diameter and the Del Sol VTEC model is where I'd start as well.

 

You likely have received the Del Sol Si VTEC (DOHC) radiator which has 1/8" larger fittings than the SOHC Del Sol S and Si models. I don't suggest you get larger hoses because you will have difficulty sealing the hoses on the engine side because they will simply have no resistance when slipped over the corresponding water neck... just contact the seller and get the appropriate radiator with the smaller diameter inlet and outlet swapped out with the one you received.

 

spit usually gets the job done for me

 

hahah spit, eh? cool, the universal lubricant!

yeah this radiator is the wrong one for your car, get the correct one. All I've had to do is lube up the inside of the radiator hose with some coolant on my finger. That's usually enough for it to slide easily onto the radiator. it's not that difficult, and if it is, the radiator is the wrong one.

 

yes im new, but yeah i would say you have the b16 delsol si hoses, your only solution for a proper fix is the correct radiator so the sizes match on the engine side

 

Not exactly true.

All the all aluminum dual core radiators marketed and produced for the civics/sols all use B-series rad hose inlet and outlets.

It's pretty well known that if you go to put an all aluminum radiator in your civic or d-series del sol that you also have to get the two main hoses for the b-series motor. Or fight like a dog fitting the d-series hoses onto the radiator.

 

FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!

It worked for me.

 

When I had to replace my radiator on a road trip, the local NAPA was stocking performance radiator, and 1 p/n for all the '94 Civics, including Del Sol DOHC VTEC. How can that be I asked? The counter guy opened the box for me and we saw there were inserts that fit over the inlet and outlet to accomodate the larger B series hoses.

Back in the day when Performance rad sold all metal radiators, you could get the correct size inlet and outlet for B series Del Sol.

 

Okay maybe saying ALL is a bit much being all inclusive.

Most of them you see now a days on both ebay and amazon.com and even aliexpress.com have the larger b-series inlet/outlet. And there have been many a discussion on this exact issue.

I have seen with a nice fight and some universal lube (spit) they put the D-series hoses on the slightly larger mouths of the b-series designed radiators.