Braided brake hoses for V6

[Adrian]

Neither Goodrich or Black Diamond list the V6 in their applications.
I found an eBay'er selling <a href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vauxhall-Calibra-Turbo-Goodridge-Braided-Brake-Hose-Kit_W0QQitemZ290073465688QQihZ019QQcategoryZ23013QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViwItem#ebayphotohosting" target="_blank">Vauxhall Calibra Turbo Goodridge Braided Brake Hose Kit</a> part code SVA0995-4

And <a href="http://www.goodridge.co.uk/buy-goodridge-hoses.php?mk=333" target="_blank">goodridge.co.uk</a> list
Calibra 16V 1992 - on A SVA0990-4 @ £54.00
Calibra Turbo 1996 A SVA0995-4 @ £54.00

I'm assuming that the V6 is the same as the Turbo - but then mine's a '94

Anyone been here, done this?

[Adrian]

Taken a gamble on the ebay item. Fingers crossed :unsure:

[Tim2001]

Adrian fronts will be fine rears however require an adaptor which black diamond amongst others sell.

[Adrian]

Adrian fronts will be fine rears however require an adaptor which black diamond amongst others sell.

Hi Tim. I haven't looked at what's on the car yet (and I've can't find my EPC disc :banghead: ) but I've got the hoses and the Goodridge sticker on the pack says VAUXHALL CALIBRA TURBO 1996.

Is it the case then that the turbo has a different equalizer or something like that? If not and I actually owned a turbo - then I'd be expecting Goodridge to "buy"me whatever adaptor it required ^_^

[Adrian]

I found my EPC disc at last ^_^



The list makes it seem as though the modulator isn't fitted to FWD vehicles like the turbo. But the picture of the modulator used for the V6 shows a female thread on one end and a male on the other anyway - so it looks as though it should just sit "in-line" between the M10 coupling on the rigid hose coming from the front of the car and the flexi hose.

Both ends of my Goodridge flexi hose for the rear have a female thread - one to couple to the M10 connector on the end of the rigid pipe to the rear caliper, and one to couple (presumably) with the male thread coming out of the modulator. It all seems OK on paper!

I'll cuss if I get under there and pull it all apart and you're right Tim (which you probably are) :banghead:

[Adrian]

Tim was right and I cussed.

Here's the Goodrich rear hose with a female thread at each end in-line with the modulator it's supposed to couple with:




Here's the original hose with the male thread that goes in the modulator:



Now I need the male-to-male adaptor which Goodrich are asking a tenner for :angry:

I think I'll give up anyway - I bought a "professional" 10mm spanner to undo the rigid pipe unions (as recommended by Topbuzz!) and as soon as I used it, it rounded-off the shoulder of the hex nut (see top right in the photo above)

HOW THE HECK DO YOU UNDO THESE COUPLINGS WITHOUT DESTROYING THE NUTS?

I ran the spanner over a few more examples and they all started to go pear-shaped. There's not enough space to get mole grips on there - which is the only other way I could think of undoing/re-doing them.

[Adrian]

HOW THE HECK DO YOU UNDO THESE COUPLINGS WITHOUT DESTROYING THE NUTS?

Answer:
:banana:

Doh! I should have remembered - there's a special damn tool for every job!

[Tim2001]

Adrian have a word with fatlads over on clubvauxhall.net as he had a supply of these adaptors before

[Adrian]

Well, I finally got the necessary male-to-male couplings and fitted the hoses.

I can't say I'm overly impressed with the fidelity of these Goodrich hoses with the factory originals. On both front and rear hoses, the end that terminates on the brackets on the car body don't have the same profile as the originals. On the rear the neck of the coupling floats about freely in the hole in the bracket - it hasn't got the key that oriented the original and is a smaller diameter. It only just holds in there really. The fronts also have a similar problem - instead of having a mating flat (D shape) it's just a slightly smaller diameter cylinder that fits in the D-shaped hole - without locking.

This actually worries me a bit - presumably the reason for the flat on the originals was to prevent the steering twisting the flexi-hose around in the bracket. Any twisting going on up at the bracket end is now acting directly on the union coupling the flexi-hose to the rigid pipe. I don't like the idea of this releasing the nut or twisting the rigid pipe. The only thing stopping this happening now is the spring-clip - and that's only meant to keep the assembly in the bracket - not stop it rotating.

I think Goodrich are cutting corners (well, actually failing to cut corners :excl: ) by issuing these plain round couplers. I can't believe they suit any vehicle!