How to Replace the Water Hoses in a Plymouth Voyager

Go by your local auto parts store to buy the preformed radiator hoses needed for your Plymouth Voyager. Gates brand is always a good choice; the upper hose is #22212, and the lower is #22225. If your auto parts store does not have Gates, other hose brands will work as long as they apply to a Plymouth Voyager.

Loosen the screws on the adjustable radiator clamps with a flathead screwdriver. Let the car down on the jack stands after jacking each side up individually. Move the clamp down on the hose and out of the way. If you find tension spring clamps holding the original hoses, use a pair of pliers to squeeze each clamp and move it out of the way.

Take a digital picture of the original placement so you can replicate it. Mark where the old hose came to on the machinery so that you can put the replacement up the same amount and avoid leakage.

Use a piece of coarse sandpaper to clean the area where the hose was stuck to the automobile part. Remove the old hose by peeling it away from the vehicle areas where it is stuck. Clean the other connection areas while they are free.

Place a container below the radiator to catch the coolant mixture so that it does not go into the storm drains and thus the groundwater. Pour the mixture back into an empty coolant bottle.

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 of the used hoses and clamps. Sand the areas where the old hose met the Plymouth Voyager parts to remove pieces of hose and other grit.

Make use of adjustable clamps with screws for greater protection in holding the new hoses in place. Install the new Plymouth Voyager hoses by reversing the steps you went through when removing the old ones.

Set the clamps on the top hose and slide toward the middle of the hose. 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.

Repeat the above step for the clamps and connect the 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 screw.

Reuse the old coolant if it is still clean and finish filling the radiator with a 50/50 mixture of coolant and water to the cap line. Refill it more as it goes down into the radiator. Do this until it stops percolating and making room for more coolant.

Start the engine with the radiator cap still open. The thermostat will get warmer, and the fluid will drop as the coolant begins to circulate. Finish filling up the radiator. Replace the radiator cap and fill up the overflow reservoir to the line that is marked "full."

Check to see that the temperature gauge does not run higher than it should. Be sure that the drain plug is closed and there are no leaks at the hose connections (or anywhere else).