Coolant hose problems lead to reliability issues for coach and bus operators, and at Euro 6 the heat generated in the engine bay is a further difficulty. One company says it’s found a solution
They’re oft-forgotten components of a coach or bus, but keeping coolant hoses in good order is a vital part of offering passengers a reliable service. And at Euro 6, with high engine bay temperatures, that’s not easy.
Fortunately for operators with Euro 6 vehicles, Birmingham-based fluid handling specialist hydraPower Dynamics has developed a hose that is specifically designed to work in this testing environment.
It is called oatMaster and it is fully resistant to organic acid technology (OAT) coolants, which must be used at Euro 6 because of the level of heat generation.
“We have designed oatMaster to combat the effects of OAT coolants and raised under-bonnet temperatures from Euro 6 engines, and for other coaches and buses that operate in extremely hot climates,” says Business Development Manager Adrian Perkins.
The construction of the hose is unique, says hydraPower Dynamics. “It has an impermeable liner with the addition of a barrier bonding layer wrapped in a high-grade SAE J20 silicone rubber for heat resistance,” adds Adrian.
“This is not simply a ‘run of the mill’ hose that is being portrayed as being OAT resistant. oatMaster is a genuine answer to the effects of OAT coolants, whereas other products just slow down the decay process.”
To back up hydraPower Dynamics’ claim, oatMaster was extensively subjected to the DIN 73411-2 dynamic pressure testing process over 1million cycles. It says that the results demonstrated that there was no sign of wear after the testing.
The hose has a specially-developed black internal barrier layer that virtually eliminates permeation through the hose, and it is available in straight lengths as well as in standard and bespoke shapes. Its typical temperature range is from -25oc to +225oc, and various colours can be supplied.
The manufacturer offers a five-year warranty as standard on all oatMaster hoses. “We are keen for operators to know that there is a lifetime cost answer to replacing hoses as often as they do currently. Some aftersales suppliers do not want consumers to find out about oatMaster, but we are confident that it is the answer to coolant hose problems with Euro 6 engines,” adds Adrian.
Tests show that oatMaster out-performs conventional coolant hoses in every field, and hydraPower Dynamics is attending Busworld Kortrijk in October on stand 887 to communicate its message to operators from around Europe.
Additionally, it will soon supply Cardiff operator New Adventure Travel with ‘oatMaster’ hoses on some of its fleet, where regular hoses are failing.
