How to Replace the Water Hoses in a Chrysler Town & Country

The Chrysler Town & Country minivan is great for growing families. It combines reliability and luxury to help everyone get what he wants. The V-6 engine keeps you from having the heavy engine of a larger van, and a few amenities round out the comfort. You only have to take care of a few things. Here's how to replace the water hoses in a 2000 to 2008 Town & Country van.

Instructions

Remove Old Hoses

1

Get the hoses that fit your Chrysler Town & Country at your local auto parts store. Gates brand is item 22625 (upper) and 22626 (lower). The personnel at the auto parts store will be able to show you a comparable hose if that brand is out of stock.

2

Unfasten the clamps by turning the tension-controlling screw left with a flathead screwdriver. Move it down the hose and out of the way. Use a pair of pliers to squeeze a tension spring clamp and move it to an area of the hose that is more pliable so it is out of the way.

3

Mark where the old hose came to 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.

4

Peel away the hose if it is stuck on the radiator or engine. Slit the hose downward a couple of inches below the insertion point and unwrap it as needed. Use a piece of coarse sandpaper to clean the area where the hose was stuck to the automobile part. Clean the other connection areas while they are free.

5

Block the Chrysler Town & Country wheels and jack it up one side at a time. Put the jack stands in place and let the car down on the jack stand. Place an empty container below the radiator to catch the coolant mixture so it does not go into the storm drains and thus the ground water.

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 Chrysler Town & Country parts to remove pieces of hose and other grit.

Install New Hoses

7

Install the new Chrysler Town & Country hoses by reversing the steps you went through when removing the old ones. Use adjustable clamps with screws for greater protection in holding the new hoses in place.

8

Position the clamps on the top hose and slide 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.

9

Repeat Step 2 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 the clamps into place and tighten the screw.

10

Recycle the old coolant if possible. Fill the radiator the rest of the way with a 50/50 combination 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.

11

Turn on the Chrysler Town & Country. The thermostat will get warmer and the fluid will drop as the coolant begins to circulate. From here you can finish filling up the radiator. Adjust the radiator cap and fill up the overflow reservoir to the line marked "full."

12

Check to see that the temperature gauge is no higher than before. Verify that the drain plug is closed and there are no leaks at the hose connections or anywhere else.