Lower Radiator Hose, WTF...
 

So I just wasted the better part of a day trying to get the lower radiator hose to fit on a 1987 Mazda RX7 Turbo-II. I originally bought the Gates 20900 molded hose, which was way too short, not to mention went into the barbs on the pump housing and radiator at the wrong angle. This is what it looked like, after fiddling with the orientation, flipping it repeatedly, and coming up with the best possible position:

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...8fb181c605.jpg

Not even close. I decided to give Gates the benefit of the doubt and assumed they mislabeled a different hose before shipping it to me, since the upper radiator hose I got fit perfectly. So I walked into an Autozone and compared my hose to a brand new one in stock. Completely the same. Ended up walking out with the Dayco 71050, which is a cut-to-fit hose. Again, same story:

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...701565fb88.jpg

It was deliberately cut short to illustrate how messed up the angle was, so no, it wasn't just that I don't know how to cut radiator hoses to fit.

Well anyways, that was my daily gripe. I'll be buying a flexible hose tomorrow morning and saying goodbye to the BS. I already searched, and apparently I'm the only one with this issue.

I'm still curious though, does anyone know why I might be having these issues? The only thing I changed was the water pump housing for a brand new, OEM one from Mazda that was designed for the exact year and model of my car. I'm drawing blanks and it's driving me nuts.

why not buy an OEM hose? it would have fit, and they last forever

I had the same problem on a Gates hose I got from Rock Auto. not sure if it is the same part#. I am using it now since the Godspeed radiator is thicker. Even so it is still almost too short.

In my case the Gates was $4 or $5 on closeout. Ended up wasted money at first as I just reused the hose I had till I ended up with the new radiator. OEM is a nice part.

Glad to see I'm not the only one either. Also ordered mine from Rockauto.

I'll try that tomorrow morning. Forgot to buy the flex hose this morning, so I'll give the OEM one a shot. I honestly would have reused my old one, had it not partially melted onto the water pump housing and forced me to hack it off.

Dealership didn't have one in stock, so I ordered one off Atkins. Arrives Thursday. Not sure how I'll respond if this one doesn't fit either.