I was getting hit up by Aaron's Eccentric Garage about the list of Gates PowerGrip hose clamps required to do the FD and didn't see it posted to the community yet. These are my go-to clamps of choice now as I was tired of weeping hoses and clamps that dig into the rubber. These are great clamps and clean up the engine bay. Just use a heat gun to shrink them down and they have full 360 degree seal without digging into the hose and have a larger surface area of grip.

For the Upper and Lower hoses P/N 32948, 4qty

Heater hoses, heater core inlet and outlet, Left engine block rear and front lower off the water pump housing. P/N 32925, 8qty

Throttle body inlet and outlet, Turbo inlet and outlet, AST inlet and outlet P/N 32915, 12qty

 

Talk about timely. I was just searching for better clamping options for my rebuild last night. These look like great options.

My only hesitation at all is that the removal tool is rather bulky looking. Certainly requires more space to maneuver than a screwdriver. Do you sometimes just get in there with a sharp blade and cut it off manually?

And I suppose there might be some regret if you blow a radiator hose or something and can't do a roadside repair.

They do look pretty clean though.

 

full commitment on those hoses since they are not serviceable

 

@Sigma I have sliced them off without the special tool just using a small pair of flush cut wire pliers nibbling my way across the clamp the hoses were perfectly fine with no damage. Not to much more of a hassle.

@FDAUTO And yes the downside is they are not reusable.

 

I’ve run these on my FD for more than 5 years now with no leaks whatsoever. I switched due to the fact that my Vmount radiator design required me to place my old clamps in a position that was challenging to reach and tighten. All you do with these is get them in position and hit them with a heat gun as they shrink into position. Excellent product IMO, and totally cleans up your engine bay.

 

I do love the look. Thanks for the sizes….maybe someday.
But something just keeps telling me to stick with the OEM spring clamps. No digging, and I have a tool that makes dealing with them pretty easy.

 

I recently switched all my radiator hose clamps to these last month, recommended by JP3, they don't eat into the hoses and work great:
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/...058/11854977-P

Ideal Smart Seal Hose Clamp Size 28

 

OK there will probably be a lot of opinions on this.

First off, use Mazda OEM coolant hoses. They updated the material at some point in the past and they last FOREVER now. They fit right, are the right ID, you name it.

Second, stock spring clamps aren't sexy BUT THEY WORK. They expand and contract with heat cycles and maintain a constant tension on the hose. They also don't dig into and cut the hose.

When at all possible, use stock hoses and clamps. I've had my FD since 2004 and have been on the side of the road with a failed hose NO TIMES.

Aftermarket hose and "plain" worm drive clamps WILL FAIL ON YOU. Especially the parts store worm drive clamps that eat into the hose.

All that said, when it comes to hose clamps I like the Norma-Torro clamps. They are worm drive but do not cut into the hose, have a "fine thread" so they can get really tight, and are very well made and will not rust or goof up. I use them on intercooler couplers and the small hoses for the stock BOV/CRV. They won't damage silicone hose either. They have a certain clamping range so you do have to buy the right clamp for the application.

I think there are other clamps out there that are similar in design to the Norma-Torro.

But I only use OEM clamps on coolant hoses.

Dale