So in my quest of doing simple things I've been doing some light maintenance here and there. Yesterday I installed brake lights in the rear fog light covers (makes me feel a bit safer) and today I figured I'd refresh my power steering fluid and change the leaking diesel return hoses.
The power steering went fine. Drained the box with the bolt on the bottom, changed filter, added fluid back, jacked her up a steered from side to side to get the air out, etc. All things considered took 15 minutes.

Awesome! Now time for the diesel return hoses. That all went fine as well, until I came to the last one. I pulled the old hose off, and it frikkin' tore in half right at the nipple.
So now I have a tiny bit of old hose still on there and I can't get it off. I am reluctant to put any kind of tool on there, I don't want to damage the nipple.

Anyone dealt with this before and has an awesome idea to get it off? I tried getting my fingernails underneath the hose to try and push it up a bit, but it's too stuck. I can spin it on the nipple, so it's not like it's fused to it or anything, but right now there's nothing left to pull on anymore...

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"The MB W123 is so bulletproof, you can drive them forever. Which is a good thing as it takes that long to get anywhere."
Betsie: 1984 W123 300D (hobby, 280k miles)
Myrla: 2001 Mazda Protege 2.0 ES 5spd (daily driver, 130k miles)
The Turd: 2007 Toyota Camry (wife's car, 118k miles)

I use a pliers and grab the stub of hose from the side - just enough to catch the hose and not the nipple. It will tear right off nice and clean. Just be careful you don't grab so much of the hose that you nick the nipple.

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Current Stable

• 380SL (diesel)
• Corvette C5
• Manx
• Baja Bug
• F350 Powerstroke
• Auburn Boattail Speedster replica

@Mach4
It was broken off below the nipple. Thanks for the advise. The "tear right off" gave me an idea. I grabbed an old razor blade and was able to very carefully cut it off.

All good to go!

__________________
"The MB W123 is so bulletproof, you can drive them forever. Which is a good thing as it takes that long to get anywhere."
Betsie: 1984 W123 300D (hobby, 280k miles)
Myrla: 2001 Mazda Protege 2.0 ES 5spd (daily driver, 130k miles)
The Turd: 2007 Toyota Camry (wife's car, 118k miles)

A stainless steel razor blade would not cut into the steel nipple. People use those to trim window film and not scratch the glass. But, I wouldn't worry about a regular razor.

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1984 & 1985 CA 300D's
1964 & 65 Mopar's - Valiant, Dart, Newport
1996 & 2002 Chrysler minivans

If it's broken off at or below the nipple, that's when I use the pliers technique. You just want to grab the hose remnant from the side and pinch it. The pinching will stretch the hose, and since it's already brittle it will just tear with no contact with the nipple. If the hose is still pretty pliable you might need to pull a bit either to tear it or pull upward to slip it off.

If you wanted to be a bit more precise, you could use an end nipper like this that would actually cut the side of the hose - again just be careful not to catch the nipple or the barb.

Attached Thumbnails

 

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Current Stable

• 380SL (diesel)
• Corvette C5
• Manx
• Baja Bug
• F350 Powerstroke
• Auburn Boattail Speedster replica

I use angled needle nose long reach pliers. I never pull the hoses straight up. the hoses all come off by grabbing the side of the hose, at the base of the nipple, pinching the entire side that is in contact with the nipple. they always pop right out.

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Bill, are you saying a stainless razor is softer than the nipple and window glass and will not cut into it?

I use long nose pliers or any pliers that can pinch the side of the broken hose stub. That will stretch or cut the hose and it comes off easily.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

My limited experiences with hose issues is to use heat. If there is a chance of damage otherwise. Or new hose will not go on fairly easy.

For new hose I use a short hot water soak then. For old hose that is going to be disposed of almost any form of heating goes. If the old hose is on a plastic nipple and really stuck I am careful to use only a little heat. It seems to almost always help. Heat from an open flame is usually never the best ideal with hoses.

Over time the old hose rubber seems to vulcanize to any metal nipple a little. That is why a radial turn of the hose first is commonly used to get rid of the bond.