Heater hose at head - rusty mount

[Pablo M]

I’m in the process of stripping the engine bay to pull my head for a rebuild. 
I already drained the cooling system, pulled the radiator and all hoses, drained the block, etc. In every case the nipples the hoses connect to were fine, clean. Hoses look newish, all good, even the block drain, coolant came right out without any debris in the opening. 

I went to pull the heater hose at back of head and clearly was an old hose. When I pulled it the mounting nipple was crusty and rusty under the hose. 
Should I be worried or is this simply indicative of a heater system that hasn’t been used in decades? Car sat for 10 years at least. 
 

I have many receipts dating back to 1976, but in those only things related to cooling system are new radiator in 1997 and new water pump in 1984. I have no reason to believe the receipts are exhaustive or not so no idea if hoses are from 1997. They feel good, fresh and flexible, except the heater hose. 

[jgerock]

Common sight to see a rusty fitting at the cylinder head.  The aluminum coolant fitting at the front of the head is also notorious for corrosion damage.

[Mike Self]

So long as that hose nipple isn't perforated, it should be OK.  However, if you decide to change it, be VERY careful removing it.  A steel nipple of that diameter threaded into an aluminum head could strip out all the aluminum threads in the head if given half a chance...

 

mike

[John76]

Try sanding the rust off and applying JB-Weld to fill in low spots or holes.

Sand smooth and replace that old hose with a new one. Same for the nipple and hose to the intake manifold.

As an extra precaution, wrap the nipples with Teflon plumbers' tape on the outside for a leak-tight seal before attaching the new hoses. Don't try to remove them, if possible, as Mike @Mike Self said above. A "half a chance" is way too generous!

Good time to flush out the heater core and check the operation of the control valve. Who knows...even LA can get cold.

Attached pic is mine after cleaning up the corrosion...after a 19-year storage with no coolant in the system!

 

[calw]

That fitting might be the rustiest non-suspension bit on the 2002.  Removing it from the head seemed like the riskiest disassembly step on the car.  It seemed like the torque needed would make it collapse in on itself and shred the head's threads.  One of those one chance to get it right things.  

 

Then, installing a hard-to-find new replacement seemed like a breath of fresh air.

 

Recommendation to try removing it?  no comment