New radiator from Advanced Factors (Nissens) - old hose (the smaller one above the bottom hose) that runs down to the transmission cooler.

Been installed for two weeks. After 20 mile drive big cloud of steam and coolant level warning.

Temp gauge held steady so drove on gently for last couple of miles to work (knowing how cool running the BMW diesel is!)

Lost @ 5 litres of coolant.

Clipped hose back on, feels nice and tight, topped up with coolant.

I have the drive home to contend with yet!

So old hose or new radiator that is the problem? .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

Last edited by Joe90 on 12th Oct 2013 4:28pm. Edited 1 time in total

old hose more likely I had same on mine. Jubilee is your friend.

Agreed. It's when your coolant temp drops that you've got to start worrying. i.e. when there's no water in the system and your sensor is recording the air temp inside the pipe. Si. <This is my name.

I eat rat poison.

A man ain't truly been insulted until he stands buck naked in front of a woman and she didn't even notice. Or care.

I believe Raymond had the same or a similar problem with a hose coming of after some work was done on the radiator (either hose or radiator replace). Been a while ago but the hoses aren't always staying on, has to do with some ratchet mechanism not always working well. MY 2010 5.0 SC Galway green and sand interior!!
Have the Faultmate MSV2 Extreme to be tinkering with the settings etc. !!

http://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic13813.html?highlight=raymond

Found it  MY 2010 5.0 SC Galway green and sand interior!!
Have the Faultmate MSV2 Extreme to be tinkering with the settings etc. !!

Jubilee Clips are your friend (again)

I made it home safely, kept to @ 2000 rpm, had to stop twice in the first few miles to top up with a further 3 litres of water after getting the Low Coolant bong again and again. (Interestingly, no bong for specific gravity not being right?)

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions

RRG's story calls into question my mechanic skills

My thoughts on the issue:

1. I didn't fit it properly ? Am pretty sure I did, there is not much to get wrong on these .....
2. The after market radiator connections not quite OEM? (maybe use a bit of ptfe tape?)
3. The clip on the hose not locating/strong enough, can this be bent in ?
4. High pressure?? - what can cause this??
5. Water pump gone ?? (see 4. above ??) Also the hose in question and the bottom hose not all that hot?

How to use jubilee clip on the hard plastic fitting? - or cut that off and just jubilee rubber onto rad connector ?

Also note I am running without viscous fan fitted. external temp @ 15 degrees today. .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

Rubber on Rad connector I think. Will picture mine tomorrow.

Tackled the resolution today. Removed engine undertray then pulled hose off and caught most of the fluid that dripped from the hole in the radiator. Brought hose out under the car to inspect, removed clip and bent the legs in to give them more spring. Then several trial fits to observe correct location. Once I was positive the clip was in line with the recessed ring I clicked into place. Then just for good measure used a jubilee clip (hand tight) over the end nearest the radiator. This should stop the clip springing out (although it didn't last time) and exact a small amount of purchase on the inner part of the mounting.

Poured 5 litres of neat antifreeze in to the tank (given all the water I put in on Wednesday), and started car to warm up. Takes blooming ages. No leaks. Time will tell ( I have 10 litres of coolant in the boot!) but at £25 per 5 litres of neat coolant I hope it is fixed. .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

I am not for the jubilee clip repair except as a 'get me home' measure.

Jubilee clips place very uneven pressure on the underlying tube. This was not an issue with the massively overbuilt copper rads of yesteryear, but on the very soft aluminum rads in the L322 it is not that great a solution.

The OEM joints are actually quite robust. If probs occur, they are generally the result of dirt in the catch grove or a faulty spring clip. I've never seen it, but theoretically the catch grove could be damaged as well - hard to imagine on a new rad, tho (it was a Behr aftermarket unit?).

This

Joe90 wrote:

and bent the legs in to give them more spring

should be perfect.  
RRC 2Dr, RRC 4Dr,
P38, and 2 L322s
(wife thinks I'm nuts - prob right, too)

Hi Steve

I was aware I wasn't getting an "even" application of pressure due to the shape of the plastic mounting, so I made sure the jubilee was past the connection point, and only really there to stop the spring clip from moving.

Anyway, two days in and holding fast (famous last words!)  .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

Hi Joe,
I understood what you were saying - that should not be an issue. You did say hand tight. I was referring more to the hose-on-the-radiator-tube-with-a-jubilee-clip-solution.

Another point with the hose mounted directly on the rad tube is that the tube is missing the bulge that is normally present for this type of connection, btw. 
RRC 2Dr, RRC 4Dr,
P38, and 2 L322s
(wife thinks I'm nuts - prob right, too)

Ah yes. I toyed with the idea of chopping the end off, but could see I would have to get the hose really hot to soften it enough to get it to fit, so didn't do that, and agree with you about the ally strength too

I remain amazed at the watertight fit of the hose connectors though, when you look at them and feel the looseness of the fit, it seems so unlikely that they won't leak, but they don't  .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999