I needed to replace the upper radiator hose on the passenger side and Jaguar sold me both upper hoses attached to the T-fitting with a new thermostat and its housing. They said that was the only way it's available.

I took the old parts off but am having trouble getting it back together. I started working from the top down, but after bolting the upper thermostat housing to the block I couldn't pull the lower housing down enough so that the thermostat could go in the upper housing. Maybe I shouldn't have put the lower housing in the lower hose before I got the thermostat up in the upper housing. ???

Then I took everything off and started over, working from the bottom up, but after getting the thermostat in both its housings I couldn't find room to bolt the upper housing to the block. What am I doing wrong? It might help to remove the driver's side cooling fan, but is that necessary?

Wish they had just sold me a new radiator hose like I used to do on other cars.

Bob

 

Hi Bob, I myself have only ever done this job on an XJ so can't really advise you - but even on that I do remember the available space for getting wrenches in was quite limited.. hopefully someone will be along shortly that can advise you on the best way forward

 

Hi Bob,
Sorry, but I've only just got back home and able to logon to the forum.

Have you progressed any further with this ? If not I will be happy to assist you as
I recently fitted a New Top Hose Assy and would be happy to go thro my procedure with you.

Please advise.....

 

THANKS Lcgi !

You're the first to reply that had knowledge of how to do this. I worked my way through this just before you wrote, it just took a long time.

In case it might help somebody in the future, here's 3 things I learned along the way:

- I had trouble mounting the T-fitting with its upper half of the thermostat housing to the block. There just barely wasn't enough room to get it on the 2 bolts, so I used a long breaker bar to nudge the driver's side cooling system fan forward 1/8". That made all the difference.

- I bought a flex-head ratcheting box wrench to tighten the 2 nuts on that upper housing. Had tried to do it with a deep socket, but that socket was so long it made it hard to work in there.

- I put the short cooling system hose that goes on the lower thermostat housing on the aluminum pipe under the engine, but then there didn't seem to be enough room to get the thermostat into its upper housing. I finally worked that hose down further on the Al pipe than it was meant to be, creating just enough room to get the thermostat in the housing and then pulled the hose back up to it's final position.

Maybe there's other ways to do this, but this is what worked for me. If you'd like to comment on how I did it, I'd be interested to know if there's an easier way, but thanks again anyhow.

Bob

 

Hi Bob,
As you have completed what appears to have been a successful instal of the
Upper Coolant Hose Assy. (shown in attached diagram) I will not labour too much on the best way to go about that. However, I will say there are three prerequisites one must follow to simplify the procedure because of the confined space.
1. Remove the Battery and Battery Housing
2. Remove the Air Cleaner and Housing and also the bolts holding the Air Intake Ports (x2) from the front chassis. Then move/wedge these as for forward as possible. This then gives you room to get into the space to fasten the T/Stat housing to the Engine Block - using regular 10mm spanner or socket.
3. Remove the spring clip in the Union to the left side of the plastic Tee section to separate the Tee. This then leaves you with a much smaller part to manoeuvre into place; (a) onto the two studs, (b) into the lower flex connection and the (c) Upper Radiator hose connection. Once those are complete - its just a matter of reconnecting the union with the spring clip to run the horizontal hose (its fix point) and the upper hose connection.
All up it takes about 45mins which includes reassembly of Air Filter, Battery Housing and Battery.

Hope this and the attached diagram helps.

 

Lcgi,

Hi. I did all the things you mentioned but still got stuck at the 2 points I talked about in my reply. Maybe you didn't have those problems; I hope you didn't.

Did you have trouble getting the upper thermostat housing onto the 2 bolts on the block? I tried for 5-10 minutes but was always just shy of enough room to do it until I nudged the cooling fan forward. Maybe our two cars are slightly different. I know the parts dept. at my local dealer always tells me that Jaguar makes numberous changes during a model year so that no one 2004 X-type, for instance, is exactly like most other 2004s. Just thought that might be a factor here.

Just a quick question about something else - do all 2003/2004 X-types have a very stiff suspension? I've had both years but my wife's Camry is much smoother and gentler on the bumps we all hit during the day.

Thanks again.

Bob

 

Hi Bob,
Yes, its a tight restricted area to manoeuvre the T/Stat housing onto the two studs... mainly because of the flex hose it must also engaged with - that is still attached to the oil cooler pipe below. But nonetheless, I was able to fit it onto the studs and get the two securing nuts started. Sure its a slow process tightening those two nuts (ring Spanner) but with the Air cleaner front/btm flange jammed forward.... can be done done in 1/4 turn increments - until tight.

Suspension:
There are two flavours of suspension struts , regular and sport..... depending on the Model of X-Type. If you have one of the Sport models... you will find Sport actually painted on the gas struts. (stiffer) The other factor is wheel size. e.g.; because the 16" standard wheel has more side wall - this adds to the ride softness and comfort factor - that 18" or 19" low profile tyres/wheels do not. Of course you need the stiffer Sport struts to get the best performance out of 18-19" low profile Tyres & Rims.

Finally, the seating is more cushioned and thus comfortable in the none sport X-Type Models.

Have a great week.....

 

Two additional clues that distinguish Sport and non-Sport versions:
+ The bumper accents are chrome on non-Sports, and painted to match the car on Sports
+ Same for the "Jaguar" accent piece on the trunk: chrome on non-Sports, and painted to match the car on Sports

FYI, on my 2002 Sport, the rims are 17 inch, compared to 16 inch rims on non-Sports.

Personally, I enjoyed the stiffer ride. But opinions are like smiles...... everyone has one, and no two are the same.

 

I am getting ready to do the same repair as the upper thermostat hosing pipe cracked while replacing the O2 sensor. I have all the components out and it looks like I should be able to get the two bolts, or at least the top one, from the top; is this correct?


To the members that completed the repair...did you have the front of your car on ramps or the car on lift or were you able to access the two bolts and hoses from the bottom with the bumper cover removed and the car on the ground?


Thanks all in advance for your time and valuable comments and recommendations.

 

Hi VTGBoss,
I jacked up the front of the car and put onto stands - just high enough to allow me to get my head and arms underneath the car to manoeuvre the T/Stat housing end - onto the Flex hose at thats attached to the Oil Cooler pipe and tighten that lower Jubilee Clamp. No need to remove front Bumper Cover itself - but its certainly easier if the lower black PVC trim (covering bottom of Radiator) is removed from bottom edge of Bumper Cover.

Good luck..... with yours.

 

Thanks Lcgi,


I have the black trim behind the bumper already off as well as the battery and air filter box and hoses going to the T assembly. Is there only one big hose coming down from the thermostat that needs to be removed? Is there any fluid left there after I drain the radiator? I plan to remove only the bolts that hold the assembly to the body and then slide the new assembly and tighten the same two bolts. Which is the best way to remove those two bolts? looks like the top one could be removed from the top and the bottom one from the side 9by battery using a ratchet and sockets; is this your experience or is it better to remove the bolts from the bottom?


I could reconnect the battery to start the care and drive it onto the ramps, but or might be easier to just use jacks/jackstands to lift the front of the car and slide the ramps under the tires. I feel safer with the ramps than with jacks.


Thanks in advance for your time.

 

Its up to you whether you use Stands or Ramps (both safe enough) but remember the higher the car is off the floor - the more awkward it will be for you to lean over the front end - to fit what is required. (unless you have a strong spine and/are 7ft tall)

I also assume that when you have the car where you want to work on it = that you have emptied the radiator - via the lower drain plug. There will always be some water that comes out of any joints you break. but nothing that an old towel will not mop up and take care of.

SO......
Below the two bolts holding the T/Stat housing to the Engine Block.... there is only the one flex-hose connection which joins to the Oil Cooler pipe. I assume the flex-connector is still attached to the Oil Cooler Pipe. So from under the car, slip the Plastic Barb into the flex-connection and nip up that joint first - there is enough vertical movement remaining in the vertical plastic Tee assy. (with Oil Cooler Pipe now attached) to then manoeuvre it onto the two studs of the Engine Block. Note: both securing nuts can be fitted from above and tightened (o-ring seal) with a regular spanner - as explained earlier.

Regards,
Larry E.

 

VTGBoss,

I got to the top bolt for the upper thermostat housing from above, but went underneath for the lower one. I jacked the left side of the car up and then put a jack stand under that side of the car for safety.

I realized from the posts from Lcgi that he installed the thermostat and its housing all in 1 piece, and that's probably the easiest way to do it. When I started the job I thought it would be better to unbolt the 2 parts of the housing, but that creates another problem - how to have enough room to get the thermostat in the upper housing when the upper housing is already bolted to the block and the short hose on the lower housing is on the aluminum pipe where it belongs. If I were doing the job again I would leave the thermostat in it's housing.

With all the good advice we've gotten I hope you have an easier time than I did.

Bob

 

Lcgi and Bob Swaney,


Yes, most of the coolant spilled on the driveway when the housing cracked anyway. I used the screw-on plug on the radiator to drain it but I understand there is another on the engine itself; do I have to drain both or can I just l can I just place a pan under the thermostat when I remove that hose.

Is this the wrench you used?
5 Pc Metric Flex-Head Combination Ratcheting Wrench Set

I Imagine this would be the one to use for the top nut or can is use a regular flat wrench? Do you know what size are the nuts looks like they would be 12-13mm. The bottom one requires probably just a plain socket with a long extension (maybe a swivel joint), is this correct.


Thanks in advance.

 

Nope, theres no need to drain the engine block.... because the front end is raised. You may get perhaps a cup full of Coolant - after you break the T/Stat housing from the Block. (an old towel will handle that OK)

From memory I think I used a standard 10mm (ring one end/open spanner)
which is only about 4 inches long. No room for anything longer.

 

I managed to change out my thermostat and housing from underneath the car in about 20 minutes this weekend on my 2002.

Had to loosen the lower hose clamp where it attaches to the metal pipe and removed the 3 8mm bolts holding in the thermostat assembly and then it came right apart. Didn't drain the cooling system just put a bucket under where I was working to catch the gallon or so of coolant that came out.

It was a very simple process and after the thermostat and housing assembly was out, I swapped the short lower hose from the old one to the new one, put a thin film of grease on the new o-ring and buttoned it back up.

Overall it was much easier than it looked.

 

Why did you do that? (change the thermostat)
and.... from where did you buy a new one?

 

I changed it out because my daughters Jag was pushing all the coolant out of the overflow tank. I had previously swapped the tank, water pump, and some hoses and since it was still doing it, I went to the next most likely culprit.

Picked it up on e-bay for $25 and it works great but unfortunately didn't fix my problem, it turns out that the aftermarket radiator cap on the cheap tank I bought was part of the problem because after I put the new tank on it started emptying the tank every 2 days.

With an OEM style cap back on it, now instead of needing a quart a day it's down to about a pint but for some reason it's still pushing coolant out the overflow tank and every once in a while the temp gauge will rise sitting in traffic.

I'm starting to think it's either a bad fan control module or (hopefully not a head gasket). Since it's my daughters car I only get to work on it after the fact and for some reason it'll work just great when I'm driving it or letting it idle for 30 minutes in the driveway. The fans seem to work great and it doesn't overheat when I'm at the wheel.

 

Hmmm.... sounds like you have an over pressure condition and as coolant is therefore lost as result... then obviously over temperature situations result.

I would investigate high probability theres a blockage/restriction in the Coolant System (try a pressure Test and Back flush)

 

Itmax: Is coolant overflowing the reservoir after you work on the coolant system, but it happens only once - the first time your daughter drives the Jag?

If 'yes', perhaps it's caused by a bubble of air trapped in the engine and/or heater core that expands in the hot engine, forcing coolant to overpressure and overflow.

Try one of Thermo's many tricks, at the bottom of this thread: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-please-29531/

To "burp" your Kitty (boy does that sound funny), you are supposed to fill the system up as much as you can. Then you are supposed to pinch off the hoses going to the heater core in the dash (only need to pinch 1 hose). Now, start up the car and let it come up to temp. This will force maximum flow through the block, pushing all the air out of the system. Then you can release the clamp, let some flow occur and then block it off. Pinch/unpinch the hose a few times and all should be good.