Hi,


Recently, I replaced the upper radiator hose (image 1). The smaller of the two burst and was oozing coolant. It was an easy change. After replacing the hose, I didn’t do anything special, I just added coolant, started the car and let it run in idle for few minutes and kept adding coolant as the level was getting low, until the coolant level became stable. Drove the car for 3 days and was adding a little coolant daily until the level stabilized. Couple days later, the low coolant light came on and there was coolant under the car. At the time, the under car cover was on, so it was hard to pinpoint the source. I removed the cover, jacked up the car and looked for the source of the leak, but could not find it. No stains or active drippings. I could see some coolant on the frame and some lower parts. I cleaned up all the coolant and left the under cover off, drove the car around and came back home, parked the car and immediately jacked it up and looked for leaks. There was none under the car or any drops that I could see. A day later, I drove the car couple miles then parked it. I then looked under it and I could see coolant under the left front (passenger side) almost to the left of the coolant reservoir. I was not at home, so I was not able to jack up the car and look for the leak and I was not able to see anything looking from the top. Drove back home and parked, but no coolant under the car. Raised the car and still could not find any wet spots or stains.


In addition the upper radiator hose, I’ve had the coolant reservoir and the hose that goes into it replaced about a year ago by me. The hose under the intake manifold was replaced about 2 years ago by a mechanic. At the time this hose was leaking I was not able to see coolant, but I could smell it. This time, I can only smell coolant if I get right above whatever next to the coolant reservoir. See image 2.


Any thoughts to where the leak might be coming from?


Thanks.



Image 1 - Upper radiator hose

Image 2

 

Normally the leak is due to cracking of the nipple that the small hose connects to on the header tank, but you say you replaced yours 2 years ago. It may still be this, showing a rather short service life ! The other leak point could be the plastic nipple on the moulding at the other end, I had such fail on a 3 litre a few years ago, and the technician insisted I leave the car with him due to the possibility of the hole moulded cap giving way and dumping all the coolant. When he took the hoses off it did, in fact, give way !

 

Auto zone and Advance auto part both have loaner tool with the right coolant cap in the test kit for you to pressure test the coolant system. It will take you longer to drive and return the tool kit than the actual test.

https://www.autozone.com/loan-a-tool...ure/449951_0_0

 

Thanks for the reply. I hope the issue is not within the hose under the intake manifold, as it would seem the most difficult to fix myself. Anyone can recommend a video or instructions for removing the intake manifold. I found a youtoube video, for an X-Type, not for an XJ8.

 

@annamiata, thanks for the reply. I didn't realize auto zone loaned this test kit. There is one near my house, I'll check them out tomorrow.

 

I got lucky today and saw the leak in action. It turned out to be from the upper radiator hose that I just replaced. It was intermittently leaking from the bottom end that goes into the radiator. This end had 2 tension clamps on the old hose. The new hose that I bought from the Jaguar dealer came with one clamp. I started with using two clamps with the new hose, but I don't have the right tool and had a hard time maneuvering the clamps with a standard pliers, so I decided to just use one, and I justified it because that's what came with the hose. It turned out the 2 clamps were on the old hose for a reason. For now, so not to remove the hose and have to struggle with the pressure clamps again, I used an adjustable clamp. Hope that will stop the leak.

 

Well done and thanks for letting us all know what the solution was. I guess that you were seeing the residue on the plastic cover from spray coming from the leak.

 

Get a BIGGER set of pliers, those spring clamps that come with the Jaguar hoses are the best for the job.
Not too tight, that can damage the plastic, but they keep just the right tension on all the joints.
Took me a while to warm up to them, but i really like them now.

 

 

You can buy the correct tool to take those off. Using plier is asking to have your eye put out or getting hit by them will defintly leave a mark. They're like vise grips with a special end. The cable ones are a pia except for the clamps the are hidden and to the side like the lower radiator hose. All the rest use the vise grip style
Yes don't use screw clamps. People tend to overtighten and break the radiator outlet and that piece is a known breaker with age anyway

 

Nowhere near as versatile as the tool I noted as you have just as much trouble accessing clips in tight locations as pliers.

The tool I use allows much easier access to clips on hoses in tight locations with the ability to rotate a clip easily to get it located properly.

You just cannot do that with pliers of any type.

 

Have never seen the vise grip tool you show.
Good sized ends on them, looks like they work well.
I have used tapered nose type vise grip, as well as the regular type of various sizes.
Also over sized pliers, channel locks, etc.

 

when you try to use that tool to slip over different hoses that are a bit tight youll then understand why a "professional" uses both. And most often the one i listed a picture of i use most often. You already posted the pic of the cable driven one so i say no reason to post again. Again i find the cable one i use way less than the pliers and i do these all day long

 

I have done the same as you with a LOT of frustration accessing the hose clips around the radiator.

When I discovered the tool that I pictured it was like night and day accessing hose clips in tight spaces. It was so easy to attach the clip attachment on the tool to the clip and
release the clip but more importantly was the ease in which I could replace a clip with the ability to maneuver the clip to the position I wanted.

As I say night and day. The tool is not expensive on Ebay which is where I got the picture.

 

Thank you all for your replies. For sure, the right tool makes a big difference. Will buy the specialized pliers so I can put the pressure clamp back on the hose. I was thinking about the tension when I was tightening the adjustable clamp and made sure not to over tighten.

 

john, the lower radiator hose clamp and several on the 2.0turbo are about the only places i have to use that tool. And youre correct when dealing wtih the hard ones its a god send. Why i have both tools at work and home.