yet another problem with my poor XJ.
I just got the fuel pump back together and was warming her up for the maiden voyage with the new pump and the darn top hose pops off. Didn't even get it out of the drive way.
Any way here is what I found after the hose slipped off.
http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/t...p/100_4120.jpg

Ya it looks pretty rotten and the plastic pipe is kinds soft and easy broken as seen in this video..
http://s593.photobucket.com/albums/t...t=100_4121.flv
(the lil voice in the background is my son planning his 7th birthday..only 10 months in advance)
So is this the distribution pipe or the t-stat housing? Does anyone know how much or where I can get this from.
While the coolant was pouring down my driveway I noticed that it was mostly green, but looks to have some red in it also, Dex-cool? I thought that stuff was orange. Isn't the Toyota stuff red..ish? I guess this means a total flush of the cooling system for my Pretty Vickie. Should I use the recommened Dex-cool or will the standard green coolant be fine.

Thanks again for help, I know I've asked alot lately!
You guys ROCK!!!

 

Im blocked from photobucket at work, but you can buy a metal t stat housing from Ken @ motorcars. and youll need the crossover pipe too. yes they rot overtime and when theyre warm you can pretty much crumble them. REplac the T stat while youre there and pop off the pddle ball on top so it doesnt surge, and or suck the lower hose flat as it cools down. I alsways used Jag long life coolant...but then I get it for free.Im sure Jagtech or someone else could help with alternatives. Make sure you replace the t stat cover, I dont know how much comes with the housing from Motor cars, but you need to replace it all now, and you may also want to pop for the heater hoses under intake since you need to lift the intake also to do the back 2 bolts in the t stat housing

 

Is there a reason for the hose popping off like pressure build up from a bad headgasket or a failed t-stat, or does it just slip off over the end of the rotton pipe?
For A quick fix I just pushed the hose up as far as I could get it and put the clamp back on in a spot I thought was still strong. I realized this is probably what the old owner did since it smelled like coolant and had no leaks, but I have to use this car as my daily driver so I'll have to gather the parts and hope she holds on for another couple weeks.

 

(putting my environmental engineer hat on for a minute)

If you see any coolant headed towards the street, grab some towels and try to keep it from getting into the storm sewer system. A little towel dam and some kitty litter will keep that toxin from getting downstream and hurting wildlife and possibly into the next towns water supply system (i.e. on a river or lake)

I'm wondering how the coolant could have looked green, then red? If it was truly a mixed coolant (the red and green stuff) shouldn't it have already mixed together in the system to come out purple? lol

 

I did soak it up with a towel and a roll of blue shop towels.
I was wondering the same thing about the colors. It was mostly green but had like a red racing stripe down the side that came and went as I was letting some of it drain. I'm wondering why it wouldn't have just mixed. I didn't see any red in the pan after it was all done, but by the time I looked and saw what had happened and then got a pan the red flow had stopped. Maybe I was just seeing things, I was pretty angry at that exact moment because I had just detailed the car inside and on and when the hose came off the hood was open and it splashed coolant all over the front of my car.

 

you can do that, and like I posted in another thread, that little check ball(remove it woth pliers when you have it out,or are installing a new 1) on the thermostat can cause a vacuum on the lower hose side of the T stat causing it to suck flat and work off the cover. But as youve already noticed..the plastic does rot for lack of a better word, and THAT meens time to replace. So in the meentime, reclamp, and leave the reservoir cap loose so it sdoesnt build pressure in the system and blow the hose or something else off in the meentime. By loose I meen tighten, then back off enough so pressure wont build

 

What cause the pressure in the cooling system like that? Unless a hose or thermostat is bad?

 

OK, what am I not relating proplerly? that lower hose when the car cools off many times because of that "1 way check ball being clogged on the top of the thermostat, will cause the lower hose to suck flat, which is slowly working the hose off the cover to the thermostat, and then finally pops off, youre just lucky it did it at home

 

You can replace the thermostat housing w/o lifting the intake. A bent wrench can used to remove the two rearward 8mm bolts securing the T-Stat housing to the engine block. The front two bolts may be accessed using a ¼” drive and swivel; but the rear two bolts have limited access.

The bent-wrench should be used in conjunction with a needle nose vice grip, and another regular style vice grip twisting the first.

The box head end provides for a tight and secure grip on the 8mm bolts. Using the vice Grips, there is plenty of torque available to tighten the housing base down without fear of stripping the bolts or scraping your knuckles. Forget about the ground down sockets, or pulling up the intake manifold ... this is the tool to use.

Additional Replacement Notes:

Shorter Bolts in Two Rear Holes

When replacing the new aluminum housing, use the 8mm bolts that attach the T-Stat cover to the OEM plastic housing. They are a little shorter which allows for them to be inserted easier. I used needle nose pliers to first insert them in the rear holes.

Grind Screwdriver Slots in the Rear Bolts

It is simply too tight in there for you to get anything more than the tip of a finger on these bolts. Use a dremel or similar tool to cut cross slots in the heads of the two rear bolts. These slots will allow a screwdriver to turn down the bolts until they become snug. A screwdriver makes it easy. Then use the bent-wrench for final tightening.

 

I understand Brutal, and thanks for the extra description. I felt both the hoses after a decent drive today and they are both equally hot so the water pump is working and the t-stat is too. I did not get a chance to rise the RPMs while I watched to see if the hose is sucking shut or not, but on other cars I've had and that I have heard of the engine tends to heat up if the hose collapses. But I guess it will be different if it happens after the car is shut off. Is there a way to make this happen to see it happen? The hose felt strong when I squeezed it.
Awesome tips Gordo, I've used a few of those in the past, but its nice to be remined.

Any Ideas on which pipe this is and the cost from a dealer, or an upgraded one?

 

I'd get the aluminum T-stat housing w/ new thermostat for approx $100. While I was there, I'd replace the water pump with one that had a metal impeller too. Those also are under $100. Not sure on the plastic manifold pipe, but its not very much.

Finally, get the two big radiator hoses. Even if you don't want to replace them now; put them in the trunk with your spare tire. There's nothing like bursting a Jaguar radiator hose out in the middle of nowhere, 2 days away from getting a replacement. gordo

 

Brutal, could not open jpgs of the bentwrench. Could you email them to me at majbill@hotmail.com. I am starting this procedure on my 02 VDP.
Thanks,
Bill

 

Wouldn't it be a simple exercise to solder up a hose manifold pipe out of copper pipe and fittings?

If no one points out any obvious reasons why this would be an issue, I think I'll try it when I replace my water pump in the near future.

 

i had the same problem with my first jag,driving along and a big cloud of steam appeared AAAGH ! Pulled over realised it was the top hose that popped off,filled it up with water and got it home,put in a new t stat and water pump.the fins on the water pump were worn but lucky i had a new one from a friend at hand,replaced the hoses n put jubilee clips instead of the jag clips as i didnt have them,but to this day its going strong.i went a 700mile run in it last week to my cousins as he bought it.
so i hope yours holds out too !