The bottom hose is difficult and does need a little perseverance. Use soapy water to make it easier to slip it on.

You will need to trim the hose so it does not rub on anything. This was done in the factory to prevent rubbing. If you do not trim it you will be replacing it again, especially on a Marelli car because it will rub on the CPS wiring clip.

 

I also loosen the rad top panel, so the radiator is a tad sloppy.

This "usually" allows the rad to move a SMALL amount to the RH side, and that hose to "just fit".

With the OE fan set up, oh boy, fun by the hour. I run Efans, and access is way easier.

 

 

I took a large chisel, ( not sharp) and a hammer and hit a few times on metal that was tight against hose, just enough to clear the hose. Did not harm anything and hose is a breeze to attach.

 

I will try that thanks

 

Brinny
First attach the hose, but only semi-tighten the clamps. Then see what is touching where. Push the hose free using a bit of wood, cut to a wedge if that helps, so a gap between the hose and any metal is kept open (a bit safer than a chisel, even if blunt). Twisting the hose on the rad and engine ends can also make it clear the engine better. Then leave the wood in place and tighten the clamps. If the hose stays free when the wood is removed, all good. If not, put it back and having filled the engine with coolant start the car and let it tick over for about 20 mins and get it all nice and hot. Let it cool and remove the wood. With luck the gap will now be OK.
I got so fed up with the thing that I got a copper/nickel metal flexible hose from a company called Coolflex (now seems defunct) but stainless flexibles are available, though I do not know if stainless is as good as copper/nickel.
https://www.summitracing.com/int/sea...ion/upper-hose
They can be easily bent to clear everything and are fitted using short rubber hoses each end. You need a reducer hose for the water pump fixing as that end is a wider diameter than the rad - I got one from viper Performance.
https://www.viperperformance.co.uk/s...cone-hose.html
So far since 2011 the metal flexible and the joiners have held up very well.

 

What Greg said.

And yes it is a PITA job, but if you do not trim the hose it WILL rub a hole and you will replacing it again.

Fit the hose and check where it is rubbing, trim the ends of the hose, ie shorten the hose so it does not touch anything.

They usually rub on the chassis rail and if the car has Marelli ignition it will also rub on the clamp holding the CPS wiring.

 

Oh, brinny, you brought back painful memories...

I still remember the first time I had to change bottom hose like yesterday. That was a cruel way to get introduced to the joy of owning a Jag with V12. It took me maybe 2 or 3 hours just for this part alone, with multiple periods of cursing in between.

To me, it is a case of perseverance. Just be patient with it and you will figure it out. Eventually. The satisfaction at the end of the process is what makes it worth it: another victory of the Man over the Machine.

Since the first time (which was the most painful and took the longest), I changed the hose two more times. With every new try, it gets easier. By the third time, it was almost a breeze and (almost) no cursing.

The way I learned to make it easier is by raising the front of the car high enough (very high) because I know I need to work both from the top and from underneath during different phases of the process. So, I try to make it as easy to change positions as I can. Second, I try to de-clutter the area around the bottom hose as much as I can. I remove or move away all secondary hoses, including complete removal of the expansion tank, This last part is not necessary. But given that it is very easy to remove the expansion tank, I take it off for cleaning every time I change coolant. Removing the expansion tank can provide extra leverage (and space).

Good luck with your bottom hose job! Just be patient and you will get it done. (Swearing oftentimes helps...)

 

I still stand by my fix.
The way I did it no harm whatsoever.
A factory screw up to start with.

 

Thanks greg

 

Let us know what your fix was.

 

brinny, if you still have the old hose trim that up and test fit it so it does not rub on anything then cut the new hose to the same size. I would not recommend taking a hammer to the chassis rail.

 

I recommend A blunt chisel and hammer, couple of hits and bent enough to get hose on off easy.
Only takes about a minute once under the car.
Absolutely no harm in doing this. I would not wedge anything against the rad outlet as you could get a flat spot and clamp might not seal.

 

In the first pic you can see where my hose has been rubbing on the rail and the weld, there is also a corresponding indentation in the hose from the weld. This part of the car is structural that weld holds the front subframe mounting. Remember the engine and wheels are connected to the subframe so there is considerable force, bending here could weaken the structure.

Second pic the screwdriver is pointing at the Marelli CPS wiring clamp this also will rub on the hose and mine has rubbed through the hose. I am going to try moving the cable clamp to the bolt under where it is now and see if the hose misses it.

 

 

Mac

I think we are at cross purposes here. I was not talking about removing a stuck hose from the rad outlet - where a careful use of a blunt chisel would be a good idea. I thought you were originally referring to using the chisel as a means of bending or forming the hose along its length to prevent it chafing on the engine.

 

What is needed to solve this problem once and for all is a modern, exactly moulded so as to ensure it touches no engine parts, Kevlar reinforced silicone hose, with an exact expanded diameter for the pump end immediately narrowing down for the general length to the diameter of the rad outlet. It would need a special moulding tool to be created (about 100 USD) and thereafter each one would probably come out at about 40 USD. Such a hose would last forever.
If any 10 of us were interested, I will find out precise costs; also, this hose might well be of interest to aftermarket suppliers, so it could easily wipe its nose, costwise.

 

I'm interested

 

Two down, 8 to go
Greg