1999 XK8 lower radiator hose replacement.
#1
10-28-2018, 12:20 PM
1999 XK8 lower radiator hose replacement.
Well, I've been wrestling with the low coolant light for a while now. I could NOT locate the leak and just kept putting water in (not coolant with the constant invisible leak...slap me later). The other day when putting water in, just by chance I saw a drip. There was a tiny pin hole right by the upper hose clamp.
I bought a replacement from RockAuto and "the war" began. I'm assuming it was the original hose, all soft and held in place by the standard horrible jaguar hose clamps. The factory clamp was positioned in such a way that I'm confident the hose was put on before the radiator was installed. If looking straight at the outlet port of the radiator, the looped end of the clamp was positioned about 2:00.
Here's the process I used:
1) To get the clamp off I had to take a heavy wire coat hangar (Think finishing nail thickness) cut it, make a hook on one end and slipped the hook through the "looped" end of the clamp. Not really "looped" It's the end with the hole in it. I had to bend the wire 90 degrees tto pull on the clamp, and ended up holding the wire, pulling up and hitting the 90 degree bend with a hammer handle until the clamp loosend and slid to where the looped end was straight up.
2) To make room to get pliers on the clamp I had to do 2 things. A) move the power stearing resevoir out of the way, B) cut the radiator hose off on the lower end and take the hose off. Then and only then is there enough room because everything that could be in the way...was in the way. I had just barely enough room to see and get the clamp off because now your arm is in the way
3) Carefully cut the remainder of the hose off the radiator outlet.
4) Place the hose clamps loosely on the hose and attach the TOP end of the hose first-This is mandatory or you will swear, cuss, then swear some more. (I discovered this the hard way. 30 minutes of swearing because I could not get the lower end on.)
5) Remove the radiator bracket from the top of the radiator, 5 screws and cautiously jack the end of the radiator up to raise the outlet up high enoough to attach the lower end of the hose. Do NOT raise the radiator beyond resistance to avoid damage.
6) Wriggle and slide the lower end on and tighten the pre-placed hose clamp See # 4.
7) Uemove the upper end (this is important) and...pour your collant into the hose until no more will fit, wait a second for the level to drop a little, and put the upper end back on, and tighted the clamp.
8) Lower the radiator, reinstall the radiator bracket, put some more coolant in the recovery tank, put the cap on and go for a ride,and check for leaks when you return.
Lessons learned:
A) There's no room to change anything until you move things out of the way
B) You have to lift the end of the radiator
C) Attach the upper end of the hose first.
I bought a replacement from RockAuto and "the war" began. I'm assuming it was the original hose, all soft and held in place by the standard horrible jaguar hose clamps. The factory clamp was positioned in such a way that I'm confident the hose was put on before the radiator was installed. If looking straight at the outlet port of the radiator, the looped end of the clamp was positioned about 2:00.
Here's the process I used:
1) To get the clamp off I had to take a heavy wire coat hangar (Think finishing nail thickness) cut it, make a hook on one end and slipped the hook through the "looped" end of the clamp. Not really "looped" It's the end with the hole in it. I had to bend the wire 90 degrees tto pull on the clamp, and ended up holding the wire, pulling up and hitting the 90 degree bend with a hammer handle until the clamp loosend and slid to where the looped end was straight up.
2) To make room to get pliers on the clamp I had to do 2 things. A) move the power stearing resevoir out of the way, B) cut the radiator hose off on the lower end and take the hose off. Then and only then is there enough room because everything that could be in the way...was in the way. I had just barely enough room to see and get the clamp off because now your arm is in the way
3) Carefully cut the remainder of the hose off the radiator outlet.
4) Place the hose clamps loosely on the hose and attach the TOP end of the hose first-This is mandatory or you will swear, cuss, then swear some more. (I discovered this the hard way. 30 minutes of swearing because I could not get the lower end on.)
5) Remove the radiator bracket from the top of the radiator, 5 screws and cautiously jack the end of the radiator up to raise the outlet up high enoough to attach the lower end of the hose. Do NOT raise the radiator beyond resistance to avoid damage.
6) Wriggle and slide the lower end on and tighten the pre-placed hose clamp See # 4.
7) Uemove the upper end (this is important) and...pour your collant into the hose until no more will fit, wait a second for the level to drop a little, and put the upper end back on, and tighted the clamp.
8) Lower the radiator, reinstall the radiator bracket, put some more coolant in the recovery tank, put the cap on and go for a ride,and check for leaks when you return.
Lessons learned:
A) There's no room to change anything until you move things out of the way
B) You have to lift the end of the radiator
C) Attach the upper end of the hose first.
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Orthodixie (10-30-2018)
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10-28-2018, 01:09 PM
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