The plastic line running from the expansion tank to the thermostat tower has broken off on one end just enough it cannot be secured properly.

It runs in between two small rubber hoses that connect it to the tank and tower. (see picture)

Is there any reason I can't just eliminate it and replace the entire 3-piece line with a single rubber hose? (other than it will no longer fit in the holding piece on the cam cover)

 

You will be fine doing that. I did the same thing & fixed mine using a piece of 3/8" hose & ran it that way for almost a year before I broke down & bought the OEM part just for the asthetics.

 

Thanks Brad.

On any other car, I would have changed it out and never given it a thought. On these Jags however, you can never be sure.

Looks like a trip to AutoZone for me.

 

Mike - had the same issue and as Brad - replaced with single piece of hose and works great.

 

Sounds like a unanimous opinion then. Appreciate the quick feedback.

Wish all my fixes were this easy! (wait, did I just jinx myself?)

 

Oh . . . No o o o o o o!

You are not going to replace that OEM Jaguar $40 coolant line with an AutoZone $4 solution are you?

 

It already had a $0.59 cent hose clamp on one end from when I changed the expansion tank last year, so the blasphemy continues!

 

A hose is a hose is a hose. Or, if you like, a hose by any other name..................

I did the same on the XJ8 a couple years ago. And my wife's X5. The plastic gets brittle, and the generic hose is faaarrr more substantial, although not as pretty.

 

Purists, concours judges and general OCD types better not go any further.

Here's my temporary fix in place. Got engine up to near operating temp and it seems to be just fine. Even managed to spill a little coolant while swapping hoses so I have that sweet smell I have been missing for many months.

May try to get the OEM part when I order my shock mounts and springs (next real project)... if it's not too much $$. Just to clean up the look.

Be doing some errands later today, so we will see, but I suspect this is resolved.

 

I have done exactly the same with mine, although I did go one step further in departing from original specification: I used fuel hose clips as, in my opinion, they give a more consistent and even pressure around the circumference of the hose.

 

Agreed, but what you see is a fix with parts laying on my tool bench shelf. Didn't have to buy anything or make a trip to the parts store.

Proving, I guess, that I am both cheap and lazy.

 

You're neither cheap nor lazy - you're frugal and efficient. Given all the lousy plastic in these cars, those are indeed very desirable traits....

 

Did the same thing to my 99xk8 about 6 yrs ago and it did the job.

 

Oddly I had a similar issue, I was 'cleaning parts' in the eng box and this line 'snapped'.. I was like wow this is pretty brittle and yes it's near alot of heat but still.. I was 400 mi from home but just cut off the part that broke (about 5" from the tower) and installed a 'piece of hose' and two clamps.. and off we go, unfortunately I had to clean all the coolant that flowed out.. (and top off).. which is where this story all started !

 

Funny! I just did this last weekend. I found some Transmission coolant hose that I figured could handle the pressure and the temperature. It's worked brilliantly so far. Aesthetically, the XKR has an advantage as this hose runs between the valve cover and the heat exchanger, so it looks as if it really belongs there. Yeh - I changed the clamps too (shirk). Please forgive me.