Well I knew the Jag had developed a small leak somewhere and was leaking coolant, but I couldn't for the life of me find the leak. I gave up the search, topped up the coolant, and figured I would never find it. Well today, the low coolant light came on again. I stopped by my parents house since I was close and I know they have the proper coolant, and I could hear a faint hiss when I got out. I popped the hood and immediately found my problem, a split in the lower radiator hose (I assume it is still considered that since it goes to the bottom of the radiator). I upped the coolant temporarily and hobbled the car the remaining few blocks home.

The hose appears to have failed due to sitting on top of the radiator shroud and there being a plastic fin it sits on:


I can't imagine it is suppose to rest on that fin. Is there a shroud that is suppose to wrap the hose to prevent it from rubbing, or is it just suppose to ride high enough to never rub?

I am thinking that, while I am at it, I will replace the coolant and do the upper hose, just for piece of mind.

 

This reminded me when swapping the ThermoStat Tower I'd noticed there was a rubbed spot on my 4.0 ltr Bottom Radiator Hose in exactly the same place yours has failed owing to it lying on the radiator cowl fin:



Jaguar must have identified this as a weakness because the 4.2 Bottom Radiator Hose is completely clear of the radiator cowling:



On the 4.0 ltr, shortening the hose by 1/8th inch and rotating where it attached to the Thermostat Housing before refitting the clamp, I got a gap between hose and radiator cowl fin.

Graham

 

I just looked at my '97 and found a groove in the hose. About the time you posted this yesterday I was replacing the coolant after doing a tensioner swap, so now I have to drain it again and shorten the hose. But I would rather do that than have a leak.

 

This is one of the reasons I love this forum. That is a simple and elegant solution that is much better than wrapping the hose with something to protect it.

 

After having to order hoses online (no local place could even order them) and a bunch of blood sweat and tears, I'm done. I ended up having to remove the power steering reservoir to get enough room to work. A little snip of the hose and rotating the mount freed up about a finger width of space over the fin in the shroud, so thanks for the suggestion! Now with the cooling system fully flushed and new long life coolant, I shouldn't have to touch the cooling system for the next 5 years or so.

 

I took a piece of the old rad. hose cut it and with 2 wire straps and placed over the house and were the rad stroud made contact, Cheap and easy fit and doesn't look to bad. Jim

 

I just checked for this concern on my 32K mile '97, and found about a 3/4 clearance with this obstruction. I've checked for this sort of thing with the other vehicles I own, but this situation is not something that is immediately apparent, and I doubt I would have noticed just looking around under the hood. Thanks, Keith!

-John