That's interesting, as I had just the opposite experience for the upper radiator hose on my V6. Maybe our parts came from different production runs. The URO part looked nearly identical to the OEM part it replaced. The hose walls were slightly thicker on the URO part, hopefully a good sign. The big Y fitting, for example, looked as if it came from the same mold as the factory part.

I haven't seen URO's tank, but based on my positive experience with the hose assembly, I plan to try it when the time comes.

 

How about this? Thermo-Tec 13575 fits your description:



It's amazing stuff. On other vehicles, I've used it on a carb heat shield and to insulate an evaporator housing. It works great, is easy to apply, and sticks like crazy. The only downside is it won't wrap around compound curves in one piece.

For the lines, try a flexible product like this:



I used that size on metal fuel lines. You'd need a larger size for coolant hoses The diameter can be expanded, like Chinese handcuffs, to pass over fittings and clamps.

 

And what I got was genuine for about $142 delivered the next day. You seem to think that can be bettered right? But you didn't provide the link.

Otherwise I still don't get the point to your post?

In any event, moving on ...

Today I got to the job and developed a snag. I was hoping to not have to put the car up on stands and drop the belly pan just for a reservoir swap but nooooo!

I was able to empty the reservoir entirely, not so easy to do WO draining the system.

But then while pulling the spring clip back off of the connector at the bottom it jumped completely off of the hose instead of just sliding to the next tab. My sloppy work folks ... but access IS also terrible. I'm going to lengthen the low level sensor harness too by 6" as it's impossibly too short.

And don't you know it then dropped into that never, never land below. Even my borescope snaked down there reveals nothing. So back to the hard way!

I bet they keep extras of these clips at the dealerships????????

I can't find them on the parts diagram though.

Wouldn't a nice hose and clamp seem much better right about now????

 

The tech I spoke with at first thought the cracks were happening at the bottom of the tanks. I guess that was the experience he had on BMWs? So I think he was trying to solve a somewhat different issue. For that something with a high temp adhesive might work to reduce the quick temperature shock at cool down. Assuming that he's correct about the reason for the frequent failures?

But on my tank both leaks were at the nipples which sit in a recessed area molded into the tank so it's going to be difficult to get anything on there I think unless is some sort of a goo type putty that just gets packed around the nipple & hose after it's been secured?

That might end up being rather messy to remove later on?

I've seen the sticky insulating tape that goes on AC tubing but I think that would melt and drip off of these areas.

Maybe a custom aluminum reservoir and now that I have the old one I could cut it in half to reveal it's many secrets!

It does have an internal baffle that makes harder to completely drain it WO detaching the bottom hose and the side nipple has that top cover port that reveals an orifice of some sort which I suspect has a drop down tube into the lowest part of the tank. What else ... I don't know yet?

 

As noted in this thread https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/s...50/#post867123

The spring clip IS used on other cars. I'm getting one this morning at a Napa Auto Parts store but FEBI- Bilstein this is who makes the metal versions. There are plastic ones too. Not for me ...

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/Re...Dp%3d3%26N%3d0

a couple of different part numbers:

1J0121142 & W0133-1820664

https://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B6_A4....8T/ES2538001/
http://www.autohausaz.com/pn/1j0121142

Hope it fits!

 

When removing or installing that clip, is there enough working room in there to surround the area with a plastic grocery bag split in half? That way your chances are probably pretty good that if the clip launches itself, the bag will catch it....

 

I've seen it said that a length of thin thread can be used - looks unlikely on an STR but I've not tried.

 

I think winding a length of thin wire around clip is probably the best idea. I didn't have any trouble this summer when I did all of my work but I wasn't so lucky this time.

And ... the replacement clip I just bought is too big so that's no solution. It looks identical in design but the Jag uses a smaller diameter connection.

I'm not sure I can get the the car up in the air where it's parked right now.
Otherwise I'd not hesitate to do that in hopes of finding the old clip, no guarantee of that though.

 

Access is horrid so I agree.

 

Can you undo the other end of the hose and remove it completely? Then you can make the troublesome connection from the comfort of your workbench, and then reinstall the reservoir and hose as one piece.

 

One of the other connection ends of that hose assembly requires a lot of work and access from underneath.

This clip needs to be 22mm instead of 32mm and there is another clip for german cars that is used on heater connectors but you have to buy the connector from Dorman for about $10. I may do that from amazon and then return it if that doesn't fit.

 

So I bought this:


Dorman 627-000

It's 22mm

The connector slips onto the reservoir tank and locks up perfectly.

If you needed to replace the existing connector they do make a straight version as well but I just need the clip and this was the cheapest. I'll transfer the O-ring as well.

Now I need to have the rain stop.

 

So here are two modifications I made.

1. safety wire for the clip. Obviously I need it ...

2. I extended the harness for the low coolant sensor to make it a LOT easier to work on this tank.

 

Three days later and now I have this

I've never had a car with such issues on a cooling tank.

Too mad to look at it right now. But I'm thinking an aluminum hand made tank is the only way out.

 

Hard to believe, but some of the aftermarket cooling system parts for these cars are even worse than the OEM components. I installed a new upper radiator hose assembly made by URO in my S-Type back in September. It had a pinhole leak in the hose leading to the throttle body so I contacted the ebay seller and they sent me a new one so I had to do the job twice. While the second assembly is better than the first one was, it still intermittently leaks a tiny amount and I believe it is doing so from multiple locations on the assembly. In retrospect I should have paid about $20 more and ordered the better component from Welsh Enterprises. I'll probably wind up eventually doing that regardless of whether I can get a refund from the original ebay seller of this shaky URO part....

 

So I did a small test yesterday and it "appears" that the leak is coming only from the rear most upper nipple. Well that's certainly familiar ...

I never really cured that on my last tank but it was limited to slight drips and no loss of fluid.

But the old tank DID crack on the lower nipple eventually. I never found a fault with the upper.

So I'm going to have a closer look at that hose and clamp. It is no longer a one drop a month leak. I can actually see the coolant coming out the end of the hose.

Perhaps a new hose and clamp or a trimming off of the hose. I've had hoses develop internal leaks before but that was on hydraulics. I think an inexpensive but high quality piece of straight hose could be substituted as long as the nipple size is the same on each end?

 

So I tried a different clamp and that made zero difference.

With those pushed all the way on you could see coolant streaming out at the front edge of the hose but with it pushed all the way up to the hilt of the nipple it was hard to determine if it was coming out of the hose or if there was leak at the base of the nipple.

So I positioned the hose back a bit more than 1/8" and tightened the clamp.

No more leak, even after an hours drive.

It appears to me that this a hose problem and by moving back the hose on the nipple the barb now makes a tight seal on the hose in a portion not as large in diameter. The clamping of the hose to the rest of the nipple is not sealing.

I think it's new hose time.

This one doesn't look too terribly bad to replace.
I may try a straight piece of hose though the engine side connection makes quite a tight turn in a very short distance.

 

So I installed a new section of hose 3/8" id using Norma #16 clamps on the new hose and a spring clip type clamp on the original hose with a barbed brass union.

I prefer the type that have a rounded bulb on the ends or softer ribs instead of these sharp barbed style as this original hose is quite fragile stuff. It means that you can't remove the hose from this fitting WO cutting off the joined section as it will be torn inside.

No leaks and the coolant level seems to be still settling after 2 checks with a couple of longer trips in the car.

Of course because I had a spill of coolant and was not able to flush it off the other engine compartment components like the radiator I continue to still "smell coolant".

At least I hope that's what's going on.

There's always that looming under the supercharger hose ...

 

[QUOTE=Jon89;1371856]Hard to believe, but some of the aftermarket cooling system parts for these cars are even worse than the OEM components. QUOTE]




Not hard to believe at all. I've had TWO new expansion tanks crack in exactly the same place in 9 months. Although the part is replaced under a warranty, I still have to put the stupid tank in and on a 2000 that isn't the easiest job under the hood. Plus, I have to ship the broken one back which wastes more time. Maybe three will be the charm.

 

It's happening enough that an aftermarket part of better plastic would be useful!