Radiator emptying - Warning light on ?!?!

[captainpugwash]

I have a 2.0 Turbo Exec, i noticed after a quick run round town, that under the drivers front wheel arch (all tubes/wires are exposed by the way) a thick rubber tube is dumping out a lot of bubbling water (most prob out of the rad) after i had pulled up, and the radiator warning light has flashed up on the dash!! WTF???

[teamster1975]

That'll be your bottom rad hose; £40!!!! from stealer if you haggle, I had to replace radiator and bottom hose.

[captainpugwash]

Pretty straightfoward to replace..yes??

[Welly]

Pretty straightfoward to replace..yes??

[captainpugwash]

Sorry for being a total noob!! But what does the Popcorn eating smiley mean??

[steve_earwig]

Dumping from rad? Thick rubber tube? You sure he doesn't mean the overflow?

[teamster1975]

Pretty straightfoward to replace..yes??

Yeah it's not a bad job. Check the condition of the hose push fitting into the rad; mine was rusted away but as I was changing rad anyway not a bother. It may be worth your while replacing the rad as a matter of course anyway, £100 from Eurocarparts.

Edit: Welly got in there first! He means what should be easy can turn into a bastard

[teamster1975]

Dumping from rad? Thick rubber tube? You sure he doesn't mean the overflow?

That's not a thick tube though Steve, it's only about 15mm across
It's got to be the bottom hose, it might have split where it connects to the engine which is right behind the wheel arch liner but the usual suspect is the conrad fitting succumbing to the red stuff.

[captainpugwash]

Thanks for the advice guys ! Will bob down to the local pug dealer tomoz for the hose if thats what the problem is!

[teamster1975]

Thanks for the advice guys ! Will bob down to the local pug dealer tomoz for the hose if thats what the problem is!

If you get a chance have a crawl underneath and see if you can spot any coolant staining.
DO check the condition of the conrad fitting into the bottom of the radiator because if it is a rusted lump you won't be able to get the hose off.

[steve_earwig]

That's not a thick tube though Steve, it's only about 15mm across

Sorry, I was just thinking a broken off rad hose was fairly easy to spot so I thought I'd better clarify.

[teamster1975]

That's not a thick tube though Steve, it's only about 15mm across

Sorry, I was just thinking a broken off rad hose was fairly easy to spot so I thought I'd better clarify.

Don't apologise Steve, we're all trying to help!
It's only cos I've got the same model & had the same problem that I'm so sure of myself

[captainpugwash]

Thanks again all ! I do love my 2.0 Turbo exec, so much f***in fun to drive....and i only paid £370.00 for mine, then again is that a good or bad thing??

[teamster1975]

i only paid £370.00 for mine, then again is that a good or bad thing??

Depends on the cars history & the mileage
I bought mine for £500, had it a year & it's been fine apart from a few bits and bobs. I guess I've spent about £400 on it including 3 tyres.

[captainpugwash]

I am pretty damn sure it is the overflow (its about 10mm) , and there are no airlocks, if the bottom hose had gone would it not be leaking water from there??

**spoken to a friend and he says that the tube is the overflow, bubbling, hot water p***ing out, that dont sound to good does it???