2.1TD Radiator- looks easy but surely it can't be!

[Mountain]

Didn't get away with it
O ring snapped!

Resigned myself to buying a new hose. £80 but at least it's in stock.

What about the 'other end' of the hose? Is there anything that can go wrong there?

[teamster1975]

Cor you're lucky they had one! £80 sounds steep, I'd have a haggle when you collect it. I'm sure I paid £60.
Shouldn't be any problems with the other end, the most awkward part is releasing the clip on the hose that goes into the engine; you'll want a pair of mole grips on it but watch they don't ping off & land on your head!
The job is definitely a knuckle scraper, make sure you're fortified with plenty of tea & smokes!

[Mountain]

Yeah, I think they know they're hard to come by and charge accordingly.
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I've not had a look at the rear fitting yet as I've spent the rest of the day sulking, chuntering and swearing as I've had to hire a car to get to work:(
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Will I need to get underneath, or can it be accessed behind the plastic panel in the wheel arch?
Also, I take it it will be a bit more manouverable with the rear end detached? Effin' Conrad connector first is it?

[HimBigChief]

The pipe for the 2.1 is different to all the other models, I know as I looked into it when I got one. £80 sounds about right, and assuming you're like me, it means you paid more for the pipe than for the sodding radiator! I used long nose pliers to get the clip off the pipe at the back, wasn't too bad, just a bit dirty from all the oil and crap around the back of the engine.

[Mountain]

Yeah, the radiator was £50.
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Just picked up the hose. Only the French could design a hose like that!
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Still not had a good look at the engine side......I won't see daylight until the weekend.
So is it a jacking up and scramble around underneath job & do I need to remove the plastic cover beneath the engine?
Just asking as I've only got the wheel jack and a little pneumatic one, so I'll have to borrow a couple of axle stands while I have the hire car.

[HimBigChief]

IIRC I got in through the drivers side wheel arch. It's a bit fiddly but possible without dropping off the undertray I think. TBH it's been a while and I can't remember all the specifics! I don't think you can see anything from underneath, even with the tray removed as I think the subframe and driveshaft are well and truly in the way. Like I said this is all from memory, and my memory is complete manure...

[Mountain]

Actually, coming to think of it , I can picture where it goes now.
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It's going to be one of those can't get my hand in situations I suppose
Being a proverbial brick shitehouse is just not good for squeezing into confined spaces....I need a skinny mate!

[HimBigChief]

If you've got some long nose pliers then it's not too bad. The ones I've got are about 12" long and made the job sooo much easier. Suppose I could be classed as skinny(6ft, 12stone), so I can get my hands into lots of akward places!

[Mountain]

LOL, I have a few stone on you...about 5 more
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I have a large pair of long nose mole grips so I'm tooled up for the job.
Thanks for the advice everyone, forewarned is forearmed and all that!
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Strangely enough, my brother in law's 306 had an exploding radiator the day after mine.....I would say the say on the roads was responsible, but we didn't get any!

[Mountain]

All done and dusted with no leaks.
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The bottom hose was rusty as hell along the bottom, so I'm glad I got a new one. Extra long mole grips saved the day with that awkward bottom clamp!
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The most annoying part was removing the wheel arch plastic. All those bloody torque drive screws corroded to hell.

[teamster1975]

Well done mate, a grotty job out of the way!

[Captain Jack]

The most annoying part was removing the wheel arch plastic. All those bloody torque drive screws corroded to hell.

Seems to be the "annoying" thing on those D8's. D9's have clips to hold them in - still a pain to actually manoeuvre the liner out though...