Radiator Hose Won't Go On! PLEASE HELP
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
2005 CLK 500 Sport
Radiator Hose Won't Go On! PLEASE HELP
Hello all,
I just bought my '05 CLK500 a few months ago and about a month ago the original POS Valeo radiator decided to crack and shoot hot coolant everywhere and break me down. Flash forward a week or so, I buy a kit from FCP euro that includes a Nissens radiator, O-rings and antifreeze. I took apart the upper bar that has the hood holders, the cooling fan, and I take out the old radiator. To remove the old radiator I removed the two radiator hoses and two transmission oil cooler lines.
All is well until I get the new radiator in place, I successfully get the two transmission lines in well and the upper radiator hose in after a bit of force is used. But when I attempted to put the lower radiator hose in I just could not for the life of me, I pushed and pushed but nothing
. I assumed maybe the new radiator from the kit was defective so I spoke with FCP euro and I got a new Nissens radiator that just arrived today. Same story, the lower rad hose is impossible to get in
. I have tried even liberally lubricating it in used engine oil no luck. I even pushed the radiator hose with a piece of wood which only bent the metal fitting on the hose.
Does anyone have experience with this kind of issue? Am I doing something wrong? Any thoughts?
Please let me know because at this point I'm debating if I should get my CLK sent to the scarp yard.
Thanks for the help!
I just bought my '05 CLK500 a few months ago and about a month ago the original POS Valeo radiator decided to crack and shoot hot coolant everywhere and break me down. Flash forward a week or so, I buy a kit from FCP euro that includes a Nissens radiator, O-rings and antifreeze. I took apart the upper bar that has the hood holders, the cooling fan, and I take out the old radiator. To remove the old radiator I removed the two radiator hoses and two transmission oil cooler lines.
All is well until I get the new radiator in place, I successfully get the two transmission lines in well and the upper radiator hose in after a bit of force is used. But when I attempted to put the lower radiator hose in I just could not for the life of me, I pushed and pushed but nothing
. I assumed maybe the new radiator from the kit was defective so I spoke with FCP euro and I got a new Nissens radiator that just arrived today. Same story, the lower rad hose is impossible to get in. I have tried even liberally lubricating it in used engine oil no luck. I even pushed the radiator hose with a piece of wood which only bent the metal fitting on the hose.Does anyone have experience with this kind of issue? Am I doing something wrong? Any thoughts?
Please let me know because at this point I'm debating if I should get my CLK sent to the scarp yard.Thanks for the help!
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
2005 CLK 500 Sport
UPDATE:
Okay so I finally found some one having a similar issue on an Audi forum. One comment said the reason the hose would not seat even with great force applied is because the O-ring gasket just needs to squeeze down. So I wanted to see if the gasket O ring was the issue so I tried to see if I could seat the hose without the O ring and it did! It went in smoothly with no hiccups.
So with the information in hand that the gasket was causing the hose to not seat I went and sanded down the O ring with some 80 grit sand paper to decrease the diameter. I did this fully knowing it might not seal properly and might leak as a result. So I install the lower rad hose all is well, that is until I turn the car on and there is a slight leak coming from the lower rad hose.
Does anyone have a clue on how to get passed this? Like I said with a new good O ring I just can't get it too seat with all my force on it. Maybe freeze the ring to shrink it and install and wait for it too heat up and expand? Or will that cause the ring to tear when I go to put it on the hose because it will be brittle any ideas? I am just too damn stuck!
Okay so I finally found some one having a similar issue on an Audi forum. One comment said the reason the hose would not seat even with great force applied is because the O-ring gasket just needs to squeeze down. So I wanted to see if the gasket O ring was the issue so I tried to see if I could seat the hose without the O ring and it did! It went in smoothly with no hiccups.
So with the information in hand that the gasket was causing the hose to not seat I went and sanded down the O ring with some 80 grit sand paper to decrease the diameter. I did this fully knowing it might not seal properly and might leak as a result. So I install the lower rad hose all is well, that is until I turn the car on and there is a slight leak coming from the lower rad hose.
Does anyone have a clue on how to get passed this? Like I said with a new good O ring I just can't get it too seat with all my force on it. Maybe freeze the ring to shrink it and install and wait for it too heat up and expand? Or will that cause the ring to tear when I go to put it on the hose because it will be brittle any ideas? I am just too damn stuck!
Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 92
Likes: 23
2021 E-350 Loaded
I wish you hadn't sanded the oversized O ring.
Take it to a good automotive supply house and get an O ring with less thickness.
Also, a little liquid dish soap is a long time mechanic's trick with rubber fitment.
Good luck.
Take it to a good automotive supply house and get an O ring with less thickness.
Also, a little liquid dish soap is a long time mechanic's trick with rubber fitment.
Good luck.
