'08 328i lower radiator hose popped off but all looks ok

Bob Kontak · Bob Kontak's Garage

Towed to shop. On lift, after plastic shield removed, I pulled the hose back from the thermostat housing. Spring steel U-shaped retaining clip was on the hose mating coupler but in the fully retracted position.

I look everything over, nothing broken, bent or unusual looking on either end. I pushed the hose clip back down into "operational" position and pushed it back onto the thermo housing receiver. Nice solid click, no leaks post idling, driving and laying into the throttle for several sustained passages post warm up.

First thought is someone drained cooling system there and did not put it back on properly but it's been functioning for a few years like this before failure.

Thoughts?

fastfredracing · 03-10-2021, 10:06 AM

Is the hose new? I just had a customer bring me his own parts, and when I got done, fker leaked like a sieve . New hose, new housing . His hose seemed to fit loose, after trying everything I could think of, I got my own hose from my vendor the next day, and no more leaky .
I have had a few gotchas with these over the years. Or did maybe somebody break the housing it fits on ? They can be hard to get off making one want to pry and tug on them .

fastfredracing · 03-10-2021, 10:11 AM

If you have decent visibility you can even put the hose on without the clamp, and verify that you can see the groove the clip snaps in . Maybe the clip only bit halfway?
Modernp plastic yuk

Bob Kontak · Bob Kontak's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

If you have decent visibility you can even put the hose on without the clamp, and verify that you can see the groove the clip snaps in . Maybe the clip only bit halfway?

I'll pull it off to validate with mirrors and a light.

I think one side biting before failure is a possibility or someone installed it thinking you push the locking clip into place afterwards and did not seat it properly. Otherwise, if nothing broken and the groove retainer has integrity, it's not coming off.

Thanks, Fred.

908/930 · 908/930's Garage

How cold was it that night? Is there a chance it was never on properly and a little water was able to freeze and was able to bump it?

Bob Kontak · Bob Kontak's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by 908/930

How cold was it that night? Is there a chance it was never on properly and a little water was able to freeze and was able to bump it?

It was cold as a witches tit last week. I only got the call this recent weekend and I don't think they drive it that much in the winter. But they did drive it last week.