[03rangiemark]

I was driving home from work on the highway & the chime sounded to alert me to "CHECK COOLANT LEVEL" on the dash display. I figured maybe it dipped below the required level, but kept one eye on the temp guage & one on the road. The eye on the road noticed a puff of steam come from under the hood.
Soon after, I watched the temp guage begin to rise from mid-point. It made it to the red & chimed again "CHECK COOLANT TEMP" or something like that.
I knew if I could limp it another 1/4 mile I could get off the highway to the Chevron station & check it out there. A few more puffs of steam came & went.
I made it to the gas station & shut 'er down.

Anyways... The top radiator hose blew off of the gooseneck that attaches it to the water pump. My wife came to the rescue with a generic worm gear hose clamp & distilled water (thank God & AT&T for cellular phones).
Prior to clamping the hose back onto the gooseneck, I noticed that there is (was) a lip where the hose clamps, to keep the hose & clamp from slipping off of the gooseneck. Part of that lip had broken off & was in my hand. The gooseneck is a plastic part that is an interface between the hose & the water pump. Why it's plastic, I have no idea. But it did make it home fine with no further incident after clamping the hose & filling w/ water.

My problem is, I need to replace that gooseneck before the Rover can be roadworthy again.

Do any of you fine folks know what the part number is for that plastic gooseneck/interface? And is it a common part shared with the BMW X5, and therefore available cheaper & easier than from the LR dealership?

Thank you for any insight.

 

[cjcomeau]

I had the same issue and same temp fix. It turns out that the " gooseneck" is part of the upper hose assembly ( two spliced lines to alternator and lower radiator). About a 30 min job. It is an $85 part from the dealer. Slightly cheaper online if you order it and wait. Good luck. I'm not sure or the part number. Search "upper hose assembly" I think.

 

[03rangiemark]

Thanks, CJComeau. I wouldn't have guessed it was a part of the hose, since it's just clamped to it just like any other hose. I'll search for the part number.

 

[RossoCorsaItaly]

That was really really dumb to push it as far as you did. Overheating should result in immediately shutting the vehicle off.

Very common problem on these vehicles.

 

[Ace 95]

hopefully you didnt do any further damage...better check your head gaskets, i was talking to the dealer and this is a very expensive fix....not a smart move pushing it to redline like that.... :naughty:

 

[03rangiemark]

That was really really dumb to push it as far as you did. Overheating should result in immediately shutting the vehicle off.

Very common problem on these vehicles.

I'm sorry RossoCorsoItaly. I appreciate your concern for my vehicle, but didn't provide you with enough information to provide an informed input. For you to call a person dumb, that would assume that you know all the relevant facts. I know you're a used car salesman, and that gives you some knowledge of automobiles.
I rebuilt my first engine over 30 years ago. I've never had a catastrophic engine failure, even though I have had fan belts, radiator hoses and a radiator or two go out on me.
If you think that an engine block can go from normal operating temp to red line in about 3 seconds, then the modern physics classes they teach in California is a different physics from what I learned.
The engine block does not heat up as quickly as the temp sensor does. When I opened the hood after that 1/4 mile distance (~90 seconds time) to a good place to stop, the engine was no hotter than normal. When I got the hose clamp (about 20 minutes after stopping) it was cool enough for me to clamp the hose back on, fill with water & drive it home. The temp gauge did not read over normal when I started it, after adding about a gallon & a half of water.
And after I replaced the hose & flushed & replaced the coolant, it's driving just fine, a couple of hundred miles later. I could check my compression, do a leak-down test or pressure test, but from my experience, I didn't do as dumb of a thing as you think.
Thank you very much for your concern and opinion, but you aren't knowledgeable enough about the specific incident to make an intelligent observation, or to call my actions "dumb".

However, next time you get a low tire pressure warning from the TPS on your Rover, I certainly suggest you pull to the side of the road immediately & call for roadside assitance. A blowout is much more dangerous than a sudden loss of coolant.

 

[AceWhip]

I just had exactly the same thing happen, top radiator hose parted from the plastic/metal quick connect part on the engine side. Looks like the hose is just glued on, with a metal reinforcing ring around the hose rather than a jubilee-clip. Obviously another modern development that doesnt work worth crap. I'm going to get a clip from Schucks and throw some coolant in there, just to get it to the shop.

As a side note. Does anyone know if "regular" coolant is ok? I seem to remember the Dealer insisted that it needed special blue coolant, but I'm not sure if that's because the regular coolant will;
Destroy the engine,
Destroy all the seals (thus destroying the engine) or...
Just destroy the ozone layer (which I dont care about this evening). :evil:

 

[03rangiemark]

From what I understand, using anythng other than the blue BMW coolant degrades & weakens the plastic bits of the coolant system contributing to the type of failure that youu & I experienced. On my situation the hose was okay, but the lip on the plastic gooseneck that the hose clamps to failed. The BMW rep stated that the blue coolant is absent some chemicals that weaken plastic parts in the system. That seems to be supported by some of the posts in this forum.

 

[bsolidgold]

I had this same thing happen to me this weekend. I ended up using a hose clamp in the same fashion. I was thinking of it as more of a permanent fix, does anyone have any information that would deter me from doing so? Luckily I live about 10 minutes from Rover Connection and can get parts same day... I just really don't want to do it right now :roll:

Anywho... any info anyone might have would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Rich998a]

From what I understand, using anythng other than the blue BMW coolant degrades & weakens the plastic bits of the coolant system contributing to the type of failure that youu & I experienced. On my situation the hose was okay, but the lip on the plastic gooseneck that the hose clamps to failed. The BMW rep stated that the blue coolant is absent some chemicals that weaken plastic parts in the system. That seems to be supported by some of the posts in this forum.

We've just rebuilt the cooling system on the M62 4.4 V8 for a customer and it's an engineering nightmare trying to keep coolant in an engine which relies so much on O-rings to hold it together.

The coolant which came out of the vehicle was red/brown, perhaps as a result of mixing coolants. He had been to the dealer who said there was no coolant leaks. We found it leaking from the pump seals, the thermostat had been broken and the O rings at the rear cooling manifold we leaking. The engine had been cooked at some point so badly that there were calcium like deposits formed all over the thermostat.

If it helps, we used the new coolant direct from Land Rover which I believe to be the G48 type. It was cheaper than our standard antifreeze to buy as well... :roll:

 

[03rangiemark]

I had this same thing happen to me this weekend. I ended up using a hose clamp in the same fashion. I was thinking of it as more of a permanent fix, does anyone have any information that would deter me from doing so? Luckily I live about 10 minutes from Rover Connection and can get parts same day... I just really don't want to do it right now :roll:

Anywho... any info anyone might have would be greatly appreciated.

I used a hose clamp temporarily to get me home, and would've liked to feel confident that it would hold as the long-term fix. The one thing that kept me from having that confidence was that the raised flange at the edge of the gooseneck had deteriorated & crumbled off. So I would expect that when the cooling system would be under its highest pressure, it could blow the clamped hose off. I could have tried to tighten the hose clamp enough to really squeeze the hose, but since the gooseneck is plastic, I expect it would fail and collapse under the extra clamping pressure at the worst possible time & place.

For me, the value of the integrity of the part was worth the price of the hose and complete coolant replacement w/ the correct coolant AND distilled water.

 

[Moto One]

When mine failed, it was at night and I didn't notice it until I pass a car and could see the trail of steam (I thought it was road dust at first), I traveled about 6 miles (climbing the grade on Donner Pass). I was at first going to put a hose clamp on an water to get home (25 miles) but the plastic fitting was cracked and would not have held even the pressure of the clamp.

I did get the temp up into the red, and since it has done over 10k with no problems.

The fix is easy, it just involves removing the under tray to get the lower connection.


Mark.

 

[bsolidgold]

I took my car to the local independent Land Rover mechanic whom I trust entirely and showed him my fix. He said it looked great and the only think he would change was to remove the original, pressure fit hose clamp and use the adjustable one permanently. The hose, luckily, was not deteriorated and doesn't look like it needs to be replaced. So far, so good. I'm taking it on a 600+ mi. road trip this weekend, so we'll see for sure, right?

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Larry_H]

From what I understand, using anythng other than the blue BMW coolant degrades & weakens the plastic bits of the coolant system contributing to the type of failure that youu & I experienced. On my situation the hose was okay, but the lip on the plastic gooseneck that the hose clamps to failed. The BMW rep stated that the blue coolant is absent some chemicals that weaken plastic parts in the system. That seems to be supported by some of the posts in this forum.

I contacted Peak Antifreeze with this question. Here is their answer:

Most cooling systems today have plastic components , and we have not had any consumer complaints regarding PEAK GLOBAL LIFETIME attacking the plastic components.

 

[gunnarL322]

I chime in here as well. We are now in January 2012. Exact same thing happened to me last night. Luckily I was very near my parking spot so I could dash in there and turn the engine off. Same as original poster reported the hose had come off the plastic joint towards the engine.
Same here, that plastic lip on the joint had broken off so the hose could more easily slide off the joint.
I got a radiator clamp and could get that hose back onto the joint, I screwed it tightly in place. It seems to sit rather tightly for now but I will get a new hose assembly asap. I mixed a suitable antifreeze and filled up the radiator. Engine runs as smoothly as ever so no damages. Since I was so close to home there was no overheating and the temp needle never went past center/normal temp reading, just that CHECK COOLANT LEVEL message and the clouds of steam..

I see those hoses are available as quick fit assemblies (part no PCH001110G) with the joint on both ends pre-assemblied onto the hose. It was one of those joints that came loose dare I say due to material fatigue. I had the radiator and these hoses replaced at 100000 kms on warranty so this hose assembly should have been fresh. Anyway no big accident (BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN).
Nobode wants to see their BMW V8 melt down (that engine probably represents the major part of vehicle value these days) so I was lucky.

 

[brad s1]

As some preventative maintenance over the summer I used a dremel cut off wheel to cut all the stock clamps off all the quick releases. I replaced them with some standard stainless steel adjustable clamps. Since I purchased my range years ago those hoses have blown off the quick releases more times than I can even count. Since having replaced them all with adjustable hose clamps I haven't had a single issue. I've literally had those hoses pop off the quick release months after installing brand new OEM replacements. If you opt to go with adjustable stainless steel clamps it's important not to over-tighten them, if you go overboard you're likely to crush the plastic quick release.

 

[gunnarL322]

Thanks, both informative and scary info.... I order a new quick release (what a name) hose just now. I will seriously consider your advice to replace those solid metal rings with adjustable clamps. it seems also that the coolant pressure of a warmed up engine is considerable.
So hoses need to be fresh. It seems some owners have a problem with head gasket leaks that can blow hoses. But it seems this issue with hoses popping off need not be related to over pressure. I had a Jaguar some decades ago where the XK engine suffered from the bottom hose blowing one red hot summer evening which emptied the entire engine in seconds. it was like a Harrisburg meltdown where it was hard to get control over the heat and the head warped. I will not want that to happen here.

 

[linuxfreakus]

Brad,

What type of coolant are you using? I've always used the BMW blue stuff, never had any issues with hoses blowing off (yet). I have read that using other types of coolant will degrade/weaken the plastic fittings. Not really sure how much truth there is to that, but the BMW coolant is not really much more expensive than the green stuff you can get at most gas stations, etc, its just harder to find because you need to go to a BMW dealer or buy it online.

 

[brad s1]

I was spending a fortune on the BMW coolant every time a part of the system exploded. I switched to prestone + water wetter about the same time I swapped all of the clamps (summer) no issues since.

 

[linuxfreakus]

Odd, almost seems like maybe you had overpressure or something but it seems unlikely since I think I remember reading that you've replaced the usual suspects like the thermostat, expansion tank, radiator, etc...