MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Bottom radiator hose

I'd like to meet the sadist who designed the attachment of the bottom hose to the down flow radiator. It took me over an hour to get it in place. The radiator was loose, I greased the inside of the hose and swore at it in different languages. It's a new hose and radiator. I've had problems before but never this bad. Now that it's too late, does anyone have any suggestions on how to make it easier (besides having someone else do it)? :-(
Martin

Martin
In my lotus w/shop book it says---
loosen the clamps,remove the hose, to fit a new hose carry out the procedure in reverse

Pretty simple really ha ha ha
Impressive idea though to swear at the hose in different languages, you never know where they come from==
Cheers
willy
William Revit

I can swear in English, Polish, German, Russian, French and Irish but I don't think the hose understands any of those. Probably some Asian language. At least I had the radiator covered since it came from Canada. ;-)
Martin

Martin, warming the end of the hose with a hot air gun has often helped me when things are a bit tight.
Simon Wood

..a smear of petroleum jelly often helps ;-)
David Cox

Fit and forget Silicone hoses?
Jeremy MkIII

I've got a tiny tin of red rubber lubricant which I used together with a little warming-up. I've wrestled until finger fatigue overtook me in the past, but this was the easiest I've ever done it.
Nick and Cherry Scoop

Martin, you don't say which bottom hose, for vertical, x-flow, 1500.

Having recently twice wrestled with the small elbow type bottom hose on my x-flow rad I'd say - having silicone helps a bit bit they tend to be quite quick walled so that cuts the help a little. Same with having the rad loose, a bit swings and roundabouts.

I'm not so keen on the lubricant idea as it could attract dirt later when exposed so need cleaning but cleaning the rad (crosspipe) and ends is a good idea to me and some heat to the hose.

I found with the silicone elbow hose I have that I had to trim it down a little to make it easier to fit and that it fits easier with one end fitted to the rad than the other end (difference in arm length, the angle of the bend, I don't know it just is).

Which bring me on to aftermarket hoses might not be exactly the right lengths of straight sections and not exactly the correct angle of bend.

I can't say I have that much difficulty fitting my bottom hose that I need to swear at it, just a little awkward but then I have trimmed the hose and it is silicone and unfortunately I've had far too much practice fitting it.

On other jobs on the car my wife tells others that I only know four swear words and repeat them a lot, this isn't true though as I know more swear words, all English, but I do like to repeat them so the fitting gets the message whatever language it was made in.

Nigel Atkins

Nigel yes he does - what else can 'down flow radiator' mean?
David Smith

Martin
I'm not over keen on lubricating hoses, a bit cautious about them blowing off,, but--
Just thought
When I'm struggling getting new grips onto the handlebars of the bike, the trick is wifey's hair spray, spay it on the bar and inside the grip and they slip on like nothing and when it dries it sticks on and not slippery so if using it on a radiator hose it would be good as well I reckon
I'm going to try it next time I'm doing one to see how it goes
Cheers
willy
William Revit

Martin, David, all, apologies I missed that.
Too much sun, not wearing glasses, poor reading skills, reading too quick, distracted, poor attention, me being a bit of an idiot, take any combination or permutation.
Now it's pointed out I can't see how I missed it - but I did, sorry all.
Nigel Atkins

Not good enough Nigel-------go to your room

lol
William Revit

Sorry Willy I missed your post as I was in my box thinking about what I'd done.

This time my error was was totally my fault because of rushing, I know I can't do two things at once, my multitasking just means ballsing-up more than one thing at once.

I'm not so sure about using hairspray as Sod's Law I know any hose or part I've just put on that should remain there for years will be off again in no time for one reason or another. Plus which hairspray, which type, for which purpose, in which room, cupboard, drawer, shelf, handbag, bag - let alone the risk of using the one you shouldn't touch. You must have access to much stronger brave-pills in your country, I'm sweating at the thought.
Nigel Atkins

I'd go for the cupboard, never the handbag, that's where all the special stuff lives and spare nickers etc, as you say not brave enough to go there
William Revit

Thanks for the replies. I don't know why I called it a "down flow" when it is indeed vertical (sorry for the confusion, Nigel). Brain not working properly after the experience I guess. And I forgot to mention that I did heat it up before it finally went on.

Willy, I learned the grease trick from someone who used to work on the assembly line at a General Motors plant. Since there is a lip that the hose needs to go over and the clamp is beyond that, I'm not to worried about it coming off. And I put the grease on the inside of the hose so there really is nothing to clean up afterwards. And since my wife doesn't use hair spray....

At least I got to enjoy an Old Speckled Hen after the ordeal.
Martin

This thread was discussed on 28/09/2018

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS now