Hey everyone! Would love your advice.

I was replacing the coolant hose and as I tightened the clamp on the hose to the radiator (top hose which runs to the coolant reservoir) it crumbled off. It didn't snap like you would think. It fell apart..from what I saw. Seems like it a plastic tube. I guess. Anyway, I'm in shock. I have no idea what to do here. I do a lot of the work myself on my 2002 Disco II but this is way out of my league.

What would you all do? Take it to my Rover mech? (tow) or take it to the radiator guys?

 

A handful of people, at most, have been able to somehow devise a repair for that broken nipple, but most attempts fail. The advice is to order a new radiator and install it yourself. Lucky 8 will send you one for just over $200, maybe less if you ask for a forum discount. Someone else posted just this week about having had good luck with a radiator bought off eBay three years ago for 100 bucks. As for brands, the one most often discussed is Nissens.

 

If you are talking about plastic nipple that is on radiator and hose connect to it then your only safe option is a new radiator, replacing it is not very difficult, but you have to take out fan assembly to do it, if you think you can't do it then you need a mechanic, but most ppl do it themselves, then replace coolant & bleed system properly, not a bad idea to put in a low temp thermostat at this point if you haven't done it already, (or better yet an inline Thermostat mod), & if you have any of original hard plastic tubing replace them with flexible hoses, good luck.

 

Thanks for the advice! I think I can pull the radiator myself after getting a fan clutch wrench. It does look a bit different than what I'm used to working, Chevy Camaro's and a Buick Wildcat. I ordered everything new! Nissens radiator, all hoses (cuz they seem a bit soft and cruddy, and low temp thermostat for the high desert temps.. I'm changing antifreeze to orange as recommended by the guys at Atlantic British. ...unless someone has a better argument for green anti-freeze. Thanks again!

 

Wait. The green color coolant is what you have now? Don't change to the red/orange. Green is the way to go. AB only suggests the OAT red bc that is factory spec for D2. Most enthusiasts will go green. The OAT from the factory ruined every single thing it contacted on my D2. I had to replace everything as it was corroded from the inside, out; gaskets, hoses, fittings, all of it was junk.

 

x2 on the above. Go green.

 

I'm arriving late but I've had the same issue and tried several methods to fix the tube. All failed. New radiator and green coolant, for sure.

 

Green coolant it is! Thank you all!