My local tech mentioned the upper and lower main hoses on my radiator are very mushy to the touch as if they are rotted from the inside. The only weird with this is that my coolant is clean. They recommended replacing those, along with my thermostat due to the fact that he said it looked like it had never been removed, and then a coolant flush. I'm ok with all of this but I don't want to spend 600-700 if I don't have too. Anybody if soft hoses on the radiator is normal, abnormal? Something to be concerned with?

 

Unless you have a coolant problem or you are at 100k then don't replace anything.

 

Are they telling you this b/c there is an issue with your cooling system? How old is the vehicle? How many miles? Are they soft when it's running and up to temp or soft when it's just sitting there cold?

 

I do not have a cooling problem. the hoses are the same 'squishiness' no matter the temperature. The coolant is clean. This was the first time I've brought my LR3 to this mechanic. I had them change my drive belts. we usually bring my wifes outback there. Every time they get a car they have never seen before, they do a full inspection of the vehicle. I keep my truck pretty well maintained, and that's indeed what they found. THey mentioned all this about the cooling system as a side note really. I have 98,000 and change miles on the truck. I've heard (never confirmed) LR3's have liquid cooled tranny's and alternators. Is this true? Ultimately I'm just trying to figure out if I should do this now as preventative maintenance instead of waiting until my possibly original thermostat gets stuck and I need a new tranny and my heads are warped.

Thanks for the input!

 

The tranny has fluid which is cooled by the radiator (side tank), similar to other Rovers and many Detroit vehicles. Coolant is not circulated inside the transmission. Changing thermostat is not much of a challenge.

Attached shop manual on the cooling system.

The alternator does not have water cooling. Some Range Rovers do. Shop manual attached for that item as well.

 

These guys are pulling your chain. They are getting you for all sorts of money to get you to come back.