Hi, yes I'm a girl so I'll probably mess this up but I'll ask for help anyway. My car leaks antfreeze up at the top where a hose comes off the radiator. The hubby replaced it last summer and was kind of surprised the hose just bolted on. Now it seems to be leaking more and smoke sometimes comes out of the scoop. Is there something he should modify? we both think this is the wrong way to attach a hose to not get leakage. Shouldn't it be more of a clamp on a protrusion from the radiator? Was he given the wrong radiator? I haven't asked him if the old one was like this but I'm sure it was or he wouldn't have used it. Anyone know what he can do to stop the leak? The hose still feels pliable.

 

The radiator hose your hubby installed may have simply split or cracked because the hose clamp was over tightened or tightened at an angle. Also, was the entire radiator replaced or just the hose? The radiator could have developed a leak, but that's not too likely.

Either way, it shouldn't be a big problem finding the source of the leak.

Best of luck!

 

Thats the thing ToroPerro, it wasn"t a clamp, it was just bolted on which I think is exactly where it leaks. What I was wondering is maybe that was the wrong radiator? does the radiator have a bit coming out so the hose can clamp on or is it flush so the hose bolts on? Thanks for your help

 

On the passenger side of the radiator there is a neck (or protrusion) that is bolted to the radiator. The rubber radiator hose connects to the neck within approximately 2 inches from the radiator as you follow towards the center of the car. That connection, where the neck and the rubber hose connect, is where you should see your first hose clamp.

If your leak is at the bolt on neck to radiator connection, I am not seeing any reference to removing or replacing that neck on the radiator in the service manual. I am also not seeing it shown as a separate part on the RealOEM diagrams of the cooling system. RealOEM doesn't list a part number for the neck separately either.

http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...33&hg=17&fg=05

Given the lack of service and part information, I would suspect that Mini considers the bolt on neck a non-serviceable part of the radiator itself. That said, I would guess that that connection between the bolt on neck and the actual radiator uses some type of o-rings to make the seal if the two bolts are actually there for assembly/disassembly rather than just some form of support .

Keep in mind I haven't taken that particular radiator to neck assembly apart so I am simply speculating based on parts diagrams, part numbers, and the service manual. If he purchased the replacement radiator you have now from someone other than Mini, that may be the issue as they might not provide o-ring seals, etc; or it is possible to damage seals during installation leading to slight leaks.