[Ponedude]

Hey guys,
So got a 07 328i auto. Upper hose blew apart. What's been you guys experiences getting this thing off the radiator? From looking at other posts and videos looks like I got a 60% chance of breaking my radiator lol and really really dont wanna do a new radiator. I've seen suggestions of heating it up, spray silicone, cutting it. I got the end off oil housing, but only been wiggling and prying gently with small screwdriver and barely got any separation on radiator side. And another question on putting new hose on, I've read where you lock the hose clip and push the hose on locked til you hear it click. Just dont sound right lol.
Thanks for any help!

[smallseafishie]

just slide the new hose on with the pin down. it'll lock itself into place.

just wiggle it off as hard as you can. Constant wiggling in different directions with a forceful but constant outward force usually gets it done. If you end up breaking the radiator side anyway, the plastic was compromised and was on its way out anyway.

[Ponedude]

Thanks for response. Yeah I was wondering if i was just being to gentle lol.

[smass]

60% seems about right. I removed mine with the radiator removed from the car. It was really stuck on there. If you just pull on the hose, you put pressure on the radiator end cap connections which can leak. It would be best to pry on the hose with big pry bars between the hose housing and end cap housing. This will limit stress on the end cap seal. The end housing cap can crack if you put too much pressure on it.

To install the new hose, lube the o ring with coolant and press on until it clicks. The click is the locking ring falling into the locking groove.

[Efthreeoh]

I published a DIY about replacing all the cooling hoses when my car reached 230,000. The big upper and lower hoses are a pain in the ass to remove from the radiator. What I did was cut both hoses off the radiator. I then removed the radiator and affixed it to my work bench. Once the radiator was tied down, I then took two large flat-blade screwdrivers and pried the hose connector from the hose bibs. Prior to that involved exercise, I tried wiggling the hoses off the radiator while it was still mounted in the car. I flexed the shit out of the upper hose bib, which is why I decided to cut the hoses and remove the radiator.

To ease your mind, once I reinstalled the radiator, it lasted to 350,000 miles until a deer hit caused me to replace it.

[Ponedude]

Oh crap that sucks and I did see your post. Thanks for the info! I only got 120k on mine, I think i might be approaching this too passively lol...now the hose that runs to firewall and connects to the upper hose you said you removed from under correct? No way to get at it from top? That hose needs replaced also it has a bulge in it.

[desertman123]

Spray some silicon lube into the fitting too. Anything helps.

I created a crack/pinhole leak while replacing my upper rad hose

[smass]

Originally Posted by Ponedude

Oh crap that sucks and I did see your post. Thanks for the info! I only got 120k on mine, I think i might be approaching this too passively lol...now the hose that runs to firewall and connects to the upper hose you said you removed from under correct? No way to get at it from top? That hose needs replaced also it has a bulge in it.

That is a heater hose. There are 2. They can be unhooked from topside. One by the radiator and the other behind the air box area (remove the air box to see). But the cowl will need to be removed to unhook the firewall end.

[fastboatster]

Yes, cutting it off is a way to go. It won’t come out without taking the radiator fitting out if it’s old. I’d soak it in WD40 and heat it up first, though, if it doesn’t budge, cut the sucker off.

[e90yyc]

Use a heat gun. It made removing mine wayyyy easier. I was ready to hack it off.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by e90yyc

Use a heat gun. It made removing mine wayyyy easier. I was ready to hack it off.

Man I wish I thought of that..

[deropke]

Just did this hose few hours ago, pry it carefully until you get like ~3mm gap and then all in onto it (took me about 7 minutes). Remove airbox if you haven't already for better access.

[Ponedude]

Originally Posted by smass

That is a heater hose. There are 2. They can be unhooked from topside. One by the radiator and the other behind the air box area (remove the air box to see). But the cowl will need to be removed to unhook the firewall end.

Okay do you mean the windshield wiper cowl? I removed cabin filter cowl and it's still pretty tight in there. I cant even see end of hose. Did you remove the hose that sits on top of this one? And the bottom hose at firewall, does it have the quick release hose end?

[Fitz335]

I pulled my radiator the other day, I hacked off the lower hose since I'm removing the turbos, but they're a real PITA

[Ponedude]

Yes I agree! I managed to get mine off the radiator with no damage lol. Now the firewall side. I dont see how to get at it without removing that top heater/water hose though.

[smass]

Originally Posted by Ponedude

Okay do you mean the windshield wiper cowl? I removed cabin filter cowl and it's still pretty tight in there. I cant even see end of hose. Did you remove the hose that sits on top of this one? And the bottom hose at firewall, does it have the quick release hose end?

Yes, the wiper cowl needs to come off to see behind the intake manifold. One of the heater hoses has quick connects on both ends. The other uses a hose clamps by the firewall. To remove, you need to get pliers on the clamp to release the clamp tension. Next, the split the hose with a razor blade to remove without stressing the heater core.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-rein-par...216951946~ren/
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-rein-par...219178427~ren/

[vlcook]

I have the same problem with my hose. It came off the upper radiator hose and want it to make sure was this the heater hose. It connects under the upper radiator hose and it goes toward the back of the wall. What do you think it could be and is it a easy fix?