Disco 2 Leaking top hose

I've fitted a blueprint top hose to my disco and cannot get it to seal! It's leaking from about three of the connection points despite having replaced the spring clips with jubilee clips and tightening them to within an inch of there lives! I also cleaned all the crud off the triangle connection so it seats better but has made no difference. Do you think a genuine top hose would cure the problem or could there be another underlying problem?

I fitted a genuine top hose a year back, tried the spring clips, tried the jubilees, but every time a leak after a few outings.

What fixed it: Mikalor heavy duty clips torqued to 4Nm, and retorqued every weekend since. 1000 miles later, no more leaks.

Yes, I realise it's insane, but that's what it took. I suppose they just get a bit leaky in their old age, bit like us

As long as the connections are clean of corrosion (easy to clean off) any standard top hose and normal jubilee clips should not leak. If its leaking, you should be checking for over-pressure. i.e. hard hoses. If you have to tighten them to death to stop leaks then you should be looking elsewhere- like the head gasket...

Cheers chaps.
Excuse my ignorance but how/why the head gasket?
P.S. How hard are we talking with regards to the top hose being over pressurised?

The expansion cap should always vent before your hoses leak.

Assuming (1) your cap isn't faulty and (2) there's nothing preventing pressure changes communicating within the system (e.g a blockage), a leaky hose is just a leaky hose, whether or not there's trouble in t'head gasket.

have u ever tried the T bolt clamps, having a wide band and as there also stainless steel will last a good while

but of course as @Bobdog mentioned there may be an underlying problem why they are leaking and not just down to the clips used

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/W2-Stainl...hash=item5447c43a63:m:myI84kncaiURVVoESLvCvFQ

Leaky with old age? My D1 still has the hoses that the factory fitted 19 yeas ago, so it does pay to use 'genuine parts' sometimes.

I can't see any type of vent on the cap ( it's just a solid cap?) and the old hop hose never leaked at all but I broke the stupid brittle hose that leads to the radiator so had to replace the whole thing and have had trouble ever since!

danam1 said:

I can't see any type of vent on the cap ( it's just a solid cap?) and the old hop hose never leaked at all but I broke the stupid brittle hose that leads to the radiator so had to replace the whole thing and have had trouble ever since!

Click to expand...

The vent is in the underside of the cap. The excess pressure is released through the little vent pipe on the neck of the expansion tank, not the top of the cap. Anyway, your top hose shouldnt leak. if all else is fine, get a new hose.

First signs of head gasket failure, exactly the same happened to my td5.
Do a search and dont leave the repair to long as the head can shuffle sideways enough so the valves can hit the cylinder side walls and scrap the motor.

lynall said:

First signs of head gasket failure, exactly the same happened to my td5.
Do a search and dont leave the repair to long as the head can shuffle sideways enough so the valves can hit the cylinder side walls and scrap the motor.

Click to expand...

I think the same. Mine blew two top hoses and the cause was the head gasket. People always say to check the pressure cap first but mine was working fine, it can only release so much pressure, after which the hoses pop. Or possibly in this case, leak from the connections.

I had only just bought mine in 2005 so was just over 4 years old at the time and it kept weeping form the where the top hose fits engine end, so removed the clip and fitted jubille clip, pleased as seemed a cheap fix for a chagne, then rad started to weep then I twigged it was a bit more serious!
Dealer was as good as gold and got head gasket done by his pet lr mechanic.