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If you've ever done any work near the top of the radiator or around the serpentine belt area, you will likely nudge or bump where the coolant hose is connected to the radiator. This nipple where the hose is connected is very brittle and fragile and will easily break off. I was working on the serpentine belt and even with sufficient warnings from other members about this problem, I accidentally nudged the hose connection to the radiator and sure enough it broke off. I did not take any picture of the broken nipple, but I did borrow from someone else's posting.
I therefore panicked because the car cannot be driven if the coolant reservoir is not connected to the radiator. So I decided to try to find a way to reconnect the hose. I came up with this temporary solution with these materials.
The picture shows a 3/4 x 1/2 garden hose adapter. However, the 1/2 will not fit inside the hose and exchanged it for a smaller one - which is a 3/4 x 3/8 adapter. The inside of the packaging looks like the picture below, and I only used the barb (nipple) section.
I used a JB Weld that is rated for high temp (550 deg.F) and high pressure (3960 psi).
I then sanded the area where the nipple broke off and thoroughly cleaned it. I then attached the barb (nipple) piece to this area using the JB Weld epoxy. The epoxy is quite runny before it sets so I used some masking tape to hold up the barb (nipple) piece so that it didn't slide down. I let the epoxy set and cure overnight. After I allowed it to cure in the morning, I put aluminum foil tape (high temp rating with acrylic adhesive) around the base area of the barb (nipple) piece to reinforce it (I don't think it will really help but why the heck not!). I then reattached the coolant reservoir hose to the barb. Here's the finished product.
I then drove it long enough to get the temperature of the car to normal driving temperature, and then checked the connection. It felt very hot but seemed stable and no sign of leaks. I'm not really sure how long it will hold up given that the only thing attaching the barb to the radiator is the JB weld. I will check the installation everyday and will update this post in about a week. This is definitely a temporary solution until I get a new radiator installed.
This is a very common issue with the LS 400. I repaired it and it worked well until I had to replace the radiator due to the upper hose mounting basically disintegrating.
You can get a Denso Radiator for around $150 shipped or cheaper for other brands. That fix is good enough till the radiator is delivered and you get it installed. I did the exact same repair and it leaked a tiny bit a few days later. Make sure the tube and filler tank is clear of debris. Mine had broken pieces of the tube and epoxy glue from a previous repair blocking the refill process.
Same issue here. Tried exactly what youre doing and lasted all of 2 weeks. Ended up with a new rad. They seem to be cheap now. Place near me has them for 85
Are there any suggestions on how to avoid breaking off this piece? The dealer mechanics do belt replacements on a regular basis, how do they avoid not breaking off this fragile (problematic) piece?
Are there any suggestions on how to avoid breaking off this piece? The dealer mechanics do belt replacements on a regular basis, how do they avoid not breaking off this fragile (problematic) piece?
It's a bit Redneck, but some have installed a small electrical box around it. Can't remember if there were pictures, but you might find it with a search. If it were me, I'd wrap a good sized piece of red tape around the hose to serve as a reminder.
Radiator nipple broke off!
