I have just been replacing my radiator.

All gone well, but having difficulty getting the large bottom plastic coupler back on the radiator - difficult to get force behind it to push it over the rad outlet as unlike the top one you cannot get both hands to the job.

Any advice on lubrication - I was reluctant to apply anything (vaseline or washing up liquid) in case it destroyed rubber seals?

Do they usually require a lot of force - I am thinking of taking the plastic coupler off the rubber hose, removing the rad to outside the car and then fitting the coupler. However I was a bit reluctant to break a seal between the rubber pipe and plastic coupler.

The irony of all this is the couplers are probably designed to make the job easy - but the gods of automotive maintenance are not on my side today.

It could be the paint on the radiator spout is causing too much obstruction and needs a whizz round with emery paper.

Any ideas welcome. Howard
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2002 4.4 V8 LPG Tartarini
Have RSW AllComms in Cheshire J17 M6 - happy to help.
*Gone: Classic Vogue SE Auto V8 3.9

silicone grease or rubber grease. Even ordinary hand soap or washing up liquid smeared all over it will do. It'll wash off once it's had water on it.

It does only fit in one position and it can help to remove the metal fixing clip, push it on then push the clip back on...

Lubrication will help but I wouldn't use washing up liquid, it's full of salt to soften the water and will stay on the alloy part of the rad that isn't the water side and corrode it... I usually use some coolant on them... Pete
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2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand Sold
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

I've had this before on a BMW and it wasn't helped by being a pattern rad rather than OEM which I suspect the fittings were a little larger / off size. I lubed the couplings with coolant and it is quite oily to the touch and obviously won't contaminate the system - worked well.

I'd agree about washing up liquid being salty, but it washes off easily by sloshing some water over it with a watering can or hose. Any tiny bit of salt that's left after that will be insignificant to the amount that will be thrown at it come winter.

There is actually a fare bit of alloy that is within the fitting that you couldn't wash it out from, and if you got even a small amount in the rad you will end up with suds in the header tank...

Should have seen the fountain where we used to live after someone squirted washing up liquid in it...!!!!!  Pete
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2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand Sold
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

Thanks to everyone for chipping in with solutions and so quickly as well

Got to work on it again this afternoon - neat coolant smeared on the fitting was the answer - thanks Haylands and kezbo1981. Thanks also to Zirconblue - for coming in so quickly with your suggestions

I was working in daylight (rather than dusk) this time I could actually get in a position with both hands behind the coupler to push it on the rad. A good shove solved it.

Like kezbo1981, I suspected my rad may have been a bit off-spec as it was a pettern part. So I ended up getting a narrow wood chisel and slightly widening the two 1cm long grooves in the plastic coupler. The easiest way was to disconnect the other end of the pipe from the engine and work on it outside the car.

Rad back on (like you Pete when you changed yours - the old rad weighed considerably more than the new one due to the crud inside) so well pleased to have got this job done now rather than in the rain / cold / or road side. Howard
____________________________________________________
2002 4.4 V8 LPG Tartarini
Have RSW AllComms in Cheshire J17 M6 - happy to help.
*Gone: Classic Vogue SE Auto V8 3.9

 Pete
__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand Sold
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-