1ST Generation Dodge Neon lower radiator hose clamp replacement

[fat tony]

I had a leaky lower radiator hose, I decided to get it sorted out one day when it was snowing and raining.  From above, the alternator, radiator cooling, and A/C fan were in the way. I drove the car up on my chocks, and took a look underneath. The lower radiator hose clamp is concealed by a piece of the frame that is about 1/4" to about 1/8" thick. It forms an angle that prevents you from getting at the hose clamp to remove it. As the weather was getting worse by the minute, I decided to grind away about a 1" by 3" triangle of the annoying frame steel, with my cheapo 4" angle grinder.  After I got that ground away, after lots of smoke and steam from anti freeze, grease, oil and other assorted filth, I was able to get at the hose clamp. The original hose clamp is a clip on dealie that is not at all like a Jubilee clip/hose clamp. I got my Dremel rotary tool out and cut it off with a little abrasive cut off wheel. I went through 2 of them as you know they break when they fetch up in the kerf.

By the way, all the while while you are grinding away the original hose clamp, you are going to get an ever increasing flood of anti freeze coming down near your face, so have about 2-3 shallow buckets to catch the majority of the anti freeze. Also have lots of rags, paper towel and wear the blue rubber gloves, and eye protection. I got the new clamp on, and got it secured. You will have to be careful of overtightening the hose clamp on there, as the pipe into the radiator is plastic as far as I can tell. I had to keep replenishing the coolant reservoir as there appeared to be a lot of air bubbles in the rad over the next day or two.

The clean up consisted of flushing out the driveway with about 7-8 buckets of water. Don't tell the green communists I did some car repair in my driveway. Recycling chemicals here means a 20 mile drive on my own coin, sorry that's not going to happen anytime soon.

Best regards, Tony.

PS: I got some 1/4" steel plate and stainless nuts bolts & lock washers, I intend to put a mending plate in there to reinforce where I cut away the frame.

[Glanceblamm]

Good repair Tony, specially on the frame mend

I got into a similar on an XLT ranger but this was a line for the power steering. Even if I pulled the airconditioning compressor, the bracket (which also houses the power steering pump) extended up underneath the valve cover on the top side and the timing cover on the front of the engine. A look underneath said that the actual steering box along with a frame crossmember would be in the way. The solution was to pull the battery and the left front tire and I was able to work alternately from the top and through the left front wheel well to get to that lower fitting.

I could have removed the pulley on the power steering pump but this calls for some specialty tools (which are lent in some cases from the auto parts store) but that darn air compressor would still have to be removed. I figure that I saved two hours shop labor installing that $14 replacement line myself. They probably would have charged me more than that labor cost by recovering the freon from my air so that fittings could be broke and then selling my own freon back to me upon reassembly.

[fat tony]

Hello Glance!  I appreciate your valuable input! I have taken over the maintenance duties for my Neon more or less. The next project, once the weather gets warm, is to replace the power steering pump and hose. I have everything I need to complete the job, except motivation. I expect warm dry weather will provide me with that motivation.