sleek55044

Hello everyone,

I have a 2003 A6 2.7t TIP I recently pulled the engine and transmission out to fix a number of things and I am about to fire it up but for the life of me I cant get the retainer clip to seat on the lower coolant sensor that is located on the lower coolant hose going to the radiator.

I have tried to push it in with the o ring out and the clip just twists and wont "clip" in to position. I have looked the part number up on ETKA and I have the correct retainer clip.

the first pic shows how the retainer pinches in when I try to slide it in even without the sensor in place.


I feel very retarded at this point and I am frustrated... What am I doing wrong?

jseklund

Um, this could be my eyes seeing the photo wrong - are you putting the O-ring on the top of the sensor? The o-ring goes on the bottom of the sensor. So it gets squeezed between the sensor and the housing when you put it in, not between the sensor and the clip. It's hard to tell from the photo, but it looks like you put the ring on top. IF that's the case, the ring is in the way.

The clip is kind of a pain to put in correctly, especially when it's down behind the engine still in the car! Push the sensor in hard to squeeze the o-ring and put the clip in while you're pushing it in. It definately doesn't just slide together easily, takes some effort.

sleek55044

The o-ring is def on the bottom of the sensor. Every time I am pushing it together the two ends of the retainer twist up. I have already broken one. Its almost like the little slit in the coolant housing isnt big enough to allow the retainer to expand past the sensor to seat and "clip"

I am really at a loss and about to resort to shaving the sides of the retainer clip down so it can slide in easier.

jseklund

Just to further clarify also - the clip pinches in to hold the sensor. It should slide around the plastic and be directly over the brass part. You'll see it once you move the o-ring I bet.

sleek55044

if you look in the pic with the sensor I am pushing it in and the ends are twisting upward not horizontally, ultimately leading me to break one so far.

4Driver4

Is the old o-ring still in the hole?

sleek55044

Thanks everyone... But I figured it out... Yes I feel retarded. The clip needed to be rotatded 180 degrees so that the clips go around the outside of the two slits in the pipe not through it.

audiqv8

Glad you where able to figure it out

SloopJohnB@mac.com

It's funny how many people looked at the pic and couldn't see the obvious misplacement.

I'm late to this thread so I can't say I would have seen the problem but sheesh.

4Driver4

I've changed a million of those and I missed it.
In my defense it was pre-coffee.