SteveJ_in_TX

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/13566/coolant_pics0001.jpg"></center><p>I knew that the banjo coolant fitting for the turbo was getting old, and I didn't want a coolant hose failure on a miserable day, so today I pulled the sucker off there and replaced with a home grown replacement.

The stock on with the crimped hose is on the left, and the upgraded on is on the right. After you pull the banjo fitting off the upper radiator outlet at the top of the block, whip out your trusty Dremel tool and cut the crimped part off. You can then put on a piece of normal hose and hose clamps. The stock hose diameter is 12mm or thereabouts (which nobody around here carries) but a bit of 3/8 inch transmission hose works well.

SteveJ_in_TX

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/13566/coolant_pics0002.jpg"></center><p>It's much easier to get to with the PS pump out of the way. And yes, my car is a West Virginia car, as seen by the lack of paint and lotsa rust on the side of the block...

SteveJ_in_TX

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/13566/coolant_pics0005.jpg"></center><p>This is what it looks like when you are done, and now I feel much better about doing long trips. Be sure to use new crush washers when reinstalling the banjo fitting. I also replaced the thermostat as well.

Also, while I was in there, I replaced the four inch long 3/4 inch hose that leads from the thermostat housing to the pipe feeding the heater core (seen in the right hand side of the pic with the gleaming new clamps).

When I pulled it (the 3/4 inch hose) off, it was obviously the 16 year old OE hose, with a layer of crud on the inside and looking all brittle like it would fail soon. Murphy's law says it would have failed when it was cold and raining and 100 miles from home.

Will Ng

Been putting it off since the hydraulic pump is in the way. And my pump is bleeding Pentosin, so I thought I'd knock 2 birds off w/ 1 stone.

Did you refill with Pentosin coolant? I'm thinking of trying the new Zerex G05/ Extreme 450 formula they licensed from BASF.

birdmanmt

i had to replace that little bastard last winter when it was about 5 degrees out!