radiator neck failure mode analysis.

[kavanagh@kodak.com (David Kavanagh staff)]

It happened to me!
On the return leg of a Taco Bell run on Saturday night, my upper
radiator hose slides off the radiator neck! I pull into a nearby plaza
lot and find the upper hose hanging off and steam everwhere! I push
it back on, and start to wonder why it came off. Then I remember the
postings about this failure mode. I take if off and see the ring left
inside the hose! I loosen the hose clamp and clamp the hose on the remainder
of the neck, add water and drive home. 
I have a used radiator from an 88 or 89 that I'll be putting in tonight.

So, about the failure mode...
Is it just that the plastic gets brittle after a while and this happens
to be the most stressed area? I noticed the crack happened right under
the hose clamp. Does this mean that the extra pressure of the clamp
is a contributor to failure? If this is true, It sounds like a good idea
to clamp as close to the bump in the end of the neck as possible. This give
you room to play if it fails on the road. I know I'll be carefull to 
tighten the clamps gently as well! Also, on the replacement radiator,
I noticed the plastic is thinner near the end of the neck. Does that mean
it is better to clamp farther in?

Lastly, any helpfull hints about changing my radiator? (I'll look at the
archives later).


	David