and that is apparently what is required to R & R the coolant hose at the back of the head on my '92 300SE. Currently, the hose is seeping a bit where it clamps to the fitting on the head, and the mechanic that did the head job oriented the clamp so that the screw isn't accessible from above.

I've got a new set of MB hoses for all of these little hoses on the car and I'd like to R&R all of 'em just to provide peace of mind with Houston's hot summers just around the corner.

Any tips, techinques for getting at this sucker?

Thanks!

Is it the coolant hose on the rear driver's side of the head? If I remember, the metal flange bolts into the head, you might be able to unbolt the flange + hose and take the whole thing out. I don't know if there are any special gaskets that you will need to replace, though.

Really hard to tell what hooks to what back there - very tight quarters. I'll have a look to see if there's a separate flange. If so, I'm sure there's an o-ring involved somewhere, but unbolting the flange would be far easier than trying to get at the hose clamp the way it's oriented.

I'm afraid it's possible that this hose - which terminates in an area easy to access, if I remember correctly, was installed before the head was put back on the car (recent headgasket job), and is gonna be a true pain to R&R.

I'm thinking seriously about leaving this one up to my local indie.

Maybe you could just find a way to cut the clamp off. They only cost a few cents anyway.

__________________
"There are a lot of pebbles on the beach, but there's a Little Rock in Arkansas."

Logan

1983 300D Turbodiesel
1976 300D Rustdiesel