I was replacing my water pump and was trying to loosen the alternator bolts and I leaned too hard on the overflow line from the top of the radiator to the overflow tank and broke the piece off at the radiator.

I liked the idea of the wheel valve and the threaded X barbed fitting but could not drive my car to get any parts so I improvised. I used the ferrule from a fitting like you would use to hook up an ice maker. The ferrule is .205 OD and is brass and has a flange built as part of it. I was able to hold the broken barbed piece by hand and work my way up to a 7/32" (.2185") drill bit using drill bits in 1/32" increments. Then I took the air scoop off of the radiator support so I could have access with my cordless drill and drilled the radiator with the 7/32" drill bit. Then I used a piece of hanger wire and fed it in through the hole I just drilled out and fed it to the upper hose barb on the radiator and grabbed it. Then I slid the ferrule on and put a small bend in the wire so the ferrule would not fall off.

Then I put a bit of 5 minute epoxy on the inside of the flange of the ferrule and pulled it into the radiator with the wire and pulled it up tight to the inner wall of the radiator. Then I put some more epoxy on the outside of the ferrule and slid the broken part of the radiator onto the ferrule. Then I held it for a few minutes until the epoxy set. I was worried that the hanger wire would be glued to the inside of the radiator so I used some more hanger wire and bent it flat onto itself so that I could grab the back side of the ferrule. Then I went in and had some lunch to give the epoxy some more time to set, and finished reassembling. This fix is similar to the reinforcing that is inside the outlet on the expansion tank and the primary fuel filter. I like the repair because when the hose is clamped onto the barb it is clamping on the ferrule also.

Sorry but no photos.

__________________
Doug

1987 300TD x 3
2005 E320CDI