I replaced my starter this past weekend, and I had to drain and take the radiator off. Well once I filled it back up and hooked it up, the bottom hose started leaking, a steady leak.I have taken the fancy clip that holds it on off and tried putting it back on thinking that I had put it on wrong. Well when I fill it don't leak untill I start the car then it starts leaking.. Idk what I am doing wrong?? Is there a certain point where the hose has to be pushed on before I put the clip on it? Anyone that knows how these things work or a special way they go on please let me know. Thank you

 

Come on, no one knows how the Audi hoses go on right? Any info helps!

 

I remember it was a PITA to remove the lower hose, even after wire retaining clip was pulled out (or up). There is a rubber O-ring in there that seals the joint. Removing & installing the plastic hose end involves muscling past this O-ring. If you have hose pushed onto the radiator enough & the clip installed then you should not be able to pull the hose off. If you can, then hose not pushed on far enough past the O-ring. If hose pushed on far enought yet it still leaks, you probalbly have a bad O-ring.

 

Yeaa I can pull it right off with the clip and everything on it....

 

I had a similar issue with the upper radiator hose (should be a similar, if not exactly the same).

It felt damn near impossible to get past the o-ring without some sort of lubrication, so start by coating the o-ring itself with some vaseline. Before attempting to put the hose back on, put the clip on and push it down in the locking position and then try putting the hose on. The clip should make a little click noise once it's secure (or something like that.. this was a little while back, so I don't remember all the details).

There should be two notches on the hose that need to lineup with notches on the radiator part, so make sure they're lined up.

This is from my experience with the upper radiator hose, so it may not be exact.. but I'm assuming it's about the same.