Coolant quick connector failure

[jezzathep]

After a short but spirited drive (with the requisite cool down period before parking), I turned off the car and about a minute later I heard a loud hiss and lots of steam rose from under the hood. Romeo dumped about a 1-1.5ltrs of coolant. Romeo is a TBI.

Once it cooled a little I found the small line on the side of the expansion tank snapped at the engine end. There is a small quick connector that attaches to a metal line by the thermostat. The barbed section snapped off. The pieces left in the hose were pretty decayed and brittle. Is this a known failure point ?

And I'm wondering if this connector is a standard size or do I need an Alfa part ??

[jezzathep]

said connector

[kaleuclint]

A known failure point, yes -- but normally the tank just cracks.  I recall buying two, but one could have been for my JTS.

Have a good look at all the hoses too.  These can fail within three years.

[jezzathep]

Yes I believe this car already had the expansion tank replaced once.

When you say all the hoses, the hoses from the expansion tank ?

[kaleuclint]

No, I mean the radiator hoses.

Mine went undiagnosed at the three year end-of-warranty dealer inspection, but didn't make it to the next scheduled service.