I have a few coolant questions of my own.

First, do those spring load clamps that attach the hoses to the radiator
ever fail or go bad? (these are the kind without the screw). Second, is the
special tool needed to take these off something you buy somewhere? If yes is
it common and universal (ie available at FLAPS), or is something you order
from a special source?

Third, my last mechanic put in the wrong sensor in the thermostat housing.
This is the sender that feeds the guage telling you how hot you engine is.
This is the black one (not the blue one). The one they put in is for the
radiator up front (that is used for telling the fan when to go on). The
sensor now in the housing (which is wrong) is 025 906 231. (what a pain this
was to read! was hard to read being near sighted.). The sensor is supposed
to be 251 919 501, or 251 919 501D. (per a vw dealer part guy). So, does
using the wrong sensor give you the wrong info, or are these really the same
but with different part numbers? I am reading a bit hotter since the repair.
But I also started a coolant leak in the radiator, a minor one, right after
the repair. Or rather, it started itself.

Fourth, if I buy the repair manual, do you think its easy for a novice to
change their own radiator?

Thanks!
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