'03 MCS: I recently did some work under the hood (ahem, bonnet) and in the process had to disconnect the rubber intake boot from the throttle body. How the hell do I get the hose clamp to re-tightened? I tried unsuccessfully with needle nose pliers. Is there a special tool or technique? Or, should I just buy old fashioned clamps that are tightened with a screw driver?

 

It's been a while since I had the stock intake hose on but if it's the same type as the one pre-filter at the front grill, I use a plier to close them while sticking a thin flathead screwdriver blade through the bit that locks. Once you squeeze the clamp with the pliers past the notch, remove the screwdriver and it's locked. You might have to rotate the screwdriver to help get it over the notch. This works great on the upper clamp but it might be hard to get to the one by the throttle body.

 

Take the OEM one off and throw it in your tool box. Replace it with a large SS hose clamp. When tightening it back up with the new clamp align the phillips head screw so if faces the front so you can reach it with a long handled driver.....

 

And try to get the clamps with the rolled edges so it doesn't cut into the rubber.

 

Thx. That's was why I hesitated to get old fashioned screw clamps. I never liked them too much cause of the damage they did to the rubber underneath.

 

there is very little pressure involved here so you can use a zip tie . . .

I prefer the screw type hose clamp for a long term solution but for the intake air hoses I've used zip ties as I pull them off every 6 months to visual the filter.
A ZIP won't cut anything.

 

The technique I learned from Randy Webb - use a set of channel locks (ideally a small pair, referred to as 'ignition pliers'), Put the top jaw on the 'over' portion of the clamp, and the bottom jaw on the 'under' hump and squeeze as you roll them back, pulling the top over the hump. It takes a bit of practice, but once you get it the method works well.

 

Many thanks to Eric and Randy. Worked like a charm (without any practice). Of course, I had to unbolt the T/B to get the right angle at the clamp.

But, now I'm motoring again.