A few dumb questions - Radiator Install

[Sean486]

Going to replacing my radiator tomorrow, I have read the procedure link and it seems pretty basic, although I am sure that for me it will end up be pretty difficult.

Should I put the car up on ramps or is there going to be enough room to get the lower hose on and off without it? Or should I drain it then lift it with a jack to get the lower hose?

In regards to the fans do they screw on or are they held some otherway, like with ties or something? Wish me luck I am always a little nervous when doing my own repairs.

[immortal_suby]

You won't need ramps to do it but they might help when getting the skidplate off.

The fans each have 2 bolts on top. IIRC the bottom of the fan is just pins and the fans should lift right out once the top bolts are out.
Don't over tighten the fan bolts. The plastic cracks easily.

[1986nate]

I'm not sure about the draining process for it, but you should be able to get at the lower hose easy enough with it on the ground, ramps will just make it easier of course.

The fans are just simply "screwed" to the radiator using 10mm bolts (if I remember correctly) that also have phillips openings on them.

meh, you beat me to it, and you were a little more precise

[Sean486]

Luckily my skid plate is already off, I won't have to mess with it. If I pull onto ramps will it be harder to drain? Someone at work told me it would be better to have it flat when draining.

[immortal_suby]

Shouldn't make any difference on draining - the plug is to the rear, but it might make it harder to pull the radiator out on ramps with the front end another foot higher.

[svxfiles]

If you have ramps use them, it will be much easier on your back.

Remove the radiator cap before you drain it.

When you remove the over flow hose, wedge it up somewhere so that it does not syphon out the coolant from the overflow tank.

After you drain the coolant (the drain plug is on the passenger side)
there is still lots left in the lower hose, so expect a deluge.

While you are under there remove the two wires to the fans.

The bolts that hold the fans on are 6mm WITH A 10MM HEAD.

[Sean486]

Thanks guys!

[ensteele]

It shouldn't take too long to do it, and it is not very difficult. Good luck with the job.

[SoCal LS-L]

Also its always a good idea to reverse flush it (run a hose into the bottom hose port with the radiator up-side down) to get rid of any leftover pieces from the manufacturing processes, dust/dirt, packing material etc. etc.

At the same time, id would also do the thermostat, which while its out will allow you to flush fresh water through the engine and cooling passages. Just remember to get one of those little floating bead testers for the coolant so you can have the proper mix in your system.

[svxpert]

and when you refil the cooling system, make sure you get all the air out. i would hate to see another suby engine bite the dust from overheating!

[svxfiles]

Originally Posted by SoCal LS-L

Also its always a good idea to reverse flush it (run a hose into the bottom hose port with the radiator up-side down) to get rid of any leftover pieces from the manufacturing processes, dust/dirt, packing material etc. etc.

At the same time, id would also do the thermostat, which while its out will allow you to flush fresh water through the engine and cooling passages. Just remember to get one of those little floating bead testers for the coolant so you can have the proper mix in your system.

Radiator cap is just over a year old.
The water pump, thermostat, upper and lower rad hoses, plus the bypass hoses are just under a year old.
You should be good to go.
Just make sure no antifreeze goes on the ground or animals/pets can drink it and might die!

[SoCal LS-L]

Originally Posted by svxfiles

Just make sure no antifreeze goes on the ground or animals/pets can drink it and might die!

They add a bitterant now that makes it taste awful to animals. The rotten thing is they finally did this to stop HUMAN deaths as people learned they could blend this into sweet drinks to kill people they didnt like NOT because it was killing animals.

People, reason to hate being born one.

[svxfiles]

Originally Posted by SoCal LS-L

They add a bitterant now that makes it taste awful to animals.
The rotten thing is they finally did this to stop HUMAN deaths as people learned they could blend this into sweet drinks to kill people they didnt like
NOT because it was killing animals.

To quota a GREAT line from John Carpenters' The Thing;

[Norris' head grows legs and tries to walk away]
Palmer: You gotta be f***ing kidding.

[Hocrest]

Originally Posted by svxpert

and when you refil the cooling system, make sure you get all the air out. i would hate to see another suby engine bite the dust from overheating!

The easiest way, I've found to fill it without air pockets is this;
- Start off with the car on ramps, or the front jacked, or parked pointed slightly uphill.
- With all hoses connected except the top hose at the radiator side, use that open hose to add unmixed coolant to the engine. It should take not quite all of a full gallon.
- Attach the top hose to the radiator and tighten the clamp.
- Fill the radiator with distilled water, it should take not quite all of a full gallon.
- Make a 50/50 premix with whatever coolant you have left.
- With the cap off, and a radiator funnel in the top, start the car and keep a "head" of the premix in the funnel.
- Squeeze the top hose to push air out.
- Right about the time that the fans kick on, you should notice that the flow of coolant increases due to the thermostat opening
- Before turning off the engine, remove the funnel and replace the cap, THE COOLANT MAY BE HOT!!!

[Sean486]

I got it put in. I'm not sure if I got all the air out, so I'll probably do it a second time after a I buy a proper radiator funnel. The funnel I was using would not do that trick of holding in the coolant above the radiator. I also found a exposed wire on the passenger side fan that I taped up as a temporary fix.

When I put the heat on full blast, do I use the Econ setting or the Auto? or doesn't it matter?

When I put the cap on should the coolant be all way to the top or should there be a little space?

When I turned the car off after about 15 minutes the heat was blowing hot and the temperature gauge was still normal, which I am taking as a good sign. It used about a gallon and a half of coolant. I used the Preston 50/50 premixed bottles. Anyway I am done for now and heading to the ski slopes (in my other car). Later I will take another shot at getting the air out and fixing the fan wire properly.