Have to change the radiator, can I expect any gotchas?

Topic: Have to change the radiator, can I expect any gotchas? (Read 1423 times) previous topic - next topic

Have to change the radiator, can I expect any gotchas?

September 22, 2006, 10:50:35 AM

Ok, I've actually removed/replaced a radiator once... years ago . . . in an 80s Chevy Caprice.

Well, anyway, on the way to work, my 88 Tbird Sport decided that it was no longer going to pretend to be housebroken.

I think I've got a 2-core radiator, and I know I can get a new one from yon local parts store with lifetime warranty for under $100. I'm guessing that at that price, it's a much better choice than grabbing that one out of a car at the local junkyard.

However, I didn't get a good look at stuff at the bottom part of the radiator (since I didn't want hot coolant getting into my face, eyes, etc), but I do know that the radiator leaks because it was spraying a thin stream from the upper-right part of the fins area.

Anyway, the Caprice was very straightforward, is the T-bird equally easy in terms of removing/replacing the radiator, or are there any peculiarities with this car that I have to watch out for? :nkhk:

Have to change the radiator, can I expect any gotchas?

Reply #1 – September 22, 2006, 11:35:20 AM

If you have a clutched fan you have to remove that before you do anything. Then there are 2 bolts that hold the radiator in with brackes and upper and lower hoses and the trans lines. After that it should pull right out.

Have to change the radiator, can I expect any gotchas?

Reply #2 – September 22, 2006, 10:25:08 PM

Ditto, just pulled the one outta my stang the other night, 4 bolts for the fan, two for the shroud, tranny lines, rad hoses, two brackets at the top and it pops right out.

Have to change the radiator, can I expect any gotchas?

Reply #3 – September 22, 2006, 10:35:32 PM

I don't recall removing the fan from my car when doing radiators. What am I missing? Once you pull off the lower hose and the tranny cooling lines (if applicable), you unbolt the shroud...unbolt the radiator hold-down bolts and pull the radiator up.

Have to change the radiator, can I expect any gotchas?

Reply #4 – September 22, 2006, 10:52:22 PM

I didn't unbolt the shroud. I was going to an electric fan when the radiator went back in. So I pulled the fan.

But ya you could just unbolt the shroud if wanted.

Have to change the radiator, can I expect any gotchas?

Reply #5 – September 22, 2006, 11:34:18 PM

Quote from: JeremyB;105109

I don't recall removing the fan from my car when doing radiators. What am I missing? Once you pull off the lower hose and the tranny cooling lines (if applicable), you unbolt the shroud...unbolt the radiator hold-down bolts and pull the radiator up.

Ditto - the only time I've removed the fan was to replace it. The rad came out fine with it in there.

King V - the only snafu you might run into is the tranny lines. If they're rusted they may not come out easily, and they may leak when you put them in the new rad. That happened with my first T-Bird, a rusty '85 V6 model.

You should prolly replace your rad hoses too. They're likely as old as the car and probably ticking time bombs...

Have to change the radiator, can I expect any gotchas?

Reply #6 – September 22, 2006, 11:46:22 PM

I just installed a new one from AutoZone today.Took about 15 minutes,then had to fill the thing with fluids.The real difference in the old and the new was that the new one had a plastic drain valve and the old one had a brass one.No big deal.Under a hundred bucks,lifetime warranty.

Have to change the radiator, can I expect any gotchas?

Reply #7 – September 23, 2006, 12:18:44 AM

I used fuel grade plumber's (teflon) tape around the tranny line threads before threading back into the rad. No leaks. Otherwise straight forward as stated above. No need to remove fan, just unbolt shroud and place it back onto fan. Remember WD40 or LooseNut...etc are your friend.

Have to change the radiator, can I expect any gotchas?

Reply #8 – September 23, 2006, 12:58:33 AM

Quote from: SRBird;105135

No need to remove fan, just unbolt shroud and place it back onto fan.

Never thought of that, makes it even easier that way! Of course mine had to come off, along with EVERYTHING ELSE...

Have to change the radiator, can I expect any gotchas?

Reply #9 – September 23, 2006, 01:35:26 AM

Never have taken the fan off. just pull the shroud back and the thing pulls right out. They are so easy. I can do it in my car in about 15 minutes. Got good at it last year when i put 4 radiators in it.

tc

Have to change the radiator, can I expect any gotchas?

Reply #10 – September 23, 2006, 12:19:58 PM

Quote from: Thunder Chicken;105128

King V - the only snafu you might run into is the tranny lines. If they're rusted they may not come out easily, and they may leak when you put them in the new rad. That happened with my first T-Bird, a rusty '85 V6 model.

Thanks for the heads-up. I'll be extra-careful there.

Quote from: Thunder Chicken;105128

You should prolly replace your rad hoses too. They're likely as old as the car and probably ticking time bombs...

Actually, I think they were replaced with new ones when I got the car 2 years ago, but I'll double-check. The ignition wires, on the other hand . . well, I did notice that they had the Ford logo on them, so they've got me wondering....

Thanks everyone. This just hit me suddenly, so I'm glad to have confirmation that this is a simple, straightforward job.

Have to change the radiator, can I expect any gotchas?

Reply #11 – September 23, 2006, 08:08:32 PM

Well, that went reasonably well.

Still, given my unique talents, I managed to miss one or two small details that, when I had to go back and do later, make it notably more time-consuming.

Didja know that, if you forget to put in those little clips that support the shroud from the bottom before you put the radiator in, that it's a LOT harder to put them in when the radiator's actually installed in the car? Yep, these are pearls of wisdom here!

Anyhoo . . one annoying factor is that EVERY parts store's radiator for this car has the same minor defect. Note yon picture of where the rad cap belongs. That overflow tube's supposed to be in the 3 o'clock position, not the 1 o'clock! Yeek! Had to push the battery back as far as possible, and fortunately, the hose isn't completetly folded over, so flow to and from the overflow tank is available.

See those white areas of the radiator? That's where there's horizontal tubes and no fins whatsoever! The white is the concrete beneath.

Check out the dirt on the concrete. That's what the radiator left behind after I'd VERY gently placed it on the ground.

I'm surprised it held up as long as it did. A light brushing of the fingertips on some of those fins caused them to crumble to dust.

Have to change the radiator, can I expect any gotchas?

Reply #12 – September 23, 2006, 09:13:56 PM

Hey! i've got one of those custom rads laying around from a parts car, they are high performance for better airflow :p

Have to change the radiator, can I expect any gotchas?

Reply #13 – September 23, 2006, 10:16:06 PM

Wow, that's definitely worse than mine.

Though I've gotta admit, for being only a 2-row radiator, on a V8, with A/C, and being as bad off as mine was, even in the middle of summer idling in traffic, my temp needle never went above the middle of the range.

I don't have to commute every day, but when I do, it's 80 miles each way. Until one of those horizontal tubes cracked and made the car look EXACTLY like a dog peeing, my super-groovy "high airflow" radiator was doing the job remarkably well.

Makes me wonder if they could've gotten away with an even smaller radiator and had it be trouble-free.