Radiator Replacement Gripe

[Lonegrasshopper]

Just wrapped up replacing my radiator this morning, and overall, easy peasy except that for damn passenger side lower mount bolt. I think it took me almost an hour to get a thread on it when installing. PITA. Engineers did not have the mechanic in mind, or at least me.

That being said, the Denso radiator was a great fit, but I think the lower hose hookup is a bit smaller. I reused the factory clamps, and it's leaking. Waiting for it to cool down, and will replace the clamp. It did, however, solve the overheating.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

but I think the lower hose hookup is a bit smaller. I reused the factory clamps, and it's leaking. Waiting for it to cool down, and will replace the clamp.

Did you reuse the old hoses or get new OEM hoses? Old hoses are much more likely to leak.

 

[bobcatag2006]

Same here. I replaced my radiator about three weeks ago and the lower hose started leaking a day later.

Replaced the hose and kept the original clamp and it hasn’t leaked since.

 

[flintknapper]

Did you reuse the old hoses or get new OEM hoses? Old hoses are much more likely to leak.

^^^^^

Exactly.
When I put a Spectra Radiator in mine, (4 yrs. ago) I used a 'Gates' lower hose. Hasn't leaked since.

 

[medtro]

Just wrapped up replacing my radiator this morning, and overall, easy peasy except that for damn passenger side lower mount bolt. I think it took me almost an hour to get a thread on it when installing. PITA. Engineers did not have the mechanic in mind, or at least me.

It is easier to have the brackets loose, install mounting bolts, then tighten the brackets to the radiator.

 

[Lonegrasshopper]

Did you reuse the old hoses or get new OEM hoses? Old hoses are much more likely to leak.

Haha..I used old, but it's not leaking now. T-belt and WP will be due here in about 10k miles, and I'll replace the hoses and t-stat then.

 

[Lonegrasshopper]

It is easier to have the brackets loose, install mounting bolts, then tighten the brackets to the radiator.

lol...Yes, this is what I ended up doing. I also unscrewed the power steering cooler mounting bracket to allow a bit more wiggle room for my hand. Those are evil little tubes.

 

[CBdeJ]

Did mine yesterday. OEM radiator. Ordered new side brackets (they are called upper brackets on parts diagrams, they bolt onto the side plates), all four isolators and new bolts/nuts in addition to replacing the upper and lower hoses with new OEM. I think everything shipped to me cost about $500 for the parts (the Radiator was obviously the biggest chunk of that). Took about an hour with two of us. Also a bit frustrated by the passenger side lower bolt but we took out the intake to make a bit more room at the start (made replacing the lower hose simple) so we only lost about 5 minutes trying to thread the damn passenger side bolt into the lower bracket.

For future reference for the neophytes. We did not remove the fan or belt. I would recommend removing the lower hose before unbolting the shroud and shifting it backwards a couple of inches for clearance. The lower hose clamp can get in the way. When assembling, put the shroud back on before the lower hose. We did not remove the battery, about 15 inches of extender made easy work of the lower bolts during dis- and re-assembly on both sides. There is also enough room with the battery in(at least with my battery) if you angle down the passenger side of the radiator in first so the bracket clears the hoses on that side.