Radiator removal

[matt-man]

Hey guys, tonight I drained the water system and trying to get the rad out as it is leaking and needs repairing.

Am I being a fool or is this hard?! All pipes are off, side bolts undone so it lifts out of the 'feet'. As I put a bigger kenlowe on a few years back I've removed that too....

Does it come out the bottom or top? Also, does the oil cooler need to come off first?

Cheers boyos!

[adam quantrill]

Mine (400SX same as SE) came out upwards - had to remove the fan and cowl first. And oil cooler.

[jmorgan]

Dropped mine out the bottom (400SE). Oil cooler off, fans off, unbolt and lift off the pins at the bottom and drop but the top looked tantalisingly doable.

Had to cut a small section of fiber glass away.

[adam quantrill]

jmorgan said:

Had to cut a small section of fiber glass away.

Same here Jeff - my piece was about 1" * 1.5"...

[matt-man]

Right, cheers chaps!

Think I'll try the bottom route...or maybe top!

I'll get the cooler off and see what happens..lcheers!

[jmorgan]

adam quantrill said:

jmorgan said:

Had to cut a small section of fiber glass away.

Same here Jeff - my piece was about 1" * 1.5"...

Probably the same size here Adam, fouling the bottom hose, it just would not come out without it removed.

[jmorgan]

matt-man said:

Right, cheers chaps!

Think I'll try the bottom route...or maybe top!

I'll get the cooler off and see what happens..lcheers!

Jacked and chocked and axles stands quite high to let it out, not much room in my garage. I also had the bonnet off to get ate the top fixings easier. Not sure why I did not go the top way but think the rad might be bigger. Makes sense when the bonnet is off.


Then what I did, was to seal up the otter and fit a different temp sensor to control the fan. But you don't want to do that......

Got fed up of the otter leaking. Thinking of which, don't forget to take that off if it gets in the way.

[Solitude]

Take the nose cone off (easy) and drop it thru the front (bottom)

And have someone weld ona 22mm threaded boss while you are doing the rad so you can get any otter switch to fit from your local autopart shop

[adam quantrill]

Hacksawing a 400SE nosecone might be easy but glassing back on is a bit trickier.

So you got it out the bottom route - why not stick it back in the top route - then you can compare (gravity in your favour both ways too....)

[pwd95]

Done two now. Out downwards on both the 450SE & the 350/450i.

You'll be able to do it in 15 mins flat after you've re fitted the new one only to discover it's still leaking & needs to go back to be properly repaired.

Or in the case of the first one, I didn't clamp the otter switch properly & it blew off when it came up to temp.

Done them both twice!!! .

[jmorgan]

pwd95 said:

Done two now. Out downwards on both the 450SE & the 350/450i.

You'll be able to do it in 15 mins flat after you've re fitted the new one only to discover it's still leaking & needs to go back to be properly repaired.

Or in the case of the first one, I didn't clamp the otter switch properly & it blew off when it came up to temp.

Done them both twice!!! .

15 mins? You will get better than that... after the still leaking rad discovered, repaired and you are putting the otter back in and the seal pops in the side tank.......

That is when I got the bugger sealed up.

[Mr Tank]

Hi

As Wyn says out the bottom is the best way, you don't have to cut any body.

On a 350iS1 you have to remove the top fixing bolts and the front spoiler as the rad is resting/fix's on it.

The S2 is better as the rad is bolted at the side, but still has to come out the bottom!

Andy