Radiator Removal 350 S2

[BRAVEHEART2]

Chaps
What is the easiest way to remove the radiator on a 350 s2?
I have the " bible" and i cant belive you have to take the whole front including headlights out just to access the thing.
Is there an easier way or is it a pig of a job?

[KJR]

I have had the radiator out of my 1989 400se at least three times and I have never removed the headlights - mostly to do with the fact that I cannot remove a couple of screws holding the light into the pod. It does make removing the top hose and the bolts holding the radiator+brackets to the body slightly harder/more time consuming.

From memory:

Remove bonnet
Remove fan from cowling
Drain coolant from radiator/cooling system
Disconnect all hoses, including oil cooler if fitted and electrical connection to otter switch.
Jack up front of car, radiator needs to come out from below, undo bolts holding radiator brackets to body and Bobs your uncle. Note the radiator is quite heavy so may require use of jack or a person to help.

KJR

[shpub]

BRAVEHEART2 said:

Chaps What is the easiest way to remove the radiator on a 350 s2? I have the " bible" and i cant belive you have to take the whole front including headlights out just to access the thing. Is there an easier way or is it a pig of a job?

Haqving done it both ways with and without the front lights.... the front lights method is definitely the easiest and quickest.

[JR]

shpub said:

BRAVEHEART2 said: Chaps What is the easiest way to remove the radiator on a 350 s2? I have the " bible" and i cant belive you have to take the whole front including headlights out just to access the thing. Is there an easier way or is it a pig of a job? Haqving done it both ways with and without the front lights.... the front lights method is definitely the easiest and quickest.

Absolute nonesense. I had to do this twice due to a mistake by the rad-re-core people and got the time down to just over half an hour. Just put the lights up and cut the power.

[jchase]

On my 1986 350i FHC (probably different for other cars)

Jack up front by 2 inches.
Drain coolant, loosen hoses, remove electrics
Lights on, disconnect battery, remove headlights.
Remove lower spoiler and fly screen (this can be a PIG job).
Remove four bolts holding radiator side brackets to the tub, noting where the spacers go.
Radiator and fan assembly can now be removed in one go.

Total time should be about 2 Hours, less if the spoiler bolts are fresh. Reassembly should take less than an hour.

I gave my re-core guys the radiator with fan assembly -
cost circa £150.

-Jim

[shpub]

JR said:

Haqving done it both ways with and without the front lights.... the front lights method is definitely the easiest and quickest. Absolute nonesense. I had to do this twice due to a mistake by the rad-re-core people and got the time down to just over half an hour. Just put the lights up and cut the power.

errrr I'm confused. I said the front light method is the easiest and quickest so are we not agreeing here?

>> Edited by shpub on Friday 30th September 10:44

[BRAVEHEART2]

Thanks for all your input will get cracking and see.

[JR]

shpub said:

errrr I'm confused. I said the front light method is the easiest and quickest so are we not agreeing here?

It was the whole of the front quote that I thought was rediculas. Last time we got into one of these discussions IIRC someone had mis-quoted your book. Maybe we agree and I didn't realise and was a little hasty, if so sorry about that.

[adam quantrill]

Be careful here because there are different spoiler designs. On some you might have to take it off, on others, you won't. The Bible, excellent as it is, doesn't dismantle every wedge from the 200 through to the 420SEAC. Hopefully part 2 will adrress that (eh Steve, Steve.... ;^)