Leaky Boxster radiator info

[andave]

Have got a year 2000 Boxster S with a leaky front left radiator.
How tricky are they to replace? Or is it a job best left to a specialist?
Any info or advice would be greatfully received. Ta.

[sportsandclassic]

hi

its fairly staright forward...bumper off and just move air con rad to one side...

are you in the north west ?

thanks

mike

[andave]

Hi, thanks for the help but am Northampton based.
I have had the bumper off this weekend and moved the aircon rad to one side. When the engine is revved, coolant jets out of the main rad like a slashed jugular! So have at least identified the problem. Now I need to know the best place to get a new one, and any advice on replacing it, avoiding air pockets etc...

[Denis O]

andave said:

Hi, thanks for the help but am Northampton based. I have had the bumper off this weekend and moved the aircon rad to one side. When the engine is revved, coolant jets out of the main rad like a slashed jugular! So have at least identified the problem. Now I need to know the best place to get a new one, and any advice on replacing it, avoiding air pockets etc...

I bought the middle rad on my 996 from an OPC and it was just over £100 which was a pleasant surprise. Europarts were only about a fiver cheaper so I went for OPC. Ok, it's not the same rad but may give you an indication. Next job was stainless steel mesh to cover the front holes and stop the stones and crap getting through to the rads and causing all the damage. My rad was holed by a stone and doing similar jugular impressions to yours.

[andave]

Cheers Denis, I will give the OPC a go. Did you fit the thing yourself or did you leave it to the pro's?

[Denis O]

Had my local indy fix it. It's not a difficult job, front bumper off in about 2 minutes and then just swap over the rad. Refilling the coolant can be problematic to get all the air out but I understand that's normal because of all the pipe work from front to back. The coolant (OPC Only) is expensive. I bought a 20 litre container from Tonbridge and it was about £70. Used a fair bit as well.

The added advantage of this work is that you get all the built up crud out of your rads. Mine was full of leaves and believe it or nut, a packet of Ginger Nuts wrapper. I've now had grills fabricated which stop the crud getting in and look very good as well.

[andave]

Have already had the rads hosed down, and had a stack of salt and sand in them...probably driving behind a gritter over xmas. Couldnt have been doing any good for the cooling system!

I know the manual says use only Porsche coolant, but have seen the Mobil one in Halfords that says it is Porsche approved and will make up 10 litres (at 50%) for £15. Not recomended?

[Denis O]

My understanding was OPC only for coolant and it pours straight in, no pre-mix to do.

I suspect the minimum requirement, if changing to another type, would be a complete flush of the old before re-filling with the new.

[sportsandclassic]

YOU HAVE TO PRE-MIX THE COOLANT !!!!!

CHECK AND SEE WHAT THE LABEL SAYS ITS ETHELYENE GYLCOL...

YOU CAN GET PREMIX BUT ITS A DIFFERENT PART NUMBER....

[Denis O]

sportsandclassic said:

YOU HAVE TO PRE-MIX THE COOLANT !!!!! CHECK AND SEE WHAT THE LABEL SAYS ITS ETHELYENE GYLCOL... YOU CAN GET PREMIX BUT ITS A DIFFERENT PART NUMBER....

It did seem odd to me that it was not dilutable (is that a word) so I checked with OPC parts department, who checked with a technician and you definitely do not dilute the stuff that I bought in the 20 litre container. Perhaps OPC Tonbridge only sell the pre mixed stuff in 20 litre containers. The half used container is at my Indy so next time I go there I'll get the part number.

Since it was done the car has has covered about 3500 miles with no cooling problems so I guess it must be right.

[andave]

OK...not I am getting annoyed!!

I have now managed to get the bumper off, the wheel lining off, the aircon rad out of the way etc....but still cant get the main radiator unhooked from the bracket!!
It is held on by two rubber grommets with spring clips on one side, which are easy enough to remove, but the other side of the rad is held in place by a strange cross headed type plastic bolt....which WILL NOT BUDGE!! I have WD'd it and fabricated a tool to fit the head to turn it, but it will not budge and I fear I may break it off if I twist harder.
Has anyone got any ideas...as I feel I am sooo close to fixing this myself, but can almost feel the £500 slipping away to a specialist if I cant get past this one plastic bolt.

[richardb.jones]

Can u take a photo and post ?

I've never replaced the rads but taken all the a/c out before so may be able to halp you ...

[sportsandclassic]

What plastic bolt ?

never recalled this problem did 1 2 weeks ago ...

[richardb.jones]

.. remembered I had some pics stored of when I removed the a/c ...

So you have removed the retaining clips on the rubber mounts (shown removed in the pic below) ?

All I can see left is a standard bolt (shown in the other pic) - or am I missing something ?

Then just remove the coolant pipes - and slide the rad out towards the middle of the car ...

[pic] http://rbjtech.bulldoghome.com/photos [/pic]

[pic] http://rbjtech.bulldoghome.com/photos [/pic]

Ps - 04 is the left rad and 13 is the right btw ... :-)

Edited by richardb.jones on Friday 2nd June 23:45

[andave]

richardb.jones said:

.. remembered I had some pics stored of when I removed the a/c ... So you have removed the retaining clips on the rubber mounts (shown removed in the pic below) ? All I can see left is a standard bolt (shown in the other pic) - or am I missing something ? Then just remove the coolant pipes - and slide the rad out towards the middle of the car ... [pic] http://rbjtech.bulldoghome.com/photos [/pic] [pic] http://rbjtech.bulldoghome.com/photos [/pic] Ps - 04 is the left rad and 13 is the right btw ... :-) Edited by richardb.jones on Friday 2nd June 23:45

Hi Richard,

I have removed the clips from the right hand side easy enough, but the bolt shown on your photo of the left hand side is the bold holding the bracket to the chassis, which is sprayed over with body coloured paint and does not look like it should be removed? I think the bolt you mention is the one which hold the bracket to the chassis, the plastic bolt is the one that holds the rad to the bracket...see the photo at this link www.andave.co.uk/boxster/rad.jpg
Was taken tonight after dark and from beneath the rad, will take a better one in the morning in the sunshine (hopefully!)

It looks like once this plastic bolt is removed the rad will indeed slide out...but there is the problem...wont budge.

[andave]

Here are some other angles of the rad. the first linkk shows the damn plastic bolt thingie, and the other the RHS of the rad with the spring clips off...

www.andave.co.uk/boxster/rad2.jpg
www.andave.co.uk/boxster/rad3.jpg

Any more advice on getting it off would be great...I really need to get this thing back on the road before winter sets in...;-(

[richardb.jones]

ah ok - don't you just love Porsche cars - they dream up weird and wonderful fixings for every part of the car - I haven't noticed one 'standard' fixing yet !

From your first picture, I would actually say that that is just a 'plug' - the fixing is indeed fixed to the rad and slots into the large rubber grommet. Therefore I would imagine you need to 'push' the rad into the centre of the car (compressing the single grommet) and then pull the other end of the rad 'out' towards the front ? (ie releasing it from the two gromets fixings shown in the other picture ?

That's all I can think of ... maybe this helps ... ?

ps - big spray of WD40 on the grommets before you try it should ease things ...

[andave]

Hi Richard, ta for that...its tucked back in the garage for tonight but this sounds like a plan to take up tomorrow evening! the quest continues.......