RADIATOR REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR GUIDANCE
                     RADIATOR REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR GUIDANCE
Paul Norman Jasper
Staff writer at Auto Parts University, whose 
replacement auto parts reviews and 
replacement car parts reviews are popular.
After researching the best replacement radiators, you’re ready to buy one 
and install it. In many cases, replacing the radiator is rather simple and takes 
about a half-hour. However, some vehicles are a little more difficult because 
they have an oil cooler and / or an air conditioning condenser in the way. Be 
sure you have plenty of time to replace the radiator before you start the 
project. Before you start, make sure you have all the tools that you need. In 
most cases, you won’t need any special tools.
Drain the Radiator
Make sure the engine is cool and then remove the radiator cap. Slide a clean 
drain pan under the petcock or lower radiator hose. Open the petcock and let 
the coolant drain. If your vehicle’s radiator doesn’t have a petcock, loosen the 
lower radiator hose and then carefully slide it off the radiator, ensuring the 
coolant makes it into the drain pan.
Remove the Hoses
Disconnect the reservoir hose, upper and lower radiator hoses. If your hose 
connections have the squeeze type clamps, you might want to replace them 
with worm clamps. Work the hoses off the radiator. Check the hoses for dry 
rot, cracks, and mushiness. Replace the hoses if they are defective.
Disconnect and Remove the Cooling Fan
Check for any electrical connectors attached to the radiator. In most cases, 
the only one you will have is for the cooling fan. Make sure all electrical 
connectors are disconnected, so you don’t pull the wiring harnesses when 
you remove the radiator. Disconnect the fan from the radiator and remove it.
Transmission Cooler Lines
If the transmission cooler lines go into the radiator instead of a separate 
cooler, disconnect the lines suing a flare nut wrench to avoid rounding off the 
fittings. Be sure to put a separate drain pan under the lines before you 
disconnect them.
Mounting Bolts
Remove the condenser mounting bolts and the radiator mounting bolts. 
Once you remove the condenser mounting bolts, you should be able to move 
the condenser away from the radiator, so it is out of your way. If you 
disconnect the condenser, you will have to recharge your air conditioning and 
change out the dryer/accumulator, so avoid removing the condenser lines 
unless you have no choice.
Remove the Radiator
You should now be able to remove the radiator. Slide it out of the vehicle 
carefully so that you don’t pull on other wires and hoses. As you are lifting 
the radiator out of the vehicle, keep an eye out for anything you may not 
have disconnected.
Replacing the Radiator
Slide the new radiator into place and follow the steps in reverse to install the 
radiator. Fill it with coolant. Leave the radiator cap off and start the vehicle. 
As soon as the thermostat opens, the coolant will go into the engine, so 
you’ll probably need to add more. Keep an eye on the temperature of the 
engine. If the coolant doesn’t circulate properly, the vehicle will overheat.
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