Radiator Replacement
#1
Posted 31 July 2007 - 11:39 PM
#2
Posted 01 August 2007 - 06:36 AM
My header panel also happened to be off (replaced with a one-piece hood), but I doubt it's necessary to pull it. Perhaps overkill, but one thing you may want to consider pulling is the bumper. It's surprisingly easy to remove, and will give you a great view of all the stuff you'll be working on. Other minor items I recall: the sheet metal panel aft of the lower radiator support, hood latch, vertical support, engine ground wire. I just went to town and unbolted everything in the vicinity, to make it easier to jockey the radiator in and out.
#3
Posted 02 August 2007 - 12:56 PM
This is what my radiator looked like everyday after driving home from work. Not fun putting coolant in everyday. In the 2nd picture you can see how 20 years can make these a little brittle.(It pulled out with no effort)
You can see here the difference between my original SI radiator on the left and the new 1.3 radiator on the right. It's a little bit more narrow, but cools like a champ at 100mph.
After looking at the removal possibilities, I decide that it would be easiest to remove it from the front by taking of the bumper and header panel.
First, I removed the corner lights and front insert by removing the 2 screws in each.
2nd, remove the header panel by removing the top bolts, the 2 bolts under it and don't forget the bolts where the corner lights go.(1 on each side)
Then remove the bumper by loosening the 2- 12 mm bolts that go up into the bumper from under the liscense plate area. Also remove any 10 mm bolts from underneath that hold the splash guards on. Once the bumper is off unplug the turn signal lights and put the bumper aside.
I then removed the entire hood latch assembly and vertical stabilizer and placed it to the side. I found it a little easier to work with the battery removed as well, so you might want to do that too. Once the radiator was loose, I simply lifted it out of the rubber feet and tilted it outward in front of the frame so I could drain it.(I don't have a basin and I was poor this weekend)Unplug the thermo-switch wires and disconnect the top hose and then the bottom. Lift the radiator out and swap out the parts to your new radiator.
If the fan looks a little funny to some of you, that's because when I swapped in my ZC I pulled the fan from a Euro crx since it had 5 blades. That was actually the hardest part. To mount the fan I had to do a little fabbing because the mounting points were not the same. As you can see here I had to bend the top mount point, Drill a hole for the one on the right and use a spacer, and the bottom one was the fun one. I ended up using an angled bracket out of my box-o-parts to mount it since I could not drill in the mounting area. It holds like a charm.
It fits great. Now reassemble everything and enjoy the comfort of a cool motor!
Oh, and don't forget COOLANT!!!
- xkanedax likes this
No fried rice please!
#4
Posted 02 August 2007 - 01:32 PM
#5
Posted 02 August 2007 - 09:02 PM
kenny
#6
Posted 02 August 2007 - 09:05 PM
#7
Posted 07 August 2021 - 08:27 PM
#8
Posted 08 August 2021 - 01:32 PM
What are you looking for exactly from the photos?
Victor
86 K24 Powered CRX SI (HPDE-4 NASA & TA-AB Time Attack)
85 CRX DX totally original
07 Harley FXST Softail
2021 Tacoma Tow/Daily
#9
Posted 11 August 2021 - 11:19 AM
Trying to figure out if you pull the header panel off and remove from the front, or somehow snake it in front of the engine? Looks like there is no room to do it that direction.
I build cool shit
#10
Posted 11 August 2021 - 03:12 PM
I have replaced them a few times and never removed the header panel. I always pulled the fans off and/or the header then lifted it out.
Victor
86 K24 Powered CRX SI (HPDE-4 NASA & TA-AB Time Attack)
85 CRX DX totally original
07 Harley FXST Softail
2021 Tacoma Tow/Daily
#11
Posted 24 August 2021 - 09:50 AM
Soooooooo I figured it out. Radiator cap. Lol.
I build cool shit
#12
Posted 24 August 2021 - 10:35 AM
LOL! Glad you got it!
Victor
86 K24 Powered CRX SI (HPDE-4 NASA & TA-AB Time Attack)
85 CRX DX totally original
07 Harley FXST Softail
2021 Tacoma Tow/Daily