leaky radiator hose diagnosis please

[Dynomite]

Originally Posted by billschroeder5842

Well I just checked the pressure (got it up to 19psi) from the top of the fill reservoir--- no need to do anything else as I saw that "drip-drip drip" from the radiator.

Looks like I have a radiator repair to attend to...

So any suggestions on whether to repair what I have (I know there is the plastic/aluminum issue) or just upgrade to a full on new one?

Also, any tips on removal and installation? I'm pretty handy BUT I'm considering having it done as the shop manual makes several references to putting the car up in the air and I only have a simple garage jack.

Thanks!

Relatively easy to remove Radiator.......you need a jack you can get under center of frame just in front of engine (place jack pad directly under the front of that frame having the vertical section)...with flat 2x6x6 inch wood on top of jack pad. Jack up so front wheels about 8-10 inches off ground and place jack stands under each front A-arm.

If stock radiator I would replace with Aluminum......(Ron Davis, Fluidyne, other).

See Item #2 Blocking TB Coolant, Fluidyne Radiator and Thermostats

What you save doing this yourself you can buy a very nice Aluminum Floor Jack from Harbor Freight.....

2 Ton Aluminum Floor Jack for about $130. I bought the 3 ton Aluminum Racing Floor Jack for the lift height of 19 inches. You can get the 1.5 Ton Aluminum Racing Floor Jack for $80 which I think will work also.

If you drive onto a couple 2x12x12 inch wood under front wheels you can easily slip this jack under the front skirt with flat 2x6x6 inch wood on top of jack pad.

[mike100]

The other tip for all C4's is to trim the tab of the shroud where all the a/c and oil cooler lines converge. Then it lifts off without so much prying and bracket removal. Tip #2 is to cuss and cry removing the 6 tiny sheet metal screws that connect the shroud duct near the air inlet way down where they are hard to reach. when you put it back together, reverse the speed nut clips and screw the screws from the inside of the front air inlet rather than the original way where you reach them from the engine bay. I got away with using 4 out of 6 screws and can take them out in a couple of minutes.

[Dynomite]

Originally Posted by mike100

The other tip for all C4's is to trim the tab of the shroud where all the a/c and oil cooler lines converge. Then it lifts off without so much prying and bracket removal. Tip #2 is to cuss and cry removing the 6 tiny sheet metal screws that connect the shroud duct near the air inlet way down where they are hard to reach. when you put it back together, reverse the speed nut clips and screw the screws from the inside of the front air inlet rather than the original way where you reach them from the engine bay. I got away with using 4 out of 6 screws and can take them out in a couple of minutes.

Forgot about those 6 screws....I think they have 7 mm heads...I remove the two bottom from underneath and the single top screws from above. That is a great tip on reversing the clips

I did mention the six 7 mm screws in the Link.....but did not mention the difficulty

See Item #2 Blocking TB Coolant, Fluidyne Radiator and Thermostats

[billschroeder5842]

Originally Posted by mike100

The other tip for all C4's is to trim the tab of the shroud where all the a/c and oil cooler lines converge. Then it lifts off without so much prying and bracket removal. Tip #2 is to cuss and cry removing the 6 tiny sheet metal screws that connect the shroud duct near the air inlet way down where they are hard to reach. when you put it back together, reverse the speed nut clips and screw the screws from the inside of the front air inlet rather than the original way where you reach them from the engine bay. I got away with using 4 out of 6 screws and can take them out in a couple of minutes.

Thanks- I've completely embraced the "cussing portion" as I'm a Navy man and my 26 years of service (still in the reserve!) have given me a colorful vocabulary.

The six little screws did not give me much difficultly AFTER I removed the coolant container and the Air pump. PITA. I will reverse the screws for assembly.

AS mentioned earlier, I did remove the oil cooler and was able to get the shroud off but I cracked the casing and broke on of the mounts.

Yes, I will do a bit of triming on the Shroud. I'm not fighting that one on the way together.

I'm now removing hoses. 1/3 of the way done, so tomorrow finish the hose removal and start the cleaning of all the parts, radiators fins... etc. The previous owner allowed the oil cooler to leak for what appear to be YEARS. Lots of oil cleaning on the passenger side.

My Navy vocabulary will be fully exercised over the next few days.

Then I need to fin

[billschroeder5842]

Okay.... I'm going on in! No shop for me!

I started the project and am following the FSM with a bit of common sense improvise. I decided that if I pace myself, I SHOULD have it done by next weekend with a couple of hours a night. It will give me the satisfaction of doing it plus, it allows me to clean cracks and crevices and such. Its that "nobody does it like you do thing..."

First glitch... I have the upper radiator shroud/support all loose, but the bottom mounting bracket on the passenger side is getting hung up on the AC lines and there does not seem to be enough "give" to work around it.

Now, I can't believe that I have to disconnect the AC lines and the oil cooler lines? Stupid engineering! The FSM manual said nothing. What am I over looking?

Any tips?

[Dynomite]

Originally Posted by billschroeder5842

Okay.... I'm going on in! No shop for me!

I started the project and am following the FSM with a bit of common sense improvise. I decided that if I pace myself, I SHOULD have it done by next weekend with a couple of hours a night. It will give me the satisfaction of doing it plus, it allows me to clean cracks and crevices and such. Its that "nobody does it like you do thing..."

First glitch... I have the upper radiator shroud/support all loose, but the bottom mounting bracket on the passenger side is getting hung up on the AC lines and there does not seem to be enough "give" to work around it.

Now, I can't believe that I have to disconnect the AC lines and the oil cooler lines? Stupid engineering! The FSM manual said nothing. What am I over looking?

Any tips?

Yes disconnect oil cooler flange one bolt on oil cooler .....hardly any oil will come out if not run for couple hours.....then raise drivers side clear and high....with drivers side clear and high bend flange past AC lines.....then off

[RussMcB]

Sounds like you're doing a pretty good job tackling it. I remember it was a tougher job than I expected. I recommend not having a deadline (like next weekend), and work on it until it starts to get frustrating, and take a break.

I didn't notice earlier - Are you installing an aftermarket radiator? If yes be prepared for a little extra work. IIRC, the inlet and/or outlet of my afternarket rad was bigger than the hoses I bought, and it took some effort to get them on. Getting the fan and shrouds back in place were tough, too. I think I dropped the lower (PS?) cooler to have more room. Tight spaces.

Good luck. You'll have good peace of mind when it's done.

[billschroeder5842]

Originally Posted by RussMcB

I recommend not having a deadline (like next weekend), and work on it until it starts to get frustrating, and take a break.

I didn't notice earlier - Are you installing an aftermarket radiator? If yes be prepared for a little extra work. IIRC, the inlet and/or outlet of my afternarket rad was bigger than the hoses I bought, and it took some effort to get them on. Getting the fan and shrouds back in place were tough, too. I think I dropped the lower (PS?) cooler to have more room. Tight spaces.

Good luck. You'll have good peace of mind when it's done.

No radiator decisions yet, I'm not that far, but I need to have that figured out in the next day or so-- hoses from Jerry's arrive on Wednesday!

It is tough for me NOT to have a schedule; it is the Navy in me:

Today- Prep, organize, disassemble, pull shroud, fans and whine on boards begging for help and sympathy.
Monday- disassemble hoses and start cleaning. More whining but with snarky tone. Order Radiator, cringing at price.
Tuesday- More, endless, mind numbing cleaning. Less complaining in proportion to beer consumed.
Wednesday- Finish cleaning, assembly prep and begin on hoses assembly. Slowly. Glacial pace. Debate on hose clamps on if to use factory or worm clamps. Worms clamps will probably win.
Thursday- More assembly. Finish hoses, thermostat install and shroud trimming. Possible fan install?
Friday- Install new radiator, attach final hoses and thermostat. Fill up with new fluids and pour new antifreeze too.
Saturday- Bolt up nonsense and fix everything I broke. Double check and feign shock at how much I missed. Apologize to wife for being "emotionally unavailable" all week, but really not mean it.
Sunday- Pray for the benevolent Gods of FSM process and Fire her up. Happy dance and take her for a ride.

See? What could possibly go wrong? This looks good on paper and Mr Murphy is on board with this plan.

[DRM500RUBYZR-1]

Originally Posted by billschroeder5842

No radiator decisions yet, I'm not that far, but I need to have that figured out in the next day or so-- hoses from Jerry's arrive on Wednesday!

It is tough for me NOT to have a schedule; it is the Navy in me:

Today- Prep, organize, disassemble, pull shroud, fans and whine on boards begging for help and sympathy.
Monday- disassemble hoses and start cleaning. More whining but with snarky tone. Order Radiator, cringing at price.
Tuesday- More, endless, mind numbing cleaning. Less complaining in proportion to beer consumed.
Wednesday- Finish cleaning, assembly prep and begin on hoses assembly. Slowly. Glacial pace. Debate on hose clamps on if to use factory or worm clamps. Worms clamps will probably win.
Thursday- More assembly. Finish hoses, thermostat install and shroud trimming. Possible fan install?
Friday- Install new radiator, attach final hoses and thermostat. Fill up with new fluids and pour new antifreeze too.
Saturday- Bolt up nonsense and fix everything I broke. Double check and feign shock at how much I missed. Apologize to wife for being "emotionally unavailable" all week, but really not mean it.
Sunday- Pray for the benevolent Gods of FSM process and Fire her up. Happy dance and take her for a ride.

See? What could possibly go wrong? This looks good on paper and Mr Murphy is on board with this plan.

You need to do it differently!!!!!!

Experience tells me that far more consumption of beer than simply on Tuesday is in order so as to properly complete this task.


Marty

[mike100]

Well, you're gonna make that cars yours. The same thing happened to me when I put a low mileage car back into regular service- lots of small stuff broke.