Radiator replacement............

[EvergreenRanch]

alright boys gearing up to replace my radiator here within a week or so and wondering if i could get some suggestions/experiences/dogma on what the best way to go about it is, beneficial prep's that can be accomplished before hand, problem area's to watch out for.....etc.... its (hopefully) going to be a new modine 4 row (big thank you going out to Towcat). so.......unbolt it and pull it straight up, take apart majority of front clip and go about it that way, whats worked for everyone else?

 

[hoodshauler]

unbolt it an pull it straight out this is about a thirty minute job or at least it was for me.

http://radiatorbarn.com/main.asp

That is where i bought mine Not sure where all you have looked but thought I would add it just in case.

they were reasonable and fast to deliver

 

[Rawpower]

Remove the fan shroud. Disconnect lines. Put a sheet of plywood in front of the radiator fan just to be safe. Better yet, remove the fan. I would use the tabs on either side of the rad. to lift it out with an overhead hoist.

While the radiator fluid is drained, I would strongly recommend removing the block drain plugs and replacing them with petcock valves. It will make the next coolant change much easier. This is know as the "Baja Block Drain Mod", invented or at least popularized by BajaGringo aka OkieGringo

 

[Exekiel69]

All that and make sure it is empty or it can be a real pain to remove it

Siriously now, you can use someone help to lift it but is not impossible for only one. When I did mine I saved all the coolant in a big pan and put it back when the new one was ON, so if you keep your dca's maybe you don't need to add much more.

 

[EvergreenRanch]

good info fellas, hoped it would be that relativly simple.....ok stupid question.....where are the block drain plugs, how do i remove them, how much time would that take, and where would i find the petcock valves?

 

[Exekiel69]

You'll find them on each side of the engine block, one is next to the oil filter and the other one is above the starter I never replaced mine and all was fine but that is personal preference.

Also I just unbolted it and remove no need to remove fan or front clip, maybe the grill.

 

[icanfixall]

As stated above its really simple but heavy. Usually much heavier than the new one because the old one has some mineral buildup in it. On the Baja block drains make sure you remove BOTH of the battery positive cables. The drain above the starter is way too close to the hot lead from the battery and if you ground it thats about 2000 amps going to ground and heating up your wrench..... Its sparks-a-plenty..... Don't remove the battery grounds. The positive side is still hot and just looking for a ground so it can show off like the 4th of July just above your face.......

 

[krawlr]

As stated above its really simple but heavy. Usually much heavier than the new one because the old one has some mineral buildup in it. On the Baja block drains make sure you remove BOTH of the battery positive cables. The drain above the starter is way too close to the hot lead from the battery and if you ground it thats about 2000 amps going to ground and heating up your wrench..... Its sparks-a-plenty..... Don't remove the battery grounds. The positive side is still hot and just looking for a ground so it can show off like the 4th of July just above your face.......

No kidding on the weight. Mine was 65pounds when I pulled it. Wasn't ready for that.

 

[EvergreenRanch]

damn 65lbs? ok ill be ready for it lol. wow. this trucks been a PITA lately....hopefully this will be IT for awhile and i can actually enjoy driving it when i have occasion.

 

[Rawpower]

Yeah, I didn't mean you have to do the block drains. It is just an added luxury for about $5. They are 1/4" NPT (normal pipe thread) and can be found at any auto parts stores.

65 lbs? How many miles? Mine seemed to be closer to the low end of 50 some odd pounds.

Seems like all of our trucks have been PITA's lately... haha. Oh well, we still love 'em.

 

[EvergreenRanch]

Yeah, I didn't mean you have to do the block drains. It is just an added luxury for about $5. They are 1/4" NPT (normal pipe thread) and can be found at any auto parts stores.

65 lbs? How many miles? Mine seemed to be closer to the low end of 50 some odd pounds.

Seems like all of our trucks have been PITA's lately... haha. Oh well, we still love 'em.

ah! good to know on the drains....yeah it happens with these older trucks..being a PITA...there something about them though....when i saw this truck on craigslist i just pointed and said thats the one! i dont know what it is about them that brings out a quirk in all of us guys that check this website once or more times a day religiously (its easy for me, im sitting at a computer all day...muahahaha) but i can honestly say its introduced me to a great group of guys that will drop everything and help out a fellow IDI guy at a drop of a hat anywhere, anytime if they can. our IDI's may be the reason we came here to oilburners.....but its the people that have made us stay. at least me anyway. anyone second that?

 

[Jim73]

Evergreen - deleted an earlier post - looks like Transpro is sevicing two lines - Ready-Rad and Modine. So the Modine line appears to be out there - just check when you get your radiator and make sure it is really a four row, and compare fin counts and number of tube columns. The one I got had higher fin count and more columns of tubes. Will post towing results in a couple of days on the cooling thread I started after my first pull.

Jim

 

[EvergreenRanch]

Jim, thank you! i share your sentiments about our reliance upon importation of goods and our exportation of our manufacturing base. people dont understand that the money we are "saving" by sending our manufactureing needs across seas, we will eventually be paying back in qualitity of living expenses in our childrens generation. makes me sick sometimes thinking about it. but anyway.......thank you for letting me know about your situation....ill know more tomorrow about what im hopefully getting. looking forward to hearing the results of your test. if you are in the area of contra costa county (SF bay area) the Evergreen Ranch is always open to a fellow IDIer for a cold brew pitstop.

 

[Jim73]

Evergreen, thanks for the invite!

Will probably have to take a rain check, though, as I'm running later than I wanted since working on the truck has been hellish with the temperatures and humidity. I am working 20 minutes or so and taking a break just to keep from getting into heat exhaustion. Really brutal the last few days, and I'm simply moving a lot slower than I'd like. Wiring in a new water temp gauge in the morning, then will finally be able to do a road test solo on the Castaic grade to check for problems. If all goes well, wife and I will then hitch her up, load up the dog, pull the trailer up to my sister's place in San Jose to pick up my daughter, and then the family is heading up to Crater Lake and points north. I really think she's going to do OK with all the new hardware in the cooling system and a fresh fill of coolant and SCAs. Will report ASAP.

BTW, my block drains came out very easily, and as icanfixall pointed out to me when I started to talk about pulling the starter, you CAN reach the right side plug with the right extension, and maybe a universal. Most of the coolant ran out without contacting the starter motor, and it certainly takes more moisture during a drive in rain. It was nice for my peace of mind to see virtually no corrosion on the inside faces of both.

Take care!

Jim

 

[Rawpower]

Glad to hear it drained easily, and thanks for the invite.

I second your notion about the people on here keeping you around. I rarely check TDS anymore.