Got the clam off yesterday and the radiator is complete toast, so that’s being ordered.
What confuses me is how I get the radiator out. Does anyone have any tips? It looks like I need to disconnect the aircon pipes, etc. I expected to remove the clam then just whip the radiator out but it doesn’t look like thats possible
Whats the best way of just swapping the radiator with minimal disturbance to other things?
Are there any user manuals for this task that I could be linked to?
can be done with the aircon rad left in, it is just fiddly and knuckle skin removing, you nee to loosen the top shroud, I should have done photos either time I have had mine out, Also if you can clamp off the rad hoses and then refill the radiator prior to reinstall and removal of clamps, it will save bleeding everything
Unfortunately I’m well past the bleeding stage. The rad died on a trip on sat by squirting my windscreen. So I stopped and saw coolant coming out of bottom of car. Low loaded it home and worked on it yesterday. It’s pretty much empty so I think I’ll need to bleed
Glad I can do it without stripping completely. If you know of any guides would really appreciate it.
the shroud that fits around onto the crash structure needs unbolting and supporting, then split the aircon rad from the main rad (4 bolts I think) then fiddle and curse a lot to get the rad out.
Doable. The front bolts that hold the condenser to the rad can be got at with an angled ratchet spanner. As ade says loosen the top shroud, even by a few cms
Just want to double check but do the oil coolers stop it from being removed completely I can’t recall. But sure there is enough play to get at the rad either way.
It really is just a case of removing all the bits attached to the rad and it is far easier in a standard car than mine or grahams (no top mounted fans or charge cooler rads) just a bit of patience and it will come out. Just don’t do what I did the first time and leave it all winter to put the modified rad from Proaaloy back in again, I could not remeber where anything went!
Sorry for the hijack mate, but on the subject. Is It worth replacing a radiator on a 2008 Exige as a means of course. I know they can be sore on radiators, but would folk recommend just having it done.
Only reason I ask is, trips to Europe. Last thing I would want is something like this going in the middle of the Alps. On the other hand, I don’t want to throw away cash If i don’t need to.
If you’d have experienced the ruined weekend I have just had, screen full of coolant and five hours isolation waiting for a low loader in the middle of nowhere, you’d do it tomorrow.
It could have easily been my isotope stuck in a ghetto city as well. Luckily it was countryside.
I’ve found the easiest way is to leave the AC rad in place, as the pipes will be seized, don’t touch the oil coolers or pipework, as they will be seized. If you cut 2 access points in the front of the rad surround, you can get to the bolts that hold the AC and main rad together, the rears are fiddly but get at able, release the rad mounts and then lift the main rad out of the top, leaving the AC rad behind. Don’t be shocked by the state of the AC rad, unless its leaking, try very hard to leave alone.
One day manufacturers will remember at the design and build stage that ally and steel become one when they have been together for a few years.
Get the front up high and block off the hoses, losing as little as possible helps massively.
When refilling, bleed it through to the bleed valve from the hose and across the rad to the valve. Leave the other side blocked so that the rad purges all the air out. Shouldn’t be a problem.
