Good deal at radiator.com...

[ckappler]

Just got a radiator for my 88 dl wagon for $95 from radiator.com. I looked but could not find, can someone tell me or point me to somewhere to find instruction on installing my new radiator? I assume I can figure it out but would rather trust the knowledge of the board. Let me know. Thanks.

 

PS Thanks to all who provided advice that got me to the root of my running hot prob!

[ckappler]

Am I on my own on this one? ...help!!!!

[idosubaru]

never worked on anything but XT's and XT6's but replacing a radiator is about as easy of a job as you can get. people probably aren't replying because a radiator is so easy to do that's it's kind of an odd request.

 

typically - remove the electric fans (if equipped?). they are easy, typically 3 or 4 10mm bolts at each corner. remove them. unplug the electrical connections to the fans. if they are rusty they will break off, just use another bolt when you reinstall. no big deal.

 

remove the clamps/hoses. there are two. screwdriver or socket will typically do the trick. probably a good idea to replace the hoses and clamps while you're in there and have them off, partiicularly if it's the stock nasty clamps.

 

the ones i've worked on only had two bolts holding the radiator in. the heads of these bolts are facing straight ahead, like the lights. they are parallel to the ground. remove those two bolts. the radiator pulls out, just sits on pegs on the bottom.

 

sometimes there's a vertical bolt in the top crossmember above the radiator that will prevent the radiator from coming out, it sort of catches. just loosen that bolt enough for the radiator lip to pass by it as you pull it out.

 

like i said i don't know a dl wagon at all, so it could be slightly different. but what i do know is that it's easy and very simple and straight forward to figure out. see what's holding it in place and go to town. be ready to have coolant all over the place. there's drain at the bottom passengers side tyipcallly. turn it and place the hose ina bucket if you'd like to drain before having lots of spillage from the hoses and radiator.

[pyromanic]

On some wagons there are places for bolts two bolts underneath also, but often they are missing as they wind up not being put back in by somebody who has taken the rad out and realizes that they really have no purpose. I grabbed a couple from one of my parts cars and stuck 'em in there just for the heck of it.

 

Also, sometimes it's easiest to remove the mechanical clutch fan before trying to pull the rad up and out of the engine bay. It probably can be done without bothering with that, but it can in some cases avoid rad damage. Four little nuts on the fan, if your car even has one. Mine has both mechanical and electric fan. I take them both out first.

 

And this is important, in case any one doesn't know, Anti Freeze is very POISON to dogs, cats and critters in general, which wouldn't be much of a problem except that it seems to taste sweet to them, and if they find a puddle on the ground the WILL drink it and die a horrible death in a few days. So be careful if there are animals around, don't leave antifreeze in puddles in the driveway or on the ground or in open buckets or cans

Pyro

[NorthWet]

The hardest part of pulling the radiator, IMHO, is dealing with the mechanical fan, if fitted. If your car has AC, the fan/pulley is likely held on by nuts, and if not AC they are likely bolts. My wagons are turbos, so have a thicker radiator core so I have little option except to remove the mechanical fan. I have large hands, so fitting them into tight places is no fun. (It would be easier if there weren't those darned child-labor laws! )

 

Also, if you have an automatic (I assume that you do not) you also need to remove the ATF cooler lines.

 

So...

 

Fans,

Hoses,

2 bolts on frame's radiator support,

and out she comes!!!

 

There are two locating pins and rubber bushings on the bottom of the radiator that need to fit back into the holes in the frame during refitment.

 

Antifreeze (ethylene glycol) is a terrible neurotoxin, is sweet tasting, and very attractive to animals. Alternate formulations use propolene (sp) glycol, which in itself far less toxic, though the additives still are not healthy to ingest.