Coolant problem, more help needed! (with photo's)

[tonedef 9]

No need to support the engine, you don't have to take that much out. Apart from the 4x17mm bolts for the bumper it's just loads of self tappers holding splitter, arch liners, lights and bits of plastic everywhere.

 

I did a rad once without pulling the front panel, it's possible but a real pain in the @rse that took the best part of 6 hours, less than half that when you remove the panel, unless you get carried away cleaning all the bits while they're off like I usually do :lol:

[CazzaVR 0]

You don't need to support the engine. You just undo the two big 17mm outer bolts on each side.

 

Re: breaker bar, took well over an hour to get mine undone even with the bar + my next door neighbour helping! I'd even given them a good WD40 soak the night before...

[Jim Bowen 1]

yeah, i wanna get it all off to give it a clean, plus i ordered all the gruvenparts parts because i'm mad apparantely

[Foxster 0]

Thats great help everyone. I will do it this weekend if i can get hold of a radiator! Do you think its worth replacing bolts etc as i put the slam panel etc back together?

[mr.ots 10]

The radiator can be replaced without removing the bumper, slam panel etc. I had to do mine towards the end of last year.

 

Just take the battery out then unbolt the fans (four bolts) and remove them from the radiator first.Then disconnect the top and bottom hoses, unbolt the top radiator mountings and then with a piece of wood just prize the slam panel up a centimeter or so and hey presto the radiator will clear the panel and inlet manifold and come out angled towards the battery tray. You could remove the hex bolt on the right hand side of the manifold for extra clearance but I didn't bother.

 

Easier than taking the front of the car off IMHO.

 

There is a post on it somewhere if you do a search.

[CazzaVR 0]

I changed all the slam panel/rad fixings etc - might as well if your in there anyway!

[kentyboy 0]

sounds silly but have you checked the flow on your water pump,is your heating getting hot,sticky thermostat could possibly give similar probs.....

[Foxster 0]

I will check that. I have bodged the radiator temporarily but now there appears to be a hairline fracture to the elbow. There is still a lot of steam coming from that area when the car is running hot, do you think that it could just be the remainder of the leaked coolant? I will get some more photographs or something up when i get chance, and get a new elbow ordered and fitted.

 

Cheers :confused4: :gag:

[Jim Bowen 1]

i will have a spare elbow soon

 

started this job on mine at the weekend, just stopped when i came to taking bumper off, is it just those 4x 17mm nuts that hold it on?

 

so far i take off all lights and arch liners

 

do i need to unbolt much else?

 

seem weird to have 4 bolts holding it on, and do i need to support engine if i remove slam panel

[craigowl 0]

3corsameal,

see this thread.

I knew I only undid 2 big bolts as advised by Goldie. :salute:

I think you have to AVOID the other 4 bolts or the engine can drop.

Use search or read around October 2007 when I replaced most of my cooling stuff with the front off.

 

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=61983

[Jim Bowen 1]

thats useful, i think i'll put something under the engine anyway :lol:

 

now i'm thinking i should do the water pump while i'm at it :( don't fancy having to take car apart again, i've already ordered the gruvenparts mount for pump, so should really do pump i guess

[Jim Bowen 1]

i'm now confused, looking at the car there are 4x17mm bolts with a smaller 13mm in the middle of them?

 

someone says 4 to undo, some say 2?

 

:lol:

[craigowl 0]

I am certain I did 2 and they were the mid ones of the sets of 3 on each side - I found that info on here - even photos.

[Jim Bowen 1]

this is where i get lost :lol:

 

i read this thread

 

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=273&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=15

 

on the 2nd page it says DO NOT UNDO???

[Jim Bowen 1]

heres the pic from the manual, this makes no sense to me

[Foxster 0]

That looks like the the drawing in my workshop manual, is that what its out of? I have ordered the new elbow and stuff, should be in stock by Wednesday! Then i will get the radiator ordered since its bodged temporarily. All the drawings and stuff will be great help, cheers everyone :clap:

[Jon_vr6 1]

I used the bumper removal off the corrado club canada easy peasy 2 bolts on either side avoid the middle one

 

http://www.corrado-club.ca/

click on technical help and then bumper removal !!

 

Remember the rest is american so ignore some bits

[craigowl 0]

3corsameal - the Bentley diagram is not like on my C. I and others seem to have 3 bolts each side.

I think the guy on the other thread seemed to have the centre bolts missing.

Best do more research/asking around.

I am almost certain I only removed the centre bolts of the sets of 3 as described by Goldie.

[CazzaVR 0]

Good pic in this thread clicky

[Jim Bowen 1]

this is under my car

 

[Jim Bowen 1]

I used the bumper removal off the corrado club canada easy peasy 2 bolts on either side avoid the middle one

 

http://www.corrado-club.ca/

click on technical help and then bumper removal !!

 

Remember the rest is american so ignore some bits

 

 

lovely, thats the kind of pic i needed to see, with the bumper off 8)

 

am sure it'll be off tonight now :D

[Jim Bowen 1]

sorted, got bumper and slam panel off now, couldn't disconnect the bonnet cable that you pull to open it, so slam panel is still attached by that, but thats no problem really.

 

silly question, but where do you drain the coolant from? just pull off any hose?

[CazzaVR 0]

Lowest point possible. Bottom of the crack pipe or bottom rad hose.

[Foxster 0]

I am going to have to go through this now. The radiator has sprung another leak so i am picking up the new radiator tomorrow hopefully. Might be doing it in the dark though. Would you say its a pretty straight forward job? It looks pretty straight forward, where exactly did you drain the coolant from? Cheers. :cuckoo:

[Jim Bowen 1]

its straight forward imo, i've no experience of mechanics at all, i just decided am fed up paying other people to do it, so trying it myself :lol:

 

looks messy but its just bolts and screws really, i seem to undo a load of bits i didn't need to.

 

once bumper and slam panel are off there is loads of room around the rad, not sure how the aircon rad comes off without undoing the hoses/tubes though

 

i've already spent £700 on parts doing this :shock: but am planning to renew the whole system now