New Radiator

[Rockledge]

Hello guys and gals,

I've just encountered my first "problem" with my SHO (all the other little things that I have fixed so far I knew about before I bought the car wink ). It seems that one of the plastic (nylon?) radiator tanks has sprung a leak up near where the upper hose connects to the radiator.

I have done a search and read through some very good threads like this one which have helped me figure out my plan of action. I will be picking up a new GDI radiator from Autozone (part # 432192) for about $150 and replacing it myself. I used to own a 1993 Sable so I previously purchased a '93-'94 Ford Factory Workshop Manual CD for it, and I'm glad to say it applies to my '94 SHO. So I intend on following the remova/installation procedure in the Ford Manual.

The process looks pretty straightforward, but I was wondering if anyone had any other tips or cautions they might give me for the job? Anything special I should worry about, say for example, disconnecting the tranny cooler lines?

Any feedback would be welcome...thanks!

 

[SHO--ripper]

I know on gen. 1 SHO's there are no trans cooler lines that go to the radiator. On ATX SHO's there are so there might very well be on gen. 2's. THe bottom radiator hose is never fun to take off/reinstall when the stock ford clamps are still on there. Remeber, 50/50 coolant water mixture. thumb

 

[Rockledge]

Thanks for pointing that out...I guess it's been so long since I owned a car with a standard tranny that I didn't even give the tranny cooling system a second thought....although now that you mention it, I don't recall seeing any cooling lines going into the radiator when I was scoping things out looking for the leak shrug

Well, I guess that's one less thing for me to worry about then, isn't it?

 

[rangerj]

Rockledge,

When you install the fan and schroud be careful not to over tighten the driver side nut & bolt. If you overtighten it you can crack the plastic radiator tank. This may be what eventually caused the leak in the radiator you are replacing.

Get a gallon of distilled water that is PH neutral from your local drug store, or grocery store. It is used to fill irons so they do not get plugged up with minerals like lime and calcium. These same mineral can plug up your radiator, heater core, and coolant passages.

So use deionized, PH neutral, water in your coolant mix (50/50). Green anti-freeze will not mix with the pink or orange stuff, so "don't go there"! rangerj

 

[Rockledge]

Mission Accomplished!

Grabbed a new radiator from AutoZone this morning and decided to go for it. Turned out to be a fairly simple process, but it took me a more than a little while to finish, because of it being my first time through, and because I decided to clean everything while I had the radiator out. Not only was I able to get at the lower oart of the motor and top of the subframe, but I disconnected all the wire connectors and cleaned them with electrical contact cleaner and compressed air, and then used just a dab of dielectric grease on each plug when I put them back together.

The new radiator slid right in, no problems with fit, no new brackets to install, etc.

I just got back from a long ride and the temperature guage looked steady in the lower/middle and there are no leaks to report. I will be keeping an eye on things for a little while, of course.

A couple of observations:

1) The lower radiator hose is fairly new, as was the clamp, so I had it pretty easy there;

2) I replaced the upper hose;

3) The hoses to the PS cooler are also fairly new;

4) I used some metal clips to help secure the top and side of the fan shroud to the radator (instead of overtighterning the bolts)...I was able to clip together the outside ridges of the radiator and the shroud...worked great;

5) The old radiator had several cracks in addition to the seam which had more or less just burst open...the thing was definetly on it's last leg...glad I got it fixed!

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<small>[ September 14, 2003, 07:52 PM: Message edited by: Rockledge ]</small>