How Easy Is It To Fit A New Radiator?

May 12, 2006

turns out that the damage isn't as bad as I first thought, the radiator has broken. I'm going to try Rad seal to see if that'll work, if not then it'll need a new one. How easy is it to do? Has anyone got any instructions as no doubt the garage will try to charge me a small fortune in comparison to what the car's worth.

Cheers

May 12, 2006

DON'T use rad seal. It bungs up the whole cooling system including the thermostat. It's only meant as a get you home method.

Also if rad is blown you are better off getting a new one.

Sorry I can't help with renewing it as I have never worked on a Celica. I imagine it won't be to hard.

Sooty

May 12, 2006

It's easy to change. Well, it is on a manual car. The auto might be a bit more fiddly if the rad has the transmission cooler built in. And if it does, then a new rad might be an expensive part - the auto was never a UK model, so it's an import only part.

May 12, 2006

Simple to change.

Park the car if you can on a bit of a slope so that the nose is pointing up a bit (this helps as when you refill the system you are less likely to have an air lock).

Take off the rad cap, and unscrew the plastic bung from the bottom left corner of the rad (bottom left as in if you are looking under the bonnet down at the rad). Make sure you have a tray or bottle or something to catch all the coolant.

Once the coolant is out disconnect the top and bottom hose to the rad, they are held on my a clip at each end.

Unbolt the two brackets at the top of the rad and then you can lift the rad out. You may need to wiggle it a bit as it rests on two mounts.

Then put the new rad back in, attatch the pipe and the brackets. Fill to the top with coolant.

Run the engine with the rad cap off and refill the rad as the level goes down. Keep doing this until you cant get any more in.

Once its full put the cap back on :thumbsup:

May 12, 2006

Cheers leeky :thumbsup: will give it a try then, garage wants £111 to fit it...

By the way mine is a UK model (got it off the father in law who bought it new, and have all original doucmentation to the fact) and it is Auto, you may have the Generations mixed up maybe...

May 12, 2006

Maybe there are a few UK autos about, they must be pretty rare though. Just had a look in the manual, and the rad does have the trans cooler integral to it. Looks fairly simple though, just a few extra pipes to undo. Remember to top up your trans fluid afterwards. :thumbsup:

Also, you will probably find that you have to remove the fans from the rad before you can lift it out, and install the new one in the car before you refit the fans.