Radiator swap.

How to remove an replace coolant temp sensor on 99 TA.




Recently purchased new radiator apparently I’ll have to remove this square sensor from old rad. an replace this sensor onto new rad. Exactly how is this square plastic piece removed an replaced?



Like is it screwed on or just pushed on. I certainly don’t want to break it. Please advice an Thanks

 

level sensor



spring clip

 

A screwdriver will get those ends to move and pop off, but watch out - the spring will go flying.

To get the sensor back on, I recall setting the thing like a mouse trap, with the ends of the spring resting on the plastic lip so I could twist the sensor on the bung and then press the closed end of the spring so it moves forward and snaps in place.

While you are at this, I would replace that sensor. (It is the coolant level sensor.) They don't last forever and (as you can see) are a little PITA to replace. Over time, they will corrode a bit and won't read coolant over the sensor.

 

Since you're replacing the radiator that it's in, just disconnect the electrical plug of it and leave the sensor in the radiator. once the radiator is out, you'll have better access to the spring clip.

 

That's the brass sensor in the drivers side Head.

 

I watched a few ytubers apparently they pry up on top clip an pry down on the bottom clip.then pull whole clip out side ways. I'll attach my magnet to the dam clip before fully removing. this sensor is orginal but goe's out intermitantly.
like I'll see the red arrow pointing downward then it goe's away. if it looks corroded I'll replace.
in my other thread you explained about flushing the whole sys. at block.remember I mentioned the power steering heater leaking into the cooling sys. an I was having a heck of a time flushing that dam thick Lucas stop leak even after upten times flushing.

how about my new plan to flush remove the thremostate housing an pump water into rad. an out Thremostate hole?

thanks

good tip. thanks

yeah I think the sensor in cylinder head is the engine temp. which sends signal only to ECM. no gauge. thanks

I managed to remove the coolant level sensors cap on new rad.it was no there kindof tight but I was carefull an didn't force it was concerned I'd break the plastic. I believe this could be just a dust cap but why not use a easy slide on type dust cap like they shipped the upper/lower rad tubes covered w/ it certainly wouldn't hold coolant.

this rad. has an extra drain port

I believe it's for LT1 cars .whats an easy way to block this extra drain. I've read some sales reviews on these rads. an some mentioned there was a cap included mine didn't come w/ a block off an there are no threads inside where I can screw in another drain plug.

lastly do you Guys just hand tighten the drain again I'm concerned w/ cracking the plastic rad an the plug (which I've read isn't available on it's own an is differnt than a OEM plug) the orginal drain plug is much softer plastic. I probaley should have done the standup rad.to avoid all this plastic but she lasted this long so why not, but read these LT1 are a tad thicker an all that needed on a mildely modded car.thanks for advice

 

my coolant level sensor has been malfunctioning for well over ten years. you know I hardly drive the car much maybe a couple times a month. the reason I'm even replacing the rad. is bc I lose about 8OZ of fuild on a 15 mile round trip. but never see any fuild leak out. I'm starting to think I'm losing this fuild at the sensor. and probaley don't even need to swap the rad. but since I have it now mite as well install it.

after I plug that dam extra drain.

 

If ur leaking fluid, there will be a witness mark somewhere, especially if ur losing 8oz a drive.

if there is nothing wet down there, ur burning it.

 

I'll have to take a closer look for a wittness mark. whats strange is it seams to only lose a little fuild like the 8ounces.(not 8oz every 15 miles like 2 trips isn't 16oz)an this is on serval 15 mile trips doesn't seam to continue to lose more than this little bit. thats why I'm thinking it could be leaking at the sensor which is high up on rad.
I recently swapped in a new AC delco water pump it was slitely leaking IIRC at the weep hole.

what doe's burning it mean? I've never sean any steam. or ever overheated. also since the waterpump swap I've only filled it w/ tapwater from the garden hose..plan to use the dexron antifreeze after I sort out the rad. thanks for advicing

 

All the other holes are top side everything above the water pump drains just fine when the radiator **** is opened. The two gallery plugs on the side of the engine let out the other 50% of coolant that stays inside the engine when the radiator is drained. There is no other way to get it out other than to open the plugs and take a little shower. (That's why they are there. Not my favorite design but common to many other engines I have seen.)

One could flush / drain (at the radiator) / flush /drain / flush but that process just removes 50% of the non-water component each time. Getting to 0% only happens when the entire system is opened up.

This is my guess at where your coolant is "going." Theoretically any lost coolant should be replaced from the overflow reservoir but I had a similar problem when my water pump went really bad. (Others have had the same issue.) My only explanation was/is that some air also gets pumped in the system at the pump as coolant leaks out there.

 

actuely I was wondering if I could completely flush all the fuild from rad an out the thremostate hole?
please suggest a way to block off the extra drain on the new rad.
please suggest a decent anti-freeze an is one gallon enough plus a gallon of water.
thanks

 

I'm not sure I understand. Doesn't your new radiator have a drain **** at the bottom? That should flush everything out of the radiator.

If there is additional product in the system and the radiator has been emptied, then it must be coming from another part of the system. The only way to flush this fully out (or any type of system like this) is to drain the fluid at the lowest part of the system. The V8 F-body has 3 low points in the cooling system. (one at the radiator, and two others on either side of the engine block)

This principle is one of the reasons why it costs $20,000 to do an oil change on a Bugatti. (It has many oil drains in PITA places...)

 

Radiator doesn't have a "Thermostat hole"... there's five ports. Two for the Hoses in and out of the Engine, drain at the bottom passenger side, two small ones at the top under the Cap for the Overflow and the Steamline coming off the Heads. Coolant Level Sensor has it's spot but that stays in place.

Flushing it is not a hard concept, drain out what you can and use a garden hose to push out the rest.

 

Update: I’ve come up w/ this hose an bolt to block off the extra dam hole.will cut the bolt shorter.



Since the supplied drain is cheesie cheap plastic this bolt blockoff mite be a more durable drain.

The other day when engine was cold I twisted off the orginal plastic drain w/ my hand it was tight but I was able to remove the dam thing. Different story today I couldn’t budge that dam drain plug w/ my hand an engine was a little warm maybe that plastic expanded?



I used pliers an ended up ripping the cheesie grab ears off the plug, ran the engine a bit to pump out whatever water was in the block to prevent block from cracking.



Next couple days will be in low 20*Far. Plan to swap new rad in mid week.
I believe this automatic trans. LS1 cooling sys. capacity is 3 gallons only found LT1 capacity when searching 4th gen f body however all previous flushs I'd drain at petcock pour in one gallon of dexron then added a little tap water. it doesn't get down in the low 20s often an car is outside
so do the tubes an block hold the other 2 gallons?plan to use the peak dexron consentrate I'm assumming it's the orange stuff bc of the orange on the container?

thanks for advice
Will report back.

no I mentioned the thremstate hole at the block not the rad. been having a hard time completely flushing out power steering fuild mixed w/ lucas stop leak. wished I'd removed that dam power steering cooler 25 years ago. thanks

 

You mean Dex Cool... Dexron is ATF.

The drain on my Radiator is a 3/4" white plastic stud I screw out and it drains the Coolant at the bottom.

You mention cold temps, you must be around Ft. Walton Beach or close to that area.

 

That's a LT1 Fbody Radiator. Same thing I put in my Monte SS. I put a rubber plug in the hole of that port, with a rubber cap over it. Been there for years with no issues.

 

So is the LT1 radiator a direct swap for the LS1 radiator or is additional parts needed?

 

I would try using Zerex Super Cleaner. There is also a Valvoline Super Cleaner on the market, which I expect is the same stuff under a different name. This is NOT the same stuff as the Zerex radiator service product and will likely require a mail order or some hunting. I last found it at a local NAPA and had to wait a day for it.

I got turned on to it when it was called out specifically by name in the factory procedures for flushing my jet skis. That... was a long process and I recall I did a fresh water flush after the Super Cleaner. I don't know what was actually going on inside the system, but the Super Cleaner came out looking dirty/different and definitely unappetizing. I suspect that some sort of detergent (like this) will be needed to get the old chemicals out. It would make sense that regular flushes would not remove Stop Leak, otherwise that product would come off in the coolant.

Reading some other things online, there are some suggestions that driving around with a cleaning chemical helps (presumably this is more about heat than movement of fluid) but I would read the instructions on whatever product you choose.

 

You just have to cap the extra port. You can use a rubber piece of hose with a bolt (like the OP) or brass plug (or one with a built-in drain, if you can find the right size), or a rubber cap like Merv suggested. But if using the rubber cap, make sure it's a good one as some of the rubber coolant plugs on the market today are JUNK. The replacement water pump for my Olds 350 came with a rubber cap for the unused port on the pump (some Olds V8s connect the heater line to the radiator instead), and that cap failed after about 18 months. The rubber was only about half as thick as the better ones that Dorman used to sell over the counter.

 

this is what the amazon bot suggested among other caps when I asked it. block off caps for LT1 rad
thanks