Radiator Install
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Radiator Install Did a search really did not come up with anything. Replacing the radiator in my '96 Ram Air. Any tips, tricks, recommendations, anything I should watch out for. How much time needed in general? Thanks for the help.
While you have everything out be sure to clean the low coolant sensor - it commonly gets dirty and gummed up which turns on a false low coolant light.
I wouldnt listen to any of these guys....unless you want coolant all over your garage floor 
step 1 - Drain radiator - pet **** on bottom passenger side, can be a little stubborn to get loose, i went for accuracy instead of speed so i never took the valve all the way loose, but i got alot of coolant where i wanted it to be lol.
step 2 - follow what these guys said, be gentle with your tranny cooler lines too, dont want to mess those up. and be prepared for more coolant to come out of the lower hoses.
The rad fans come out pretty easy as well, Take off the upper radiator support, not sure on a ram air car but it might be connected with your lower airbox?. Get under the car, and push up on then, then manuver them towards the back of the car and they should slide out with some finess. Your AC condensor also sits in some brackets on the radiator so befor you start yanking make sure you take it out of its holding tabs.
Time wise, Give yourself probably 4 hours, you can probably do it all in under 2, but why rush it. Plus you gotta deal with bleeding the system out.
step 1 - Drain radiator - pet **** on bottom passenger side, can be a little stubborn to get loose, i went for accuracy instead of speed so i never took the valve all the way loose, but i got alot of coolant where i wanted it to be lol.
step 2 - follow what these guys said, be gentle with your tranny cooler lines too, dont want to mess those up. and be prepared for more coolant to come out of the lower hoses.
The rad fans come out pretty easy as well, Take off the upper radiator support, not sure on a ram air car but it might be connected with your lower airbox?. Get under the car, and push up on then, then manuver them towards the back of the car and they should slide out with some finess. Your AC condensor also sits in some brackets on the radiator so befor you start yanking make sure you take it out of its holding tabs.
Time wise, Give yourself probably 4 hours, you can probably do it all in under 2, but why rush it. Plus you gotta deal with bleeding the system out.
Last edited by trilkb; Dec 4, 2010 at 03:40 PM.
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Here's my best shot at it:
If your radiator hoses have never been off, invest in a set of coolant hose picks. They are invaluable in removing old hoses without damaging them or the fittings. Not to mention they come in handy for TONS of other things too.
Disconnect battery.
Drain radiator via the petcock on the bottom passenger side of the radiator.
Disconnect oil cooler bypass hose from the bottom driver side of the radiator.
Remove airbox (four thumb screws, one bolt under filter) and disconnect from the MAF. Don't forget to disconnect the IAT.
Disconnect as many hoses as you can get to.
Remove fans. Unplug each motor and set the harness off to the side. Push UP on the entire fan assembly to disengage it from the four tabs that hold it in. It will take some finagling, but rotate it down and out.
Remove the transmission cooler lines, both feed and return. One will need a line wrench, the other just uses a slip-fit clamp.
Remove upper radiator support (3 bolts).
Remove radiator.
If your radiator hoses have never been off, invest in a set of coolant hose picks. They are invaluable in removing old hoses without damaging them or the fittings. Not to mention they come in handy for TONS of other things too.
Disconnect battery.
Drain radiator via the petcock on the bottom passenger side of the radiator.
Disconnect oil cooler bypass hose from the bottom driver side of the radiator.
Remove airbox (four thumb screws, one bolt under filter) and disconnect from the MAF. Don't forget to disconnect the IAT.
Disconnect as many hoses as you can get to.
Remove fans. Unplug each motor and set the harness off to the side. Push UP on the entire fan assembly to disengage it from the four tabs that hold it in. It will take some finagling, but rotate it down and out.
Remove the transmission cooler lines, both feed and return. One will need a line wrench, the other just uses a slip-fit clamp.
Remove upper radiator support (3 bolts).
Remove radiator.
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Here's my best shot at it:
If your radiator hoses have never been off, invest in a set of coolant hose picks. They are invaluable in removing old hoses without damaging them or the fittings. Not to mention they come in handy for TONS of other things too.
Disconnect battery.
Drain radiator via the petcock on the bottom passenger side of the radiator.
open/remove radiator fill cap
Disconnect oil cooler bypass hose from the bottom driver side of the radiator.
Remove airbox (four thumb screws, one bolt under filter) and disconnect from the MAF. Don't forget to disconnect the IAT.
Disconnect as many hoses as you can get to.
Remove fans. Unplug each motor and set the harness off to the side. Push UP on the entire fan assembly to disengage it from the four tabs that hold it in. It will take some finagling, but rotate it down and out.
Remove the transmission cooler lines, both feed and return. One will need a line wrench, the other just uses a slip-fit clamp.
Remove upper radiator support (3 bolts).
Remove radiator.
If your radiator hoses have never been off, invest in a set of coolant hose picks. They are invaluable in removing old hoses without damaging them or the fittings. Not to mention they come in handy for TONS of other things too.
Disconnect battery.
Drain radiator via the petcock on the bottom passenger side of the radiator.
open/remove radiator fill cap
Disconnect oil cooler bypass hose from the bottom driver side of the radiator.
Remove airbox (four thumb screws, one bolt under filter) and disconnect from the MAF. Don't forget to disconnect the IAT.
Disconnect as many hoses as you can get to.
Remove fans. Unplug each motor and set the harness off to the side. Push UP on the entire fan assembly to disengage it from the four tabs that hold it in. It will take some finagling, but rotate it down and out.
Remove the transmission cooler lines, both feed and return. One will need a line wrench, the other just uses a slip-fit clamp.
Remove upper radiator support (3 bolts).
Remove radiator.
