About to replace my rad! Any advises???

ChuckBlack · Post by **ChuckBlack** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 10:51 pm

Hello troops! I'm about to replace my engine coolant radiator and I wondered if anyone have had theirs replaced before. I've already replaced the upper and lower hoses, thermostat and coolant to ELC. I am questioning removing the transmission cooling lines and keep the tranny fluid or discard and add new oil top up.. Would you guys recommend I do another back flush in the system? I've ordered my radiator from Rising Sun Imports since they seemed to be the least expensive. And it also comes with a new rad cap.
What are you guys thoughts on this?

lrp374 · Post by **lrp374** » Wed Jan 06, 2016 4:56 pm

Read the post @ the top of the L300 section. Tojo has instructions and pictures of how to get the rad out!!

ChuckBlack · Post by **ChuckBlack** » Thu Jan 07, 2016 9:39 pm

Got my new Radiator delivered today.
All looks great.

To follow...

Post by **Growlerbearnz** » Fri Jan 08, 2016 3:23 am

It's fairly easy. Driver's side engine cover off, drain coolant, disconnect top hose and overflow hose. I prefer to remove the fan shroud completely (split cover unclips easily, then four 10mm nuts in the corners to remove the main part) then you have easy access to the transmission and coolant pipes. shroud retaining nut nearest the alternator is a bit of a pain to get to, usually it's easiest from underneath.

When you remove the transmission cooler lines it's easy to plug them temporarily, the fluid won't leak out very quickly, though one of them leaks a lot more than the other. I use a couple of drill bits to plug the hoses- the blunt end, obviously.

Disconnect the lower radiator hose, then the single bolt from the top bracket, and lift the radiator out.

I'd test fit the shroud to the new radiator first- some (cheap) replacement radiators don't have the necessary 10mm studs and need bolts instead.

When refitting, don't forget the rubber top-hat buffers on the pegs on the bottom tank.

ChuckBlack · Post by **ChuckBlack** » Wed Jan 13, 2016 12:11 am

Thanks! I figure this can't be too difficult either. The new rad is definitely an updated OEM one.. More robust, and lighter too. I hope this new rad will cool off my engine much faster when climbing the coca cola hills in BC!!!

In addition, I have concrete conclusions that my old rad cap wasn't doing its job... Anyhow, how the heck do i post pictures on this site???

Post by **Growlerbearnz** » Wed Jan 13, 2016 7:31 pm

Make a new post or reply, below the text box are "options" and "attachments" tabs. Use "attachments", upload your pictures (not too large!) and select "place inline" if you want them to appear in your post rather than as a downloadable attachment.

sealica · Post by **sealica** » Tue Jan 31, 2017 6:43 am

I'm gearing up to take my radiator out in the next week or two, but I've got a slight problem. The radiator has a slight leak from the drain plug, and was advised by the last mechanic who touched the coolant system that the drain plug would not unscrew . . . or at least that it was on the verge of failure if messed with.

I'm either getting the current rad rebuilt or replacing new, but just wondering if there is another way to drain the coolant from radiator short of sawing off the drain plug with a hacksaw (or maybe it can be taken out with vice grips) . . .

I'm assuming just disconnecting the lower hose is going to result in a pressurised burst of coolant?

Post by **Growlerbearnz** » Tue Jan 31, 2017 1:08 pm

sealica wrote:I'm assuming just disconnecting the lower hose is going to result in a pressurised burst of coolant?

Only if it's hot, though even if it's cold it's going to come out pretty quickly.

The drain plug is sealed with an O-ring rather than by tightening it. If it's leaking someone has probably tried to tighten the plug, not knowing that it'll leak no matter how tight it is. I'd try opening it with a pair of pliers or an adjustable spanner.

sealica · Post by **sealica** » Sat May 20, 2017 5:27 pm

Original post: http://www.pocuk.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=143335

Picture: http://nigels.mobi/images/blockdrain25.jpg

I'm just wondering if the drain plug pictured is the coolant drain plug for the engine block?

If I recall the engine correctly it looks like it's to the passenger side of the circular inset below the half-moon seal on the back of the 4D56 engine ...

I am going to pull my rad to get it rebuilt once I replace my valve cover.

sealica · Post by **sealica** » Wed May 24, 2017 9:26 am

So I removed my radiator, but didn't drain the block since I can't find the drain plug ... plugging the transmission lines was a bit messy and I missed the drain-pan by a quarter inch causing a mess on the street ... oh well ...

It's actually kind of funny since the radiator drain plug wasn't buggered at all (as previously mentioned). It's just that the o-ring is not working any longer (hence very slow, very minor coolant leak). I guess my mechanic assumed it was damaged since someone jury rigged some tubing with a zap strap to stop the leak instead of say replacing the o-ring .. which would be the best thing I figure ... but never assume!

I was hoping the rad out would make easier access for some of the other things I wanted to tackle, but really the front of the engine looks great. I could take out my condenser fan since the rest of the AC has already fallen out :p But I'm having a fun time contemplating how/if I'm going to replace the seals on the oil-dipstick tube and side plate / balance shaft inspection plate ...

The engine is so built with crud in those areas I feel that if I did take them off to replace the seal ... what kind dirt am I inviting to the surface between the new seal. Easier to clean if I actually had non-contorted access, but short of removing the big steel plate that hold the Injection Pump from below (side plate), and the starter(??) for the oil dipstick ... it's kind of a blind spot.

Tinker.Tinker.

sealica · Post by **sealica** » Wed May 31, 2017 5:40 pm

So I actually ended up postponing my new Rad by 4 months over the winter. We decided to move houses in March so it wasn't an opportune time.

I decided to go with a rad rebuild because the cost difference was fairly minimal in my opinion. I'm seeing the "brand new" rads from CCA, Rising Sun, etc. going for $300 before taxes; whereas rebuilding my rad at a rad shop was $564. Certainly $264 bucks plus a few to taxes is significant, but I figure those new rads are always going to be around whereas original L300 rads are kinda getting rare as more replace with the new plastic-tank rads.

The rad shop had the thing rebuilt by Thursday at 11:00h, I brought the rad in at Tuesday 14:00h (called on Wednesday at ~10:00 to confirm price and said they would try and have it done by Friday 17:00h).

The install was awesome and other than spilling transmission oil when I was searching for a proper sized plug, overflowing coolant while doing the first fill up, and loosing my LH rad shroud on a logging road this weekend because I forgot to replace the metal clip ... it went real smooth and the cooling ability of the engine is obviously MUCH better. Same hills I was driving in winter where the temp guage would reach 50% (at which point I was following a policy of pulling over and idling at 500-1000RPM until the engine was back around 20-30%) now doesn't budge above the operating temp of about 20-25%

I didn't have much success refilling the coolant by idling with the cap off. That resulted in geysers of coolant all over the place. After that result on the first attempt I shut the engine off and went to bed. Next evening I ran the engine with the rad cap on, but expansion tank cap off. Once at operating temp I reved the engine a bit from 1500-2500 RPM and shut it off. Let it cool enough to open the rad cap - filled it to the brim, replaced rad cap and repeat the above process a couple times. Then I idled the engine with the rad cap off and geysered more coolant. Shut it off. Filled coolant to the brim - drove the thing. Driving the thing. Cooling great.

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