Radiator removal procedure
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,347
Likes: 0
From: Melbourne Australia
Radiator removal procedure
Can some of you guy's shed a bit of light on the best procedure to remove a radiator from a '69 BB manual car????
Car is factory original(most of it
)
I could just jump straight in and pull it apart, but i'm sure there's an order in which things are best done.
Nothing worse than getting something half apart only to find out you have to redo stuf to remove other stuff
cheers
Car is factory original(most of it
)I could just jump straight in and pull it apart, but i'm sure there's an order in which things are best done.
Nothing worse than getting something half apart only to find out you have to redo stuf to remove other stuff
cheers
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 6,807
Likes: 0
From: Hoosier
Cruise-In III Veteran
It's pretty straight forward.
Drain the radiator.
Scribe the hood hinge outlines to the hood.
With a buddy, unbolt and remove the hood.
Disconnect the hoses.
Unbolt the brackets.
Lift that sucker out.
Drain the radiator.
Scribe the hood hinge outlines to the hood.
With a buddy, unbolt and remove the hood.
Disconnect the hoses.
Unbolt the brackets.
Lift that sucker out.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 10,866
Likes: 717
From: Beverly Hills/Pine Ridge Florida
Usually the best way....sometimes the only way...is to pull the radiator/shroud/core support as a unit.
You can't get the BB fiberglass shroud out by itself, as it won't clear the A frames. Can't get the radiator out without removing the shroud, and can't get enough wiggle room unless you at least loosen..or remove the core support.
I've found it easier to pull them as a unit. Think of the radiator as the "meat in the sandwich" between the shroud and the core support.
Reassemble it the same way with all the seals, and drop it in as a unit. The reason you see so many shrouds cut in half is that people try to get them out...and can't. Chuck
You can't get the BB fiberglass shroud out by itself, as it won't clear the A frames. Can't get the radiator out without removing the shroud, and can't get enough wiggle room unless you at least loosen..or remove the core support.
I've found it easier to pull them as a unit. Think of the radiator as the "meat in the sandwich" between the shroud and the core support.
Reassemble it the same way with all the seals, and drop it in as a unit. The reason you see so many shrouds cut in half is that people try to get them out...and can't. Chuck
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 958
Likes: 1
From: In the Beautiful Shenandoah Valley of VA
Originally Posted by Chuck Gongloff
Usually the best way....sometimes the only way...is to pull the radiator/shroud/core support as a unit.
You can't get the BB fiberglass shroud out by itself, as it won't clear the A frames. Can't get the radiator out without removing the shroud, and can't get enough wiggle room unless you at least loosen..or remove the core support.
I've found it easier to pull them as a unit. Think of the radiator as the "meat in the sandwich" between the shroud and the core support.
Reassemble it the same way with all the seals, and drop it in as a unit. The reason you see so many shrouds cut in half is that people try to get them out...and can't. Chuck
You can't get the BB fiberglass shroud out by itself, as it won't clear the A frames. Can't get the radiator out without removing the shroud, and can't get enough wiggle room unless you at least loosen..or remove the core support.
I've found it easier to pull them as a unit. Think of the radiator as the "meat in the sandwich" between the shroud and the core support.
Reassemble it the same way with all the seals, and drop it in as a unit. The reason you see so many shrouds cut in half is that people try to get them out...and can't. Chuck
Bingo. Pull it and replace it as a unit. You will have to remove the cooling fan first (may be obvious) and possibly the water pump for clearance. I also found it helpful on my '74 to remove the driver's side upper control arm from the frame bolts to provide a little extra clearance. This can be done safely as long as you have a jack stand under the lower control arm. This procedure seems to vary somewhat depending on the year - imy '74 has factory air and I pulled the A/C condensor as part of the "sandwich". And boy, the lower condensor fitting was a beetch!
But this is the only proper way to reassemble everything with the proper seals installed.
Steve
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,725
Likes: 5
From: Minnesota
I just did this the first time yesterday on my 75. Take your fan off and unbolt everything. Don't forget that little rod that goes from the bottom up to the front. Getting that bottom A/C hose off isn't easy by yourself. After getting my headers and pipes out as one unit and pulling and fighting to get the radiator etc. out I was done wrenching for the day. 
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,645
Likes: 11
From: Schaumburg IL
Rad Remove
Another point is to take out the 2 bolts on each side inside the fender wall holding the radiator frame in place. This will allow about 1 - 1 1/2" of forward clearance to remove the shroud and/or the radiator as an assembly, and get it off the A-frame. Fact - it is a PITA job, wear gloves and have a helper.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,161
Likes: 0
From: pr, frederick md.
huh?
how much difference is there between years? i have a 78' and i pulled old rad out by myself, no hood removal, certainly no a- arms, no loosening anything other than the rad. pulled the fan, and that sucka came out. installed BB rad in its place by myself. what gives? 
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 21,457
Likes: 463
From: Massillon,Ohio USA
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Cruise-In VI Veteran
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12
Originally Posted by redc3
how much difference is there between years? i have a 78' and i pulled old rad out by myself, no hood removal, certainly no a- arms, no loosening anything other than the rad. pulled the fan, and that sucka came out. installed BB rad in its place by myself. what gives?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio Texas
Originally Posted by redc3
how much difference is there between years? i have a 78' and i pulled old rad out by myself, no hood removal, certainly no a- arms, no loosening anything other than the rad. pulled the fan, and that sucka came out. installed BB rad in its place by myself. what gives?
i agree.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,161
Likes: 0
From: pr, frederick md.
Originally Posted by Paul Borowski
Not all C3s are configured alike here in this area. My two '68's with no A/C, 4spd WITH the metal barrel shroud, the radiators CAN BE lifted right out after moving the barrel shroud towards the engine. I had a 1980 4spd car where also I could slide the shroud towards the motor & pull the radiator. Just did my '75 & 1973-'76 first design cars with the way the shroud is right up against the forward A-arm bolts, it's much easier to pull the whole support/radiator/shroud as a "unit" as others have mentioned.
