I started my first winter project, I removed the radiator today, not too bad a lot of bolts though. When I first lifted the upper shroud off the
radiator looked pretty good, a little pile of leaves and junk in the bottom corners and a small amount of junk stuck to the middle. So I figured
man this was a lot of work for nothing, then I held a drop light behind it on the bench and looked through the fins and found it stuffed with
sand. I got the car from Long Island Ny at a town by the beach so that would explain the sand. I started to blow it out with the compressor
you would not believe the sand that came out. I also want to change the two radiator hoses, bypass the TB, install a 160 thermostat, and
install the low temp fan switch while the coolant is out. So, here are things I need help with.

1) What can I use to clean the radiator with ? Even after blowing air through it there is still a lot of sand stuck in the fins, can I push it out
with a feeler gauge or somthing?
2) How do you get the bottom hose off the water pump, looks like it is right behind the belt tensioner, do I have to remove that or can I get
at it the way it is.
3) To do the TB bypass I want to replace the entire hose instead of coupling it together, the one end is attached to the heater core which
is buried underneath the coolant filler box, do I need to remove that to get at the hose clamp ?
4) The best I can figure, my car has only one temp sensor, so to add the low temp fan switch I need to remove the plug on the head between
number 1 and 3 cyclinders, is that correct ? I will ask about the wiring later.
5) Do I need to get the top and bottom hoses at the dealer, or will autozone ones work ?

Thanks for any help.

Al

 

1.) Use a low pressure hose on the engine side and a wet vac on the front of the radiator. Move the hose about the radiator and follow it with the wet vac. This will get most of the stuff out. Be careful not to bend or crincle any of the fins on the radiator.

2.) On my 89 which is different, I removed the tensioner and cut the hose to get it off.

3.) no idea

4.) Your car has at least two temp sensors. One is below the TB in front (ecm uses this sensor), the other is on the passenger head above the starter (temp guage uses this sensor). To install a fan switch you have to remove the plug as you suggested between #1 and #3. This can be very difficult. Do a search on the methods that have been used. If I remember correct a lot of soaking and a torch seem to help. Alternatavely, on your car a chip reprogram would seem to be a very good solution, perhaps the best solution.

5.) My experience is that the Gates and GoodYear hoses do not fit as well as the GM hoses. The Gates bottom hose was an adequate replacement for my 89, however neither the Gates nor the Goodyear were a good enought fit for me for the top hose, so I bought the GM. Your results may vary.

 

Thanks for the reply PeteL, here it what I have found so far.
1) The radiator is full of sand, I blew a bunch out with the compressor and there is still a bunch stuck in the fins I have been pushing it
out with a small piece of metal, that will take a long time, I am going to try a combination of the above.
2) I did have to remove the tensioner, it was still a pain to the clamp off, that type clamp is not going back on.
3) You can remove the two screws and the filler box can be moved out of the way enough to get the hose off the
heater core.
4) I did not try to get the plug out yet, thanks for the suggestions, I think I will try to get it out while the coolant is out, I can put
put the temp switch in even if I don't use it.
5) That is what I thought, how much more are the hoses from the dealer ??

 

I just finished that rad project myself. GM hoses are the way to go.

You have a 91? L98 Hoses are -

Hose, Rad Inl 10135652 ~$6.63
Hose, Rad Otlt 10135653 ~$13.78

Prices are from GMPartsDirect, but 18carfan should have them at the same or maybe better (can't get much better!).

I was able to get at the lower hose clamp by just loosening the tensioner and letting it snap up out of the way.

If you have many bent fins on the rad, ATD Tools has a "Condenser Fin Comb" which is a multi-fin-per-inch comb for straightening fins. Works great; any Snap-On toolman should be able to order it - part # 3602.

I'm surprised your car doesn't have the booster fan switch installed - do you have the 2nd fan??? The wire is in the bundle with the alternator leads - fan switch is green w/yellow stripe (on my '86).

Getting that plug out is supposedly a bitch. Some have ground down hardened tools to fit; one has drilled/ground the plug down to the threads and picked the thread remnants out with a sharp object.

 

Thanks, those prices are less than parts america's website. Yup, I have two fans that are the same size and mounted next to each
other.

 

Yes, but you have to add in the shipping costs where GM parts direct will stick it to you but good! Jeff Koop or TLD will beat the total cost from gmpartsdirect.com almost every time.