RX-Ben

This was a pain, more so because I was not expecting anywhere near this amount of work. DeWitts doesn't include instructions on their oil cooler line install (the "898" mod'd C6 lines), so the instructions for the whole thing are below.

Car: 2001 C5, stock exhaust, stock intake

1. Radiator removal and install is easy -
a. remove intake/air bridge and associated hoses and wires
b. remove the top shroud/radiator support (2 bolts on either side)
c. undo the wire clips on the fan shroud (use a flat head screwdriver, in the 2nd location in on the fitting, turn 90deg), unplug fan plugs (need a flat head to reach in and lift up the clips
d. lift up fan shroud, lower it out of the bottom of the car
e. lift up the A/C condensor, set it in front of the radiator (with all lines attached - NOTE - your may be very clogged - if so - you should have your A/C lines drained and install a new condensor (approx $170 for a new one on-line) at this point. If your condensor is not clean, then your new radiator will not perform as well as it should. If you remove the old condensor- it will leak green liquid out the lower fitting when you remove it. It if is not too clogged, you can place a board (section of 2x4) along the bottom of the condensor and then and beat the board with a hammer. Be prepared to get very dirty.
f. drain the radiator (plastic thingy - in rear of lower right corner - 90deg turn and you may need to pry it towards the rear of the car w/a screwdriver), remove various hoses
g. lift radiator up and out, make sure it doesn't catch on the A/C condensor or the wiring in towards the engine

2. place the radiator on the ground (on cardboard), mark where to trim the fan shroud (as referred to in the DeWitts instructions) -- and remember to trim the driver's side mounting tabs
3. ALSO - you will need to trim the fan shroud for the oil cooler fittings as the fan shroud gets in the way of the metal lines. I'm not sure if you can accurately do this outside of the car - I cut mine with some wire cutters once I installed the radiator.

4. Install the rear fan shroud, rest it on the sway bar, then drop the radiator in from the top - clip on the A/C condensor and then the fan shroud, install all wires and the fan plugs, install the 4 radiator fluid fittings

5. Remove the coil packs on the driver's side, remove the AIR piece coming off the manifold and the remove the hard line that connects towards the rear of the driver's side cylinder head (tug hard). Remove the spark plug wires. Remove the manifold bolts (there is one right behind the AIR fitting). Remove the manifold to exhaust bolts underneath the car (need to do this for both sides. If you have a car with some use/age, you'll probably break a stud or two (even when sprayed w/PB Blaster). This means you'll need to remove the headers from both sides (pass side is easier, req's dipstick tube removal). Drop off at a local garage to get the remnants pulled and new studs installed.

6. Lift out the exhaust manifold (be sure to disconnect 02 sensor wire)

7. Loosen 4 clips per side that hold in the wires for the post-cat 02 sensors in the mid exhaust section. Put a jack under the front section, remove the bolts that hold it to the car, then lower the jack (watch the 02 wires). You may need to remove the retaining bolts for the rear mid-exhaust section too.

8. Loosen the large bolt on the bottom of the left motor mount, allow about 1" of movement. This next part is not ideal, but the pan is a stressed member of the frame and we aren't doing too much lifting here - put a 2x4 under the oil pan, jack the left side of the engine up (be sure to avoid the oil filter). If you have an engine hoist, pull up from the top. [You may try to skip this step, and only do this if you need to, I needed to]

9. NOW - you can finally install the oil cooler line (swap out the old oil temp sensor). Be sure to remove the wire clip that bolts in just in front of the motor mount and use it for the bracket on the hardlines. The lower line goes under the front sway bar.

10. The quick-connect fittings were very very hard to get in. Make sure the fan shroud is not in the way of the oil line when pressing the fitting line into the female end on the radiator. If so, trim the shroud with wire cutters. Then push really really hard. You will need to hold the radiator from the front. This is not easy.

11. Ok, finally done installing stuff.

12. Lower the engine, tighten the:
- engine mount
- install oil adapter block w/new gasket and transfer and install and connect the plug for the oil temp sensor
- mid exhaust section (+ reinstall wire clips)
- install headers w/repaired studs and dipstick & tube on pass side
- install O2 sensor plug and clips for the 02 sensor wires around post cat 02 sensors
- install AIR fittings
- install coil packs, spark plug wires
- install the wires into their clips on the fan shroud (though the oil lines block some)

13. Install the upper radiator shroud, then the intake (if your metal retention straps came out on the air filter holder on the intake, clip them into the piece that is connected to the air bridge (there are 2 holes and the straps have a retaining clip), then screw in the assembly to the front of the car, this takes some contortion (so don't install the air filter yet), then install the air filter and strap it down.

14. I think the EOC req's another quart of oil - but I need to check with DeWitts. I have heard the radiator holds another gallon. Fill up both as needed. Burp radiator system (get engine up to temp, above what your thermostat is, then run engine + add water as needed).

15. Done. In retrospect, I would've gone with a standard radiator with a MOCAL thermostat block and a setrab oil cooler. I probably could've done that install in 3 hrs vs the 12 that the above took (I didn't detail all the dead ends - like trying to install the lines for at least 2 hrs w/o removing the header/exhaust, screwing w/quick disconnects for a while, etc.). I was under the highly mistaken impression that the oil cooler line install would be easy, which is why I shelled out for this setup. I now hope nowhere buys this with "easy install" in mind on anything other than the radiator. The install is not hard, just a lot of work, though it would be a no brainer when installing headers!

A couple upsides of this setup though - (1) the pressure bypass in the C6 setup, a huge selling point for me and (2) compact setup, no extra crap, just the radiator and some lines. It'll be a small pain swapping out the lower line whenever I switch sways, but nothing too bad.

RX-Ben

Update:

At Watkins Glen, ambient around 70 - water around 220, oil around 235.
No A/C condenser, though it would prob be similar with a CLEAN one (my prior was filled with sand, and I am fundamentally opposed to A/C so I yanked it).

Eric D

Do you have any photos to go with your write-up? What temps were you seeing before the swap? How much more coolant does the DeWitt take over the stock unit?

Good job on the write-up.

RX-Ben

I can post pics of what is needed, just post a request.

Before I was seeing astronomical temps (267 water, boiling and 320F oil) due to an A/C condenser filled with sand (recently purchased used car). But, someone in a Z06 at WGI said they were seeing ~310 on the oil temps, which is in-line with what I've heard.

I was thinking of going to a huge Mocal air cooler over the winter, but I don't see a need. Also, with the C6 block adapter with the pressure bypass, no need for monster -10 AN lines. The jiffy-tite connections on the C6 connections are super quick as well and if you call the company they'll send you spare retaining clips (in case you lose them, they are reusable) and a clip removal tool (a pick works fine too).

Install was a total PITA for me b/c I kept trying to avoid the full dissassembly - if you do it right from the start and know what you are getting into it will be a much more pleasant experience.