Maintenance of the car’s radiator is crucial for retaining the car’s performance and preventing engine damage. But some people don’t know how to replace the car’s radiator and often ask, “Is it hard to replace a radiator in a car?”
Replacing a car’s radiator is neither facile nor complex. You have to follow specific steps in order to replace a car’s radiator. These steps include removing the older radiator, detaching some components of the old radiator, installing the new radiator, and re-attaching some parts of the new radiator. Sounds messy? Don’t worry.
I have thoroughly mentioned the processes of replacing a radiator in a car in this article. Besides, the readers can learn some additional information about radiators and answers to some FAQs. So, let’s start.
What is a Radiator in a Car?
Before discussing replacing a car’s radiator, it is essential to know what the radiator is. A radiator is the primary part of a car’s cooling system. Therefore, the primary purpose of a radiator is to observe the engine’s temperature and keep it cool to endure longer.
When a car runs, it generates a vast amount of heat through hot air. If the air can’t pass away, it will severely hamper the engine through overheating. A radiator uses coolant that goes into the engine’s different parts and absorbs the excess heat. As a result, the engine can keep cool for a long time.
How To Replace A Radiator
One can replace a radiator in a car by following the below steps. So, let’s look into the processes:
1. Safety First
Every car’s radiator is equipped with electricity. So, it is mandatory to disconnect the battery from the radiator before proceeding. One may need to lift the car to reach the radiator. To hold the vehicle up, one can use the jack and stands of the vehicle.
Again, sharp edges and other potentially dangerous conditions can seriously scrape your fingers or hurt your eyes. To protect yourself, wear high-quality safety gloves and eyeglasses.
Tips:
- Don’t forget to keep a barrier behind the wheels and activate the parking brake to prevent the car from moving.
- Make sure the car, engine, and cooling system are cool enough before proceeding with your task.
2. Inspect Or Replace
Before hushing for replacing the radiator, you should observe the following things:
- Thoroughly examine the car’s coolant system
- Take a look at the radiator cap.
- Examine if there is any sign of corrosion, cracking, or leakage in the belts and other valves
- check the fan clutch and bearings between the radiator and the water pump motor
- If your car engine becomes overheated due to a cooling problem, check the engine thermostat as well. It would be better to replace the faulty engine thermostat along with the radiator.
3. Drain The Radiator
To drain the radiator, you have to follow the below steps:
- Take off the radiator cap: When the engine is cool, remove the radiator cap to reduce the pressure on the cooling system and prevent airlock.
- Squeeze the radiator hoses: If one can see rust in the hoes, it is better to clean the rust before installing the new radiator. There are many rust removal kits available in local automobile parts stores. So, one can purchase them to remove the rust.
- Placing a drip pan under a petcock: Apart from being harmful to the environment, the wastes of the coolant are also hazardous to humans and animals. Its odor makes it appealing to kids and dogs, which can cause severe harm or death. To avoid this waste from heaping on the ground, place a drip pan under the petcock.
- Open the petcock: Open the petcock with your hands and drain the coolant into the drip pan.
- Flush the radiator: Flush the coolant if it appears unclean.
4. Disconnect The Radiator
One can start disconnecting by detaching the belts, hoses, and clamps. Once you have separated them, organize them into a safe place since you have to re-install them. You have to disconnect the following parts of the radiator:
- Reservoir hose
- Upper and lower radiator hose
- Mounting bolts of the cooling fan
- The connector of the cooling fan
- Cooling fan interface
- Transmission cooler lines
- Engine oil of the cooler lines
- A/C mounting bolts
5. Remove The Radiator From The Car
Once you have detached all the belts, hoes, and clamps, it’s time to remove the radiator. Some radiators can be removed from the cars, while some radiators should be removed beneath the vehicle. For further information, one can check the layout of the radiator.
6. Install The New Radiator
Once one has removed the old radiator, check if any parts of the radiator are left out that you may need later. After that, install the new radiator. Re-install all the detached belts, hoes, and clamps like before.
Also read: What to do After Installing New Radiator
7. Adding Coolant
If your previous coolant is damaged, it’s time to install a new coolant in the radiator. Otherwise, the engine will overheat and damage other parts of the car. Don’t forget to examine the transmission fluid and oil levels. In contrast, just place them in the radiator if you want to carry on with the old coolant.
Use distilled water for your radiator. You can make distilled water by taking water and antifreeze/coolants in a 50:50 proportion. But this proportion highly varies based on the weather of a state. One can check the repair manual for accurate information on distilled water.
Frequently Asked Question
1. How long does it take to replace a radiator in a car?
It depends on the expertise of a person in replacing the radiator. A professional mechanic can replace a radiator in a car within two to three hours. But if you have never replaced a radiator in a car, you will find the entire process difficult that can take you around eight to nine hours.
2. How much does it cost to replace a radiator in a car?
It is dependent on the automobile model and radiator type. However, the average cost of replacing a car radiator is between $300 and $1000.But, if you find the belts and hoes damaged, you may have to pay additional money to replace them. As a result, the expense will increase.
Final Words
Some people get panicked when it comes to replacing the radiator in a car and often question, “Is it hard to replace a radiator in a car?” The process is pretty simple if an individual follows some stages meticulously. For the readers’ convenience, I have explained the replacement process of the radiator in the car in detail. I hope the readers will find the article informative and practical.