Removal of 6.9 Radiator

[SELfor50]

Ok.

Attacked this yesterday.   I recommend not trying it after a 15hour drinking binge and a wedding.   

Wasn't too bad though.... Hoses came off easy enough.  Managed to cover myself with coolant though, then rolled over into the container holding the oil and tranny fluid..  damn you carlton draught! 

Anyway, then got the fan and shroud out (skinned my knuckles a little).  Radiator rubber thingy's on the side were wedged in pretty hard and it I had to wiggle for awhile to slide it out. 

In to the shop for a new core to get done today.   What's the standard price for a new core??
It's costing me $500, but i've never had one done before so don't know what the norm is.

Thanks again for the help, I'll remember to ensure there's oil in the oil cooler before start up.

Cheers,
Cam.

[WGB]

Congratulations on your success and thanks for the drinking advice. .

$500 sounds quite reasonable for a recore.

3 or 4 years ago Natrad were asking $950 for a 450 (not 6.9) core but the Chinese have cleaned up on that since.

Bill

[TJ 450]

That sounds very reasonable. I know what I'll be doing soon.

Tim

[s class]

Again I'm amazed at the prices you Aussies have to pay.  A recore on a W116 radiator here is about ZAR2000 - just shy of A$300.  But then again, the workmanship I get for that price isn't great, so one has the privilege of doing it again a few years later. 

[Harv]

Bumping this from the grave.

Do anyone know the sizes of wrenches (or any other tools) I need to pull a 6.9 radiator? Saving the one from the junkyard tomorrow and don't want to haul my whole toolbox into the yard as it gets very heavy.

[daantjie]

From memory the fan nuts are 10mm. Then you also have the shroud nuts I think are 8mm. Then trans cooler lines are 17mm or 19mm.
Most important is to take spray lube such as PB Blaster and soak the channel where the rubber mount slides into. It can be murder trying to get that bloody thing to slide up!

[Harv]

Most important is to take spray lube such as PB Blaster and soak the channel where the rubber mount slides into. It can be murder trying to get that bloody thing to slide up!

That is what I'm worried about. God knows how long it has been sitting in a field with the hood open. I am taking the biggest pry bar I have.

[daantjie]

In one of my less stellar moments I tried to remove the big plug at the bottom tank (don't ask me why).  Then of course I forced it as it was well stuck, and the brass tank promptly sheared open around the nut with a nice trickle of antifreeze onto my face, resulting in very colourful language.  $800 "school fee" on that one...

[Harv]

Will I be able to pull it with no access to under the car? The car is stuck in the mud and I can't jack it up so I'll have to disconnect everything from above.

[daantjie]

Will be tough but can be done.   Might have to just cut the rad cooler hoses so take a long bolt cutter to snip those off.  At the bottom the shroud just slides into clips so it should just pop out of the clips after you remove the 2 upper bolts.  Getting the bottom rad hose off might be tough as well.  If you can snip the hose clamp off with the bolt cutters or similar you might be able to just lever the hose off with a pry bar.  I guess you can try and loosen the hose clamp from the top as well but it might be really tough as access is tight overall.
Then you have to unclip the 2 clips on either side which clips it into the rad support.  Save those as they often go missing.
Then the heaving starts   It helps if you have access from below so you can also push up (be careful not to damage the bottom tank).  So lacking access from below will make it more "fun"