Q45 Radiator Removal / Replacement

By: Tangalora

Prepare your work environment:

– Wear full coveralls & safety glasses (to keep grease out if nothing else);
– Shove a shop rag in your back pocket & a digital camera in your front pocket;
– Sweep the floor of your work area clean (you *will* repeatedly drop stuff);
– Place the Q45 transmission in PARK & chock the rear wheels;
– Lift the Q45 at the front engine crossmember with a floor jack;
– Place stands under the frame where the frame is double thickness
– Remove the floor jack & bounce-test the setup (better to fall now than later).
Empty the radiator of coolant:
– Loosen the radiator & coolant overflow covers to allow air in the system;
– Place a suitable container below the radiator passenger side corner;
– Loosen plastic drain c0ck at the bottom passenger side of the radiator;
– Drain radiator fluid into the container (an oil-change pan works well).
… Note: I removed the petcock completely to enable fluid to flow freely …
Remove the black plastic ornamental cover directly above the radiator:
(Note: Some people find its easiest to remove the lower radiator hose.This makes a mess but is DEFINITELY the fastest way).
– Remove the steel quarter-inch screw just in front of the MAF (#2 phillips);
– Note the steel washer and rubber O ring below that short steel screw;
– Remove 7 two-piece nylon anchor fasteners (#2 phillips + needlenose pliars);
– Note the female portion of the anchor bolt often comes out with the male;
– Loosly insert all 9 fasteners by hand in original positions for safekeeping.
… Note: Someone had previously broken many fasteners …
Remove the ornamental cover directly over the hood hinge (fore of the radiator):
– Remove 8 two-piece nylon anchor fasteners (#2 phillips + needlenose pliars);
– Loosely insert all 8 fasteners by hand in original positions for safekeeping.
… Note: Someone had previously broken many fasteners.
Remove the ornamental cover directly behind the driver-side headlamp:
– Remove 4 two-piece nylon anchor fasteners (#2 phillips + needlenose pliars);
– Loosly insert all 4 fasteners by hand in original positions for safekeeping.
… Note: Someone had previously broken some of the ornamental cover holes …
Remove the ornamental cover directly behind the passenger-side headlamp:
– Remove 4 two-piece nylon anchor fasteners (#2 phillips + needlenose pliars);
– Loosely insert all 4 fasteners by hand in original positions for safekeeping.
Remove the two-piece fan shroud surrounding the engine fan:
– Remove 2 steel screws on the top of the radiator shroud (#2 phillips);
– Remove 2 steel screws on the bottom of the radiator shroud (#2 phillips);
– Unclip the quarter-inch radiator overflow hose from 2 top driver-side clips;
– Unclip the electrical wires from shroud by pulling 2 posts out (needlenose);
– Note the fan shroud has a two-inch-wide removable collar around the fan;
– Remove the bottom fan-shroud-collar clip (#2 flat screwdriver or pliars);
– Remove the passenger-side fan-shroud-collar clip (sometimes difficult);
– You may leave the driver-side fan-shroud-collar clip (if you can’t get to it);
– Pull the radiator shroud with attached collar upward out of the engine bay.
– Loosely insert all 4 fasteners by hand in original positions for safekeeping.
… Note: I was able to leave the fan-shroud-collar hanging by one clip …
Disconnect the upper two-inch rubber radiator hose assembly:
– Loosen the hose clamp at the water pump outlet on the engine (#2 flat);
– Manually pull the two-inch hose off the water pump outlet;
– Hand tighten the hose clamp onto a section of the hose for safe keeping;
Disconnect the radiator overflow hose under the radiator pressure cap;
– Loosen the radiator-overflow-hose clamp at the top of the radiator (pliers);
– Detach the quarter-inch radiator overflow hose from the top of the radiator;
– Move the hose clamp onto a section of the overflow hose for safe keeping;
Remove the engine ornamental cover (between the water pump outlet & the plenum):
– Remove two 10 mm bolts on the top of the ornamental cover (1/4″ socket set);
– Remove the one 10 mm nut on the side section of the ornamental cover (socket);
– Remove the engine ornamental cover from between the water pump & plenum;
– Loosely insert all 3 fasteners by hand in original positions for safekeeping.
Disconnect the lower two-inch rubber radiator hose assembly:
– Find two CAS wire-holder fasteners on the lower-hose metal section bracket;
– Detach those two CAS wire-holder fasteners (bent needlenose pliers);
– Find the one 10 mm bolt holding the lower-hose steel section & bracket;
– Remove that 10 mm bolt from the engine (socket + 6 inch extension);
– Remove the three 12 mm thermostat cover bolts (socket + 6 inch extension);
– The lower two-inch radiator hose is now free from the engine;
– Loosely insert the one bolt by hand in its original position for safekeeping.
Disconnect the two wires attached to the radiator before removal:
– Remove the 22 mm thermoswitch on the radiator driver side (open-end wrench);
– Make sure you save the rubber 0-ring underneath this brass thermoswitch;
– Disconnect a wiring connector on the driver side near the radiator;
… Note: Could I instead disconnect the thermoswitch from the harness? …
Disconnect the OEM ATF transmission oil cooler inside the radiator:
– On the driver side of the radiator, on the side facing the engine;
– Locate where the rubber transmission tubing meets metal tubes;
– This will be underneath the engine, close to the power steering pump;
– This location makes dis-assembly easy as you can get a good grip here;
– Label each hose & metal line pair so as not to confuse them upon reassembly;
– Specifically, the lower rubber hose goes to the distal horizontal metal tube;
– Correspondingly, the upper rubber hose goes to the medial metal tube;
– Place a thick shop towel nearby as the transmission cooler will leak oil;
– Remove the 10 mm bolt on each of these two hose clamps (box wrench);
– Temporarily plug each transmission cooler rubber line with a pencil;
– Otherwise you’ll leak ATF oil all over the floor of your workspace;
– Hand tighten the two hose clamps onto their respective hoses for safekeeping;
… Note: I couldn’t remove the two 19 mm ATF brass fittings or their hoses! ..
Remove the two bolts attaching the radiator to the Q45 frame:
– Make a note of the difference between the two brackets on the radiator top;
– Remove the two 10 mm bolts at the top of the radiator (box wrench);
– Lift up the two (different size) radiator brackets under those two bolts;
– Loosely insert both fasteners by hand in original positions for safekeeping.
Remove radiator:
– Pull the radiator up out the top of the engine bay & inspect for damage.

Reinstall in reverse order.

We recommend refilling with distilled water (70%), antifreeze (30%), and 2 bottles of Redline Water Wetter.

SUMMARY:

#1 Empty the radiator of coolant by opening the passenger-side drain cock;
#2 Detach the quarter-inch radiator overflow hose from the top of the radiator;
#3 Pull out two wire fasteners from the drivers-side of the fan shroud (pliars);
#4 Unclip thermoswitch electrical wires (the thermoswitch may remain in place);
#5 Detach two CAS-wire-holder fasteners (using bent needlenose pliars);
#6 Remove one 10 mm bolt holding 2-inch pipe to engine (socket, 6 in extension);
#7 Remove the lower two-inch radiator hose from the thermostat housing;
#8 Disconnect the upper two-inch rubber radiator from the water pump outlet;
#9 Disconnect the upper transmission heat exchanger inlet quarter-inch hose;
#10 Disconnect the lower transmission heat exchanger outlet quarter-inch hose;
#11 Remove the three 2-inch-wide lower shroud-collar clips (needle-nose pliars);
#12 Remove the two 10 mm bolts at the top of the radiator (box wrench).