Long shot I know but does anyone fancy helping me change my radiator over (Mk 2). I'm fairly confident that I could crack on with the physical swap but not happy bleeding the system etc when the new coolant goes in.
I'm based in Bristol - if someone localish has done the job and fancies helping out a fellow MR2 owner please shout! I make a decent bacon sandwich and the tea is always flowing
Anyone fancy helping me fit new rad & coolant - Bristol :-)
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Re: Anyone fancy helping me fit new rad & coolant - Bristol :-)
It isn't very hard mate. Turn the heater onto to HOT. Jack the back of the car up a bit and pour it in nice and slowly. Open the vent on the radiator and the one on the heater circuit alternating between them. Continue like that until you have coolant at both of the vents and the filler is full. Turn it on and run it for a few minutes I did it with the heater turned on and turned to hot. Then I let it cool down completely then repeated the steps above.
No 2
Re: Anyone fancy helping me fit new rad & coolant - Bristol :-)
I've done mine twice and I've never jacket the back up. The car needs to be level to stop air bubbles.
You also need to connect the clear hoses to the heater bleed valve and one onto the top valve on the radiator.
Attach the hoses to the frunk lid and then fill up with coolant. When the levels in the hoses reach the same level as the filler, ie the top of the actual filler neck, you're good to go. This is why the car has to be level.
Doing this any other way risks air bubbles and overheating. It's not that hard providing you do it this way.
Need any other help just ask!
You also need to connect the clear hoses to the heater bleed valve and one onto the top valve on the radiator.
Attach the hoses to the frunk lid and then fill up with coolant. When the levels in the hoses reach the same level as the filler, ie the top of the actual filler neck, you're good to go. This is why the car has to be level.
Doing this any other way risks air bubbles and overheating. It's not that hard providing you do it this way.
Need any other help just ask!
Re: Anyone fancy helping me fit new rad & coolant - Bristol :-)
As said above it's quite easy, i've just changed my rad and all the coolant. Jacked up the rear while i filled up, opened up the rad and heater matrix bleed valves with hoses attached then idled for a bit. Kept on lifting and dropping the rear to shift any air out, repeat those steps until you can't get any more coolant in, take it for a quick drive and you should be done. Keep an eye on the coolant level for a few days and top up if necessary.
Re: Anyone fancy helping me fit new rad & coolant - Bristol :-)
Cheers for all the advice peeps, top stuff
Any idea what type of coolant I should use and also how much I will need?
Any idea what type of coolant I should use and also how much I will need?
Re: Anyone fancy helping me fit new rad & coolant - Bristol :-)
Theres a few options regarding coolant. I paid out a bit more for Toyota Forlife from your local Toyota. Its Decent quality stuff, had mine in for a few years and its still nice and red (touch wood that hasnt jinxed it)
While youre at it when you remove your old radiator its worthwhile replacing the rubber things on each side that the radiator sits on, you can get them from Toyota as well, only a few quid. Cant find the part number but its on the BGB online.
Replace the crap hose clips with proper jubilee clips too.
While youre at it when you remove your old radiator its worthwhile replacing the rubber things on each side that the radiator sits on, you can get them from Toyota as well, only a few quid. Cant find the part number but its on the BGB online.
Replace the crap hose clips with proper jubilee clips too.
Re: Anyone fancy helping me fit new rad & coolant - Bristol :-)
Click this
http://www.mr2oc.com/downloads/bgb/MR2_ ... MANUAL.zip
Click the engine folder then the cooling one. It gives a great outline of the steps involved. Click the second coolant pdf and that tells you how to replace the coolant. Hope this helps. Keep us posted how you get on its a bit of a pain in the @ss to do but hopefully unlike me youll only have to do it once!
http://www.mr2oc.com/downloads/bgb/MR2_ ... MANUAL.zip
Click the engine folder then the cooling one. It gives a great outline of the steps involved. Click the second coolant pdf and that tells you how to replace the coolant. Hope this helps. Keep us posted how you get on its a bit of a pain in the @ss to do but hopefully unlike me youll only have to do it once!
Re: Anyone fancy helping me fit new rad & coolant - Bristol :-)
blue2 wrote:Click this
http://www.mr2oc.com/downloads/bgb/MR2_ ... MANUAL.zip
Click the engine folder then the cooling one. It gives a great outline of the steps involved. Click the second coolant pdf and that tells you how to replace the coolant. Hope this helps. Keep us posted how you get on its a bit of a pain in the @ss to do but hopefully unlike me youll only have to do it once!
Top man, as soon as the rad arrives I'll crack on with this. Just need to sort some tubing for the coolant refill....I can see my fish tank suffering as a result
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Re: Anyone fancy helping me fit new rad & coolant - Bristol :-)
Originally the car would have come with 2 bleeding tubes, they may be knocking around in your frunk somewhere...
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Re: Anyone fancy helping me fit new rad & coolant - Bristol :-)
toxo wrote:Originally the car would have come with 2 bleeding tubes, they may be knocking around in your frunk somewhere...
They have gone walk-about, no worries, should be able to pick some up easy enough
Re: Anyone fancy helping me fit new rad & coolant - Bristol :-)
Can't seem to locate the 'engine coolant drain plug', can someone point me in the right direction / post up a picture. The repair manual states 'rear left of engine block' but this has not helped me....I assume this means the passenger side nearest the boot (as opposed to the cabin)
Re: Anyone fancy helping me fit new rad & coolant - Bristol :-)
Unless you really want to be thorough I wouldn't bother, just undo the drain plugs on the radiator and the two coolant pipes and jack the back of the car up.
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Re: Anyone fancy helping me fit new rad & coolant - Bristol :-)
rowey200 wrote:Can't seem to locate the 'engine coolant drain plug', can someone point me in the right direction / post up a picture. The repair manual states 'rear left of engine block' but this has not helped me....I assume this means the passenger side nearest the boot (as opposed to the cabin)
You assume right. Under the #4 intake runner (the one nearest the gearbox).
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Re: Anyone fancy helping me fit new rad & coolant - Bristol :-)
Be really careful when undoing the drain plugs on the pipes under the car. Again these are only undone when bieng really thorough but worth inspecting them for corrosion. Anyway one snapped on mine when I attempted to loosen it. Give em a spay of WD first.
Re: Anyone fancy helping me fit new rad & coolant - Bristol :-)
Right, just started this job and all going well until I got to the radiator pipe drain plugs, they are solid and I'm pretty sure that they are going snap if I apply any more force
So....on the basis that the car had a coolant change not too long ago and i'm putting the same coolant back in after i've changed the rad, can I just drain from the rad before removal (maybe jack the back of the car up) and then top back up. Will this cause any issues other that the fact that I won't get all the coolant old out?
Sorry for all the questions and cheers in advance
So....on the basis that the car had a coolant change not too long ago and i'm putting the same coolant back in after i've changed the rad, can I just drain from the rad before removal (maybe jack the back of the car up) and then top back up. Will this cause any issues other that the fact that I won't get all the coolant old out?
Sorry for all the questions and cheers in advance
Re: Anyone fancy helping me fit new rad & coolant - Bristol :-)
In theory if you've got the rad drain plug off and jack up the back of the car as much as you can then you should get most of the coolant out. Certainly not worth snapping them anyway.
Re: Anyone fancy helping me fit new rad & coolant - Bristol :-)
Thanks for everyones advice on this thread I decided to have a go at the job on Thurs and as folks stated, it was not that bad. I just took my time and followed the workshop manual While the old rad was out I was also able to waxoyl a couple of spots of rust that were starting around the front of the car.
Another bonus was that I found the service tubes for refilling the coolant hanging off the heater bleed when I removed the plastic lining
Once out of the car it was clear that the old radiator was past its best, particularly the lower fins that get the most abuse from the open vents in the bumper.
I've ordered up some black aluminium mesh to fit behind the vents in the front bumper to prevent a stone etc killing this radiator, for the time being it looks like i've fitted a massive intercooler
Thanks again folks, the IMOC once again saves the day
Another bonus was that I found the service tubes for refilling the coolant hanging off the heater bleed when I removed the plastic lining
Once out of the car it was clear that the old radiator was past its best, particularly the lower fins that get the most abuse from the open vents in the bumper.
I've ordered up some black aluminium mesh to fit behind the vents in the front bumper to prevent a stone etc killing this radiator, for the time being it looks like i've fitted a massive intercooler
Thanks again folks, the IMOC once again saves the day
Last edited by rowey200 on Sat Jun 22, 2013 5:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Anyone fancy helping me fit new rad & coolant - Bristol :-)
Good stuff, I'm in Bristol aswell. Good idea with the mesh save a busted radiator in the future
Re: Anyone fancy helping me fit new rad & coolant - Bristol :-)
gnzyza wrote:Good stuff, I'm in Bristol aswell. Good idea with the mesh save a busted radiator in the future
The mesh is a really good idea although my air con rad takes most of the pounding so not really worried..
Re: Anyone fancy helping me fit new rad & coolant - Bristol :-)
Johnr32 wrote:gnzyza wrote:Good stuff, I'm in Bristol aswell. Good idea with the mesh save a busted radiator in the future
The mesh is a really good idea although my air con rad takes most of the pounding so not really worried..
Very true, my previous MR2 had aircon so the A/C rad acted as a barrier for the main radiator. My current MR2 does not have aircon and as such the main rad is quite exposed and susceptible to damage (as was the case here).