Removal and installation of a radiator

The radiator is removed together with the electric fan. Removing the heatsink is a labor intensive job, as a sufficient number of parts must be removed before the heatsink itself can be reached.

To remove the radiator or fan motor, disconnect the battery, as the fan wires are live when the ignition is on.

Radiator removal procedure:

• drain the coolant from the cooling system (see 19.1.1), do not reconnect the lower coolant hose. Remove the cap of the expansion tank so that the coolant flows out better;

• remove the front bumper (pic. 462);
• remove the grille;

• remove both headlights. Places of fastening of headlights are shown on fig. 463. Separate the plug-in block from the back of the headlights;

• remove pipe fittings (pic. 464), if the car is equipped with headlight washers;

• remove the front bumper (pic. 465). Hand tighten the bolts to secure the front spoiler;
• disconnect the upper hose from the radiator;
• Disconnect the air cooler hose. To do this, disconnect the plug and remove the hose clamp;
• put the front of the car on supports;
• unplug the radiator fan thermal switch plug and disconnect the fan mode switch plug;

• disconnect the hoses from the air cooler (pic. 466). Remove the right hose;
• remove the air cooler (located below the engine radiator);
• remove the fan and fan shroud (two bolts on each side) and take everything out together in a downward direction;

Attention! When performing work, do not damage the radiator cells.

• remove the radiator mounting bolts (2 bolts on each side of the radiator). Carefully remove the heatsink downwards;
• if necessary, remove the radiator shroud and fan motor from the shroud.

The radiator is installed in the reverse order of the removal process. If you are reinstalling an old radiator, clean it thoroughly beforehand. Remove the radiator shroud for cleaning (under it are all the insects that have fallen on the radiator). Remove large particles that have entered the radiator cells with a jet of water under pressure.

Attention! Very strong water pressure can damage the radiator cells.

Do not use metal objects to remove dirt from the radiator.

If, when draining the coolant, you notice that the coolant is dark in color, flush the radiator or the entire cooling system with running water. This is easy to do if the radiator is removed. The order of operations:

• install the radiator without connecting the lower coolant hose;
• insert a garden hose into the expansion tank and let the water run. Watch for the condition of the water flowing from below. Flushing can be stopped as soon as clean water comes out. After flushing, again drain all water from the cooling system and fill it with coolant, as described in paragraph 19.1.1.