stromm

iTrader: (1)

So I changed my radiator today. Man, it did not go as quickly nor as easily as everyone said it would. Took me a trip to the parts store and near 5 hours.

I bought a radiator from Advance for $89.00us and got two gallons of 50/50 plus a few quarts of trans fluid. No biggie.

Took out all the air plenum stuff, no biggy there. Started removing the plastic air shields under the car and broke three of the bolts off in the metal clips. I had treated them with PB Blaster over the past 18 hours too. Plus one bolt that I think broke off in the corner of the transmission pan?

Then got the coolant drained, disconnected the top radiator hose and to get the bottom hose off I had to use my dremel and a cutting wheel to cut off the OEM/Factory clamp. It was so rusted it isn't funny.

The fan mount came out with ease, but the driver's side transmission cooler hose clamp was as bad as the lower radiator hose clamp.

Good thing I stopped before cutting off that and went to the auto parts store to pick up a multi-pack of new host clamps.

Getting things back together was cake. Except for that plastic air dam/shield. Back was killing me and I just wanted to test run for leaks. Got the car warmed up and took it for a drive. No leaks. Woohoo! But I think there's still air in the system.

Sadly, I pulled into the driveway and noticed the CEL is on. Code 0302... EGR... crap. I don't think anything I messed with should have caused that. I double checked all the wires, tubes, hoses and all is as it should be. I do hear what sounds like lifter clack now. So I guess I'm back under the hood for cleaning the EGR tube and checking the readings.


Lesson learned, pre-buy a multi-pack of clamps (autozone KE001 3 pairs of different sizes). They were out of those "body clips though.