matt read has the method to get the rad out in minutes....
Quote:
Radiator Removal:
Lots of people believe they need to remove all the screws around the radiator cowl to get the rad out,,, Not so!!! & very slow, long winded, & painfull way of going about it.
The very best & easiest way is to take the 2 x L/h engine mount bolts out, jack the engine up on that side, remove the 2 lower rad cowl bolts (the 2 that bolt the lower rad brkt to the engine mt braket), then take the 2 top rad brkt bolts from the thermostat hsg, loosen off & romove the top & bottom hoses (top hose from the thermostat hsg & the bottom hose from the water pump & then lift the rad out wholous bowlous, cowl & all, in one hit.
It`s easy-peasy & after you`ve practised it this way a few times, it takes about 3 minutes.
The morris 1100 type lower rad braket is even easier as it`s only got the one bolt horizontal through a tube.
The later English type rad cowls have been re-designed & became a one piece item. they obviously worked out that people were doing it all wrong & also saved money making only one piece cowl instead of a 2 piece affair & also with the new design saved the whole lot falling apart like the 2 piece ones do if the screws are not done up.
If anyone has any dis-belief in my method of removing the rad then Just have a little think about how long it takes to get to the 2 lower/rear rad cowl screws to get them out,,, yeah???!!!--->now try to get them back in with the whole lot in place in the engine bay... yeah??? Bugga that!!! stoopid way to do things, just stoopid!!!
Oh!!! & please don`t be tempted to use PK screws to hold the cowl together, they are too long & pointy & will puncture the rad core & you`ll have a leak & will have to do the whole job again... If you do choose to use them, then grind the pointy tip of them down in length some what. Lots of "Mini Experienced" radiator repair places tend to solder/block up the outer rows of the rads these days to save idiots the pain of puncturing the core from PK screws.
