13 replies to this topic

[DAC1952]

Hi all.
Had a fan belt snap so went to replace. Tried to get it past the crank pulley and bracket but no luck. Removed radiator and fan and still couldn’t get it past the bracket/crank.
I therefore propped up the engine with some wood and proceeded to undo the top long and loosen the bottom long bolt. I got the long bolt back past the captive nut and could fit the new fan, however, now cannot refit the captive bolt.

The bottom bolt remains threaded but lose but the top bolt will not find its way to the captive nut.

Any idea or help would be very grateful

[Spider]

If this the one of the 4" bolts, they can be difficult to locate and get started on some cars. I find grinding a bit of a taper on the leading threads can help, then to get some pressure on the bolt so it'll pick up the first threads I'll drop a nut inside the 1/2" socket before offering it up to the bolt head, then I can lean in to it without the socket bottoming out.

[DAC1952]

Thanks, not sure what you mean by dropping a 1/2’’ into it. It’s so annoying as the start of the bolt lines up fine but not the other side.
Double frustrating is all the other bolts are in situ

[mbolt998]

This can be very tricky. I think the best way is to push on the bolt while slightly wiggling the radiator around. At some point you will feel the bolt move a fraction further in when you get the rad in the right place so everything is actually lined up. It should then screw in fairly easily. My bottom bolt actually is slightly tapered, and I always assumed it was like that from the factory, but maybe somebody did that to it before I got the car!

[KTS]

Thanks, not sure what you mean by dropping a 1/2’’ into it. It’s so annoying as the start of the bolt lines up fine but not the other side.
Double frustrating is all the other bolts are in situ

 

what he means is, assuming you're using a ratchet and socket to tighten the bolt up, if you put a 1/2" nut into the socket (as a spacer) you'll be able to push the bolt inward as you do it up, which can help engage the thread (..be careful it doesn't cross thread though..)

[DAC1952]

Thanks all.

Just to confirm the rad isn’t back in situ yet.

I did try and wiggle it but it seems so far out at the top back bolt it’s crazy. Can’t event push a small Allen key through

[mbolt998]

Thanks all.

Just to confirm the rad isn’t back in situ yet.

I did try and wiggle it but it seems so far out at the top back bolt it’s crazy. Can’t event push a small Allen key through

There's your problem then... Is everything else undone? You want to get that bottom one in first. At least that's the way I do it. There's kind of a knack as well... Having had my rad in and out far more often than I should have due to various other errors on my part :)

[Spider]

Thanks all.

Just to confirm the rad isn’t back in situ yet.

I did try and wiggle it but it seems so far out at the top back bolt it’s crazy. Can’t event push a small Allen key through

 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey ?????

Have you tried it this way ?

https://www.theminif...nge-a-radiator/   (post #11)

[mbolt998]

I never had to jack up the engine or anything! In that post it looks like you're taking the rad off together with the whole engine mounting? (Rather than undoing that annoying bottom bolt that attaches it to the engine mounting).

[stuart bowes]

have you still got the engine jacked up on a block, and presumably the body of the car is also on stands or another jack

 

I'd try adjusting the jack(s) up and down a bit and see if you can get the hole alignment better 

 

this is one of those rare times when I find a scissor jack can actually be better because you can really accurately go up and down very slightly (with some added caution as to instability of jack)

 

either that or I've misunderstood where you're at in which case apologies 

Edited by stuart bowes, 10 March 2025 - 11:38 AM.

[Shooter63]

If I'm reading this right you still have the engine mount attached to the rad bracket, and the engine mount attached to the subframe, if so by jacking the engine up you will put tension on the mount causing the rad bracket to rotate away from the alloy block on the gearbox.i would have thought if you let the jack down off the engine the tension would be realised allowing the bracket to be jiggled into place using a thin long phillips type screw driver.

Shooter

[Abbot]

I fitted my radiator yesterday.   I had a real problem getting the bottom hose connected to the rad.  At one point I got my hand trapped in gap between drive shaft and steering rack.

[mbolt998]

I fitted my radiator yesterday.   I had a real problem getting the bottom hose connected to the rad.  At one point I got my hand trapped in gap between drive shaft and steering rack.

Getting it off is even worse... It helps to take the hose on/off with the top bracket undone. That gives you a tiny bit of wiggle room to angle it slightly upwards meaning you have some chance of actually pulling or pushing on it instead of trying to shove it sideways.

[Shooter63]

I always fit the bottom hose to the rad first before fitting the rad in place,drop the rad in position to check the hose is correctly aligned, draw the rad back out, tighten up the clip, if you position the hose clip the right way you can reach it easily with either a long screw driver or a flexable hose clip driver. This works easily on the later one piece shroud, on an ealier car with the inner wing shroud in place and a 2 piece rad shroud it's more of a pig job as you haven't got room to get over the fan.

Shooter