toyota celica?

behind-these-hazel-eyes · May 2021

RADIATOR I NEED A NEW RADIATOR I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IS IT HARD TO PUT IN? IF I GOT A BOOK COULD I JUST DO IT MYSELF?

Update:

I'VE PUT IN OTHER CAR PARTS I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE PAYING A MECHANIC 400 FOR SOMETHING I COULD DO MYSELF IF IT'S EASY ENOUGH

anonymous · May 2021

Open the cap. Unplug and remove the cooling fan assembly. Crawl underneath and drain the radiator. The petcock is on the right side of the car, but you may have to remove the splash guards to access it. If the car is an automatic, there are two transmission lines at the bottom of the radiator. Get some pliers and squeeze the spring loaded clamps to get the rubber hoses off the transmission cooler fittings. You will lose a little bit of transmission fluid. Remove the overflow hose where it attaches to the radiator at the filler neck in the center of the radiator where the cap goes on. Take the two brackets off the top of the radiator. Each one has 2 bolts and a rubber bushing in the middle that straddles the radiator. When you have the brackets off, you can lift the radiator out of the core support. Depending on where you got your radiator, you may have to switch your old bushings over to the new radiator. There are two on the bottom that slide down into two holes in your core support. The other two should have stayed attached to the top radiator brackets. Install the radiator the same way you took the old one out. Do not fill the radiator yet. If you do, this is where air gets into the system. Start the car with no coolant in it. Turn the heater on high. It will be blowing cold. Watch the temperature guage on the dash. This car is what they call reverse flow. That means the thermostat is located on the lower radiator hose. The very second the guage starts to go up, start filling the radiator, and I believe that car came with Toyota red coolant, but the composition is the same as the green stuff. They wanted to look different I guess. Fill it with whatever color was already in the system though. You also want to have someone hold the rpms to 2000 rpms when the radiator begins to appear full. You will see it pull down when the rpm's are raised. This is normal, so have them hold it at 2000 rpms, and as you fill it up, and it doesn't pull down anymore, put the cap on BEFORE they release the accelerator. Now you can refill the reservoir if it is low.

amanda-lewis_60989399b131a · May 2021

Toyota Celica Radiator

josh-b · May 2021

Texasm gave a very good answer, I just want to add the following. Don't bother with the drain screw, these are usually rusted tight, just pull off the lower hose, have a large pan under it. The coolant will dump in 30 seconds (much faster).

Next tip, go buy new upper and lower rad hoses, the old ones are soon going to burst, better do this now while you are investing in new anti freeze. While you are at it, I suggest replacing the thermostat, it's just another few bucks and two bolts to remove the housing, scrap the old gasket, put on new and you are set for another 100,000 miles on this car!

I've done many jobs and any time I try to save someone a few bucks for a rad hose, it usually breaks within 6 months and of course they assume I did a crap job on the rad.

Your toughest job will be removing or replacing any rusty bolts. Oh, don't forget to disconnect the battery before playing with the fan, it can hurt you!

bob-d · May 2021

Drain it, unhook the hoses top and bottom remove it usually there are two brackets on top that hold it down.

Put the new one in when filling it so there are no air bubbles jack up the front of the car or park it front end up hill just so the radiator is the highest point.

Refill and start it turn on the heater to high and hot and add more water/antifreeze as needed while on the incline of the hill or jack.