1971 radiator removal

[Marc N.]

hi....trying to remove and replace the radiator in my 1971 coupe with air....please help and advise with step by step instruction...shop manual is no help....thanks for asap help!! marc

[Patrick H.]

Re: 1971 radiator removal

Marc,

I'll give it a try. Here goes:

1. Use the drain at the bottom of the radiator to drain it. I usually then remove the lower hose from the radiator, once the radiator seems empty, to finish draining the system.

2. Remove hood. Make sure to mark the hinge-to-hood bolt mounting locations so that you can put the hood back in the same location. I highly advise using two (or more) people to remove it. I've done it alone, but I'm still not sure how it worked...

3. Remove your fan and fan clutch. This will give you room that you desperately need. Also remove the pulleys behind the clutch on the water pump (they'll be loose anyway), just because if you don't, one will fall off at an other wise inopportune time.

4. Remove the upper radiator hose.

5. Carefully remove the two small nuts that hold the bottom of your fan shroud onto the radiator support. These rust easily, and can break off if you're not careful. You might want to WD-40 them the day or so before.

6. Remove the bracket holding the top of the shroud to the radiator. If you wish, and you think your luck is good, you can try removing the shroud now. If someone without patience has been here before you, and cut the shroud up the middle, it will be easy. Or, you can wait.

You will now have to decide if you want to remove the radiator, or radiator and support. Also, if you AC is not working, you can remove them as a unit with the AC condenser still attached.

If you are removing the radiator alone, you will have to have removed the shroud. Remove the two brakets on the top of the radiator that hold it to the support, and then pull the radiator up and out. You may have to wiggle it fore and aft to get it out of the rubber cushions on the bottom.

Also, you might want to follow the directions below, and remove only the top two inner fender-to-support bolts on each side, while loosening the bottom one. By doing this, you can tip the support forward slightly and give yourself room to remove the radiator without hitting the cross shaft of the right upper A-arm. Be careful of your AC connections!!!

To remove the radiator/support unit:

7. Remove the large bolts holding the bottom of the radiator support to the forward crossmember of the frame. You have to get under the car to get these. Next, at least remove the bolt holding that diagonal-type rod shaped support that goes from the nose of the car to the bottom of the front of the radiator support. Just look, you'll know which one I mean. You may want to remove the rod entirely so that you don't poke a hole through you AC condenser with it.

8. Remove that bolt on the front of the driver's side of the radiator support about halfway down, that holds on the ground wire.

9. Inside each wheel well (easiest with wheels/tires removed) you will see the three bolt heads for the three bolts per side holding the radiator support to the inner fenders. Loosen all three, but don't remove them yet. Go around to the engine compartment, and remove and count the shims at each location between the support and the inner fenders.

10. Remove the bolts holding the AC condenser to the radiator.

10. Remove the three aforementioned bolts per side. VERY carefully, remove the radiator/support assembly. You will need to have two people doing this, and one holding onto the AC condenser unit.

I think that's it. I'm doing this from memory, so forgive me if I left something out.

If you remove only the radiator, at least inspect the support. These have a nasty habit of rusting out near the bottom, and you usually can't see this until the radiator is out of the way.

If your AC doesn't work, and you can disconnect the condenser from its hoses and remove everything as a unit, I find it easier. I've done it all three ways.

I hope this helps.

Patrick Hulst 1971 coupe VIN#19518

[Jack H.]

Re: 1971 radiator removal

An heroic response! Don't personally understand why original post says 'shop manual' is no help.... Chassis Service Manual is pretty detailed, in my view, for giving step-by-step instructions even though you have to flip sections as you go.

With A/C, I'd STRONGLY advise pulling the condensor (this means evacuate the system) as feed lines from engine compartment run through holes in inner fender with hard to get/replace fiberglass stone guard cover and on into nose for connection to condensor. If you try to stand the rad support upright to remove radiator with the freon lines connected to condensor, there's a real good chance you'll fracture 'em. Some of these A/C pieces are GM discontinued and trading into the stratosphere in terms of replacement price....

[Patrick H.]

Re: 1971 radiator removal

Thanks Jack. I appreciate that as one 71 owner to another.

I thought I'd give it a try, as no one else had. I'd like to know if it helped him, though....

Patrick Hulst

[jbs75]

Re: 1971 radiator removal

Having done this 6 mos. ago on a 75; I took off EVERYTHING as a unit, and was glad I did. You will most likely have to replace all of the sponge rubber seals around the radiator anyway. And repair the rust damage on the bottom of the radiator support bracket, clean up any rust hidden by this assembly, do the upper control arm bushings which you can now get at easily, and replace that leaking front crankshaft oilseal, replace the waterpump, along with the harmonic balancer which is trying to separate frrom the rubber.

[Duff Thompson]

Re: 1971 radiator removal

Thanks for all the help and ideas!!! My friend Marc posted the original post for me as I didn't know about this discussion board. You guys are great and the insight was much appreciated. Guess I should send some dues off to NRCS. I finished R&R on the radiator and am looking forward to putting it back on the road today~Duff