1996 850 Turbo - Radiator Replacement adventure

Post by **cuhfs** » 23 Dec 2013, 09:29

Seaninfla advised he used a drill with a small cutting wheel but it is a tight fit. I will try that. Thanks

Post by **xHeart** » 23 Dec 2013, 11:12

cuhfs wrote:Seaninfla advised he used a drill with a small cutting wheel but it is a tight fit. I will try that. Thanks

Wear goggles, use oil when cutting, it gets very hot with these bolts...use steady hand pressure... take breaks. Is the fan assembly out?

Post by **cuhfs** » 23 Dec 2013, 13:07

Fan assembly is out. Rad was leaking so I decided to try and replace plus go after the A/C system. 1st time doing the A/C but alot of good info on this site so I decided to try. Never did either before

Thanks

Post by **JimBee** » 23 Dec 2013, 17:51

If any part on these cars was designed to frustrate the DIY'er I think that fastener gets top ranking. I recently found a good radiator at the junk yard and was able to get a vice grip on that threaded lug. The welds on both sides were broken loose. I lucked out that the radiator had been recently replaced so the threads were fairly clean. I always take BP Blaster with me to the jy and with that and holding the lugs with the vice grip, they spun right out.
I need to do this replacement on my '96 855 as soon as the weather warms up (only 86 days til spring!). When I have to deal with rusty bolts I try to wire brush the threads to get them as smooth as possible. A small wire brush you can put in your drill works well, or the "toothbrush" type when the space is tight.
I soak them with PB Blaster overnight. Then get a wrench on the nut and turn them out.

Post by **Ben850** » 24 Dec 2013, 00:30

JimBee wrote:If any part on these cars was designed to frustrate the DIY'er I think that fastener gets top ranking. I recently found a good radiator at the junk yard and was able to get a vice grip on that threaded lug. The welds on both sides were broken loose. I lucked out that the radiator had been recently replaced so the threads were fairly clean. I always take BP Blaster with me to the jy and with that and holding the lugs with the vice grip, they spun right out.

I soak them with PB Blaster overnight. Then get a wrench on the nut and turn them out.

I found a nice replacement radiator at the yard on a '98 V70. I had realized they welded those better in '93.
My '93 was hit in exactly the point of the radiator mount. The plastic part was torn from the radiator and still bolted to the unibody.
I removed that bolt, rust and all, without PB or WD.

The '98 at the junkyard, I literally had to break both bolts because of the inferior tack weld of the nut. Careful not to break the plastic tank mounts.

A two bolt extraction took nearly two hours. I did get it. $35.00 for a nearly new Valeo was worth it.

: This is where the frame damage was that I had straightened. Radiator mount.

I did straighten the frame and the replacement radiator has about 8,000 miles with no issues.

: Frame straightened. Radiator installed. Coming together.

Sorry for the blur in that photo above. I was a bit excited to bolt things together.

: It was totaled. I did not let it go.

: It is much better now.