Radiator replacement

vltjr · Post by **vltjr** » 19 Jul 2011, 11:19

Help! Maybe I'm just too anxious, or too aprehensive, but I have been unable to find any detailed instructions on replacing the radiator in my 2004 XC70. I'm picking up a new radiator this afternoon, and have to complete this overwhelming appearing job as soon as possible (my wife has been vehicleless since Sunday). We definitely cannot afford to have a shop do the work at this time, so I need to find some relatively detailed instructions. I'm not really all that inept, but it's so tight a fit between the radiator/fan and the engine that I can't visualize even where to start (except that I've already removed the splashpan and related parts from underneath the radiator and engine).

Sorry about rambling on and sounding so helpless, but I really need to get cranking on this, and need some guidance.

Thanks.

vltjr · Post by **vltjr** » 19 Jul 2011, 18:51

Well, after picking up the radiator and settling down a bit, I searched some more and found a couple of useful threads. I still wish I had some instructions with illustrations (it's hard to see everything in those tight spaces fore of the engine). I haven't gotten too far yet, but I just about have the cooling fan out, and the cooling system drained.

If anyone could inform me about any common pitfalls that I would do well to avoid while doing this job, please pass them on to me.

Thanks to everyone who reads this thread, and sorry about the expression of panic in my first post.

Post by **JDS60R** » 19 Jul 2011, 22:26

Vadis was a little confusing but here are the procedures that seemed to fit. They were grouped with the xc90 v8 removal as well.

Hope this helps

vltjr · Post by **vltjr** » 20 Jul 2011, 10:04

Thanks JDS60R. So far, although everything's going pretty slowly, it is coming along. I worked on it last night until I ran into a problem that I thought was best left until this morning (my eyes work much better in natural light). The problem I'm having is disconnecting the two ATF lines. I read in another thread that the way to do it is to squeeze the green clip, push the line in toward the radiator, and pull out. I can't seem to be able to push the line in at all, even with the green clip squeezed as much as possible. I'm reluctant to use some sort of lever to try and push the line in toward the radiator for fear of damaging the line or clip. Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks folks. I think I'm actually going to get this job done today after this one problem is solved.

vltjr · Post by **vltjr** » 20 Jul 2011, 10:45

One other small problem I'm experiencing: the left (driver's) side turbo hose doesn't seem to want to disengage from the intercooler. Any hints out there?

Thanks once again.

vltjr · Post by **vltjr** » 20 Jul 2011, 18:29

Well, I've gotten to the point where I'm trying to drop the radiator, and as expected the intercooler is coming out with it. My problem is that the A/C stuff wants to drop out with it. Since I'm working by myself, it's pretty difficult to manage to keep these other parts from dropping down. I don't see any fasteners that I may have missed, or any other spots where anything should be caught or stuck in any other way. Can anyone tell me what the problem might be? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Post by **jblackburn** » 21 Jul 2011, 07:08

Did you remove the fan shroud? That should give you more room to separate the condenser from the radiator/intercooler assembly. As I recall (on an older model, anyway), there are two screws at the top that hold the condensor to them, and two at the bottom.

vltjr · Post by **vltjr** » 21 Jul 2011, 13:12

Thanks for the response jblackburn, but I don't think this model ('04 XC) has what I would identify as a fan shroud. What would function as a shroud is pretty much built into the fan unit. There is, however, a sort of curved metal shelf that runs horizontally just behind the grille between the two fenders. There are two 10mm bolts that run vertically down through this piece that screw into two brass "s" shaped clips that attach to the top of the radiator. It doesn't seem that I would gain much by removing that "shelf"-like part at this point.

What seems to be my most immediate problem though, is that the A/C components (condenser and attached drier) don't seem to be independently mounted anywhere. Right now I have that assembly being held up by a block of wood on my floor jack. As I mentioned in an earlier post, when I was dropping the radiator, both the turbo intercooler (which I was expecting - or more precisely was warned about) and the condenser came out with it. Since I had so much trouble getting the radiator (and intercooler) untangled from the refrigerant line (driver's side), and un-hung up from the drier (passenger's side), it seems almost impossible to me to reverse the process and get everything back in place. Unfortunately I'm stuck with going at this alone; it sure seems like another pair of hands would be useful. I hope I dont eventually have to evacuate the A/C system (which I don't have the equipment to do properly) in order to get everything put back together. I'm hoping somebody recognizes where I am in this process, and can advise me on how to proceed. I've studied the service manual sections on the fan and radiator, as well as reread everything I found posted about the radiator r&r, and haven't seen anyone else addressing the situation I'm in right now. Hope someone can help.

Thanks

vltjr · Post by **vltjr** » 22 Jul 2011, 12:41

I don't mean to be rude by bumping this thread, but I'm really stuck at trying to get the new radiator and the intercooler installed. Should I maybe wire tie them together in order to get them both in place at the same time (kinda the way they came out), or should I get the intercooler in there first, and maybe wire tie it to the condenser while I try to snake the radiator into place? Maybe it's just me, but this seems pretty darn difficult to do with just two hands and a floor jack. Any ideas out there?

Thanks, and apologies for the bump.

Post by **JDS60R** » 22 Jul 2011, 21:19

Bump is fine.

Here is how Volvo puts them back together. Hope it helps