RADIATOR EASY OUT / IN - Submitted by 'justminis'
To make this work, need to modify the bottom shroud to make it 2 pieces. This allows very easy in and out of the radiator. Please see attached pics.
You end up with a small part of the shroud (above the bottom hose) that remains attached to the rad by the screws. The other part of the bottom shroud is set up to be bolted to the engine via the bottom mount in the normal fashion. This part stays bolted to the engine.
There is a strengthening brace under this shroud (that the bottom 3mm steel mounting bracket bolts to) that you DO NOT cut thru. This strengthening brace is used to locate and support the other piece of the shroud on the radiator. A couple of locating lugs are needed here to allow this to work.
Before separating/cutting the shroud, find the spot welds on the strengthening brace on the short end of the shroud and drill these right thru with approx 1/8" drill. You should now be able to separate the 2 pieces of the shroud.
The holes you drilled are used for the locating lugs. I have used machine screws about 3/8 - 1/2" long welded to the underneath of the strengthening brace to protrude upwards. You may need to clearance the holes in the other piece of the shroud to allow it to fit easily over these screws/lugs, which should make the shroud sit back together as 1 piece again.
The next step - to make this mod successful and hassle free, it is important to ensure the engine piece of the shroud lines up with the radiator on installation, ie, straight up & down and not on an angle. Some bending of the bottom 3mm steel mounting bracket may be required. What you want is this part of the shroud sitting in the right place to line up with the rad when you put it in, not at an angle that puts pressure on the 2 piece shroud or the radiator.
It is best to set this up on a motor out of the car so that any fine tuning can be easily done. Because the radiator is so easy to install (and remove) with this mod, engine can be fitted to the car without the rad fitted.
All that is needed now to remove radiator is ?
? Undo top and bottom hoses engine end (top hose your choice),
? Loosen fan belt (to allow fan to turn),
? Undo top radiator mount bracket at thermostat,
? Remove bottom 2 shroud screws at the front of the car,
? Lift radiator straight up and out of vehicle.