19Accord97

Popped the hood to check fluids and noticed coolant splashes over the valve cover and other places. The coolant was a bit low so I filled it back up to the max line. Anyways, the radiator is leaking @ the top where the top plastic piece meets the actual radiator.


Any idea as to how much it will be to replace this? I see that a new rad. costs about $107 for the 97 2.2 non vtec.

Thanks!

Eran

iTrader: (1)

Go to radiatorbarn.com

CSF radiators with a 1 year warranty, and free shipping.

propwdialogue

I used radiators.com for my 94 accord, got a replacement with a lifetime warranty shipped to my door for 100 bucks next day.

just did the replacement so I can't comment on longevity, but so far so good!

Eran

iTrader: (1)

Radiators.com has the most annoying site ever. I don't want to talk with some chode when I know exactly what I want.

AccludeDreamer

Ebay sells them for 50 bucks...if you can do it urself which I did, then it'll only cost about 60 dollars including the coolant...

19Accord97

Thanks for the info guys!

How hard is it to complete by yourself? I've never done this before or messed w/ the cooling system. Honda sells coolant for $16 a gallon. How much would I need?

AccludeDreamer

It's not too hard to do it yourself...the only thing is that the fans make it a bitch to take out other than that its just unscrew stuff, but if ur not experienced AT ALL then i'd say take it to a shop...and for the coolant it usually takes most of the gallon to fill the radiator most likely all of it unless u get a huge *** jug or soemthing....

19Accord97

A guy who has had an H swapped into his 5th gen said it was super easy.

Any advice about the fans?

AccludeDreamer

Well the thing is unless u can unplug the fans from the chassis from the top then you may have to get under the car...I didnt I was able to reach both plugs...its just that the left one was super hard to get to disconnect but once I did, the radiator and fans attached just came right out...once you do this, you'll understand how to put it back in, just BE CAREFUL I almost cracked my brand new one puttin it back in

19Accord97

Okay, so if I am understanding you correctly, when you remove the 4 bolts this also frees the fans from the vehicle except the plugs. Once you undo the 2 plugs they will slip right out? Will the fans come out attached to the radiator or separately? If they both come out @ the smae time it looks like the fans will get stuck/hung up on some hoses.

Eran

iTrader: (1)

Those hoses are rubber. They bend out of the way.

AccludeDreamer

Hmmm, well the fans are not connected to the car...they are actually connected completely to the radiator by screws, the only thing that connects them to the car are the plugs for the power...if you disconnect those then you are good to pull out the radiator and the fans because the fans are connected to the radiator at the bottom as well, so tryin to leave the fans in the car while takin out the radiator is next to impossible. there shouldn't be any hoses in the way considering that you only have the top and bottom hose, if you disconnect those two there shouldn't be anything else holdin on the radiator and fans besides the obvious bolts...

AccludeDreamer

Yea like he said...if anything you should be able to just push them aside...the fans are pretty strong as well are the hoses so u shouldn't worry too much about ripping/snapping anything...just don't go buckwild

YeuEmMaiMai

unplug the fans and remove the whole rad as an assemby
take fans off

BBallz24

I have an H swapped Accord. I got a replacement rediator off eBay for $45 shipped with lifetime warranty. I think it was Radiator Guyz? or something like that. Replacement was simple. Disconnect the fans and unbolt the mounts. The hoses have clamps on them, remove them using some pliers. Lay new radiator beside old one and swap everything over. Simple. I think it took me about 10 minutes total?

19Accord97

Awesome! I am glad it will be easy!

The only thing I need to do beforehand is to drain the radiator before hand, correct?

Also, what would it take to replace all the coolant?

YeuEmMaiMai

ur car prolly has compression clamps and you can safely use them again

BBallz24

Yes, there is a drain for it. You can drain the fluid into a jug (using funnel) and then pour the same exact coolant back into your new radiator. Or just get a jug or radiator fluid at The Zone or similar store. Mix with water 1:1 and fill radiator. I think a jug is about $5 or so.

19Accord97

Thanks guys! Got my radiator yesterday.

I hope to do it today or Sunday. Just got to get a Honda thermostat and some new hoses from Autozone or w/e.

Here is my plan:
Put the front of the car on jack stands so air bubbles will tend to float to the front of the rad.
Drain rad
Unbolt 6 bolts
Remove 2 hoses
Unhook 2 fan plugs
Unbolt auto tranny fluid cooler? (Is it bolted to the radiator?)
Remove radiator + fan
Move fans to new one
Replace rad + hoses + thermo
Fill + bleed

Good to go! Do I need to remove the front bumper cover? All I am really worried about is getting ALL of the air out. I'll try to make a DIY.

Thanks for the help + info dudes

propwdialogue

Sounds like you have a good plan...and no, there is no need to remove the front bumper cover. In fact, I'm not sure that would help you much at all. There is a splash guard just behind the bumper cover that you should remove though (I'm assuming you already knew that though).

Best of luck!

carracr625

Sounds like you have it right. I had to do this to my car about a year ago. I used an aluminium Mishimoto rad from ebay, so I had some clearance issues with the fans. If you're using a stock rad. then this shouldnt be an issue for you. Just be careful when removing the bolts holding the fan shroud to the rad. I broke 1 of the tabs off my old fan shround & had to buy a replacement. Just so you know the thermostat is locating under the housing on the back of the engine, not the front. That way you don't take that front housing off for no reason like I did.

19Accord97

Thanks again

I got my radiator from radiatorbarn.com so hopefully it wont have a clearance issue.

BUT..............
Uh....so I got my new hoses and thermostat....but one problem.

I got the thermo from Honda and it has the part # 19301-paa-306
Just double checked online and according to hondapartsnow.com it says it should be
19301-p08-316

Did they just change the part # or did the guy give me the wrong one?

grrrr

19Accord97

wtf. It is the wrong part. It is for the 98+ Accords.

Wow...now I cant change the stupid thing until Monday @ the earliest even though I have to work. The moron asked me "Its a 97 right?" even after I told him that twice.

YumYumMilk

just got my radiator replaced for the second time for my 95 accord. cost me $250 with labor

Biggs_Drums

Make sure you plug up the tranny fluid hoses when you disconnect them, otherwise, you will lose a bunch.

There's two of them, they both connect to the bottom of the radiator. There's no separate ATF cooler, the ATF just goes right through the bottom of the radiator. It's an easy job man...I did it by myself a few months ago on my 95. Took a few hours because I had never done anything like that before, and it's a pain in the *** because it is kind of tight but it's really not too hard. Just make sure you pay attention to the stuff you take apart, cuz that's how it goes back on the new one.

Good luck!

PS make sure you bleed the system after you refill!

My radiator was 90$ delivered to my door from 1-800-radiator plus new coolant, it was only $100.