Well, decided to change my radiator cause all you guys said it was easy...
"only 22 minutes"..."pull it out, put the new one in."
"Simple to install a radiator"

Yeah right...

Even the manual did not show everything that needed to be done.
I am going to vent a little bit and this might also prevent other newbie mechanics from repeating my mistakes.
Here is the whole story:

I got the radiator from http://www.radiator.com
They delayed the order because they needed to know what exact Integra I have (gsr/ls/etc).
They emailed me instead of calling me and I called them as soon as I read my email at 5:45 Pacific time.
No one was there to answer my call even though it was 15 minutes till they close. Guess some took off early eh?
Crap, so called them next day asap and then they tried to say that they had already given me a break on the shipping.
Said I should have been charged $15 instead of $5...
Anyway, got the radiator on Monday and started the install that night at 7:22.
My Haynes manual said to disconnect two fans electric hookup, drain radiator, unbolt and pull out, reverse steps.
Easy eh? NOT.
The fans electric connections were a pain to figure out specially since I had never laid a finger on a car engine electrical system/connectors before.
Got those undone but the cables were kind of anchored and ziptied to the fans in several places!
That was Something the manual did not show.
After several minutes of trying to finesse them out - I whipped out the screwdriver and pryed them out with difficulty. (was there a better way?)
Jack up car, Drain rad, used too small drain pan and got a coolant shower - crap.

Then got lower rad hose off - awkward and stubborn to get off.
Old rad out , fans off, fans onto new rad,
The new rad has those vertical colums a bit further apart than the stock one and the aluminum heat fins between are softer.
Uh oh, another hitch...the lower mount for the small fan was too big for the rubber mount so I had to fabricate a solution from an old MTB grip.
The new rad has copper fittings for auto trans cooler unit along the bottom. Crap - maybe they sent the wrong one?
Called them and they explain that it is a separate tank within the lower tank so ignore it.
I take off the copper fittings and notice that they are a bit loose...
Put new rad in and re-attach all electrical connections.
Fill rad and notice that it seems to be taking too much coolant...uh oh.
Look underneath and it is dripping like crazy.
Leaking from around the Auto trans fittings- crap!
Go under the coolant shower again and bang and burn against the hot header.
Tighten the fittings some more- still leaking- tighten some more - still little leak from the one below the small fan.
Crap!
Found teflon tape and loosen the fitting- more coolant shower on me - leaking bad now - coolant is a bit hot- ouch.
Tighten more- more - finally no leak?
Bled the system. Refilled bottle and top off rad.
Warm up engine- seems to be running hotter than normal temp almost to the half way mark and fans not coming on...
20 min - no fans - crap - jiggle fittings and wires - no dice.
Shut off and turn on again - jiggle more wires, swear some more.
Finally fans come on.
Take car off the jacks and fans seem to run longer now.
Temp now at 1/4.
Drive around 30 min - engine temp normal even with AC and radio on and in 5th gear with moonroof open.
Whew! Success?
We'll see if it is lower on coolant in the morning...I really hope not...

 

Oh yeah- I started at 7:22 and finished at 10:45 - longest 22 minutes I ever spent - LOL

 

sounds like fun.. i watched my friend(hautsaauce) get a coolant shower as well.

 

Damn coolant showers....

 

Which radiator did you get? The OEM replacement or the Koyo?

 

LOL. very funny story. i ALWAYS run into complications when working on my car as well. my 6-8 hr clutch job took me two weeks from all the complications and working two jobs.

"expect the unexpected." that is what always runs in the back of my head when working on my car. btw, did you take off the radiator cap when you drained the coolant? i had a coolant shower as well when that wasn't done.

but good job at least you had the satisfaction of doing it yourself without causing any mechanical damage to your vehicle.

 

I got the OEM replacement radiator - I just couldn't justify the added cost of the Koyo since
I would have to buy replacement fans as well.
Spending More $$ $ without making the car go any faster or handle better just does not fit into my plan.

I was also suspicious of fitment issues - getting fans and fittings to line up.
I had enough trouble with the so-called "drop-in" OEM replacement radiator.

Even with the extra time it took - it really is satisfying to have done it myself - unless something goes wrong...

 

One thing I have learned in the course of modding my car:
An unexpected complication always develops.