I was driving around town yesterday and smelled that all too familiar maple syrup smell. After popping the hood I saw the also all too familiar crack in the plastic. This should be applicable to any 98-01 CRV 5 speed model. It should be very close to the auto model with exception that it has the two transmission cooler lines to deal with. I had to beat the rain to get it done so I decided to do a quick DIY, so here it goes.

First off I ended up getting the radiator locally from Advance Auto Parts. If you search online you can easily find a coupon code. The radiator was around $100 and I got a code for $40 off. Your going to need at least the following items:

Required tools:

-10mm socket and socket wrench
-pliers for radiator clamps

Required parts:

-radiator
-1 gallon of coolant (I don't have it pictured because I just had mine replaced recently so I reused it)

Optional:
-radiator clamps

Suggested (this would be a good time to consider replacing the following if they haven't been done in a while):
-radiator hoses
-thermostat
-radiator cap
-thermostat



Step 1: **Do not work on the car when hot**

Place a drain pan under the drain plug on the drivers side of the vehicle and turn the drain **** counterclockwise. Also to speed up the draining process remove the radiator cap.





Step 2:

Remove the two mounting bracket bolts and mounting brackets. Also remove the compressor line bracket and bolt and flip it back out of the way.




Step 3:

Remove the overflow hose off the radiator. Then pull up on the overflow and remove it from the clip.




Step 4:

Remove both the radiator and condenser fan connector by pressing on the clip and pulling down. Remove the 10mm bolt holding the radiator fan connector on the radiator fan mount. Pull out on the condenser fan clip holding it to the fan.




Step 5:

Pull down on the on the AC compressor connector clip to pull it off the fan (1). Then push on the AC clip and separate the connector (2).



Step 6:

Using the pliers remove the top radiator hose from the radiator and push it out of the way in order to pull the radiator out. Then remove the bottom radiator hose from the thermostat mount (you can also remove it from the radiator but its a little harder to get to).




Step 7:

Remove the top 10mm bolt (1). Loosen the bottom two 10mm bolts on the bottom (2) and remove the radiator fan (you may be able to pull the radiator out without doing this step but it was easier this way for me). You can now remove the radiator by pulling up and out.



Step 8:

Now swap over the lower radiator hose making sure to position it the same way. I used the new radiator clamp at this point. Also swap over the condenser fan. Swap over the two bottom rubber mounts as well. Now you can place the new radiator back in making sure that the rubber mounts are placed back in the engine bay mounts. Replace the radiator fan back on the radiator. Reconnect the top radiator hose (I used the new clamp here as well). Everything at this point is reverse of removal.




Step 9:

At this point you are ready to fill the system and bleed it according to the instructions below.




Step 10:

Celebrate!

 

not sure a diy is really needed for this, but good submission anyways i guess. Litterally a 10 minute job.

 

You'd be amazed how many people don't know how to change oil on their own let alone a radiator. Plus if you ever google "replace CRV radiator" there's ton of people who want to know how to do it their self. Not everyone comes out of the womb knowing how to work on their cars. Thanks for "advice" though :shrugssholders:

 

Nice write up.

 

what advice did i give you? lol. Anyone who has eyes and can look at the rad can see its easy to change. I said it was a good submission, why get your panties in a bunch?

 

Whats the problem here? The op has done a good thing. I recently had my rad replaced and maybe if id seen a write up like this I would have had a go myself. Also other people I guess will benefit from it as we arent all super mechanics.

Well done OP, good job.

 

again...i said it was a good submission. you guys need your eyes checked. The problem isnt that people dont know how to do the job, they're just too lazy to look first to see how bad/good the job is and would rather just send it into a mechanic. This reminds me of someone a few months back that posted asking how to change the starter and never bothered to look for themselves. On the crv its on top of the tranny right in plain sight....look first then ask questions.


again though, ill say it, this thread is a good submission.

 

But you said that a DIY wasnt needed for this, I disagree. But thats just my opinion.

 

nice little writeup. I wish we had some way of stickying the DIY posts. searching in forums is a lost cause. People want to know little DIY's like this. I just wish there was a easy place to go in honda-tech to see those posts.

Instead they get buried under the daily posts of what size tire/wheel someone can run...

 

Sorry I just took your "not sure a DIY is needed" comment the wrong way, maybe? Any who why isn't there a FAQ like pretty much every other sub forum on here? Mods?

 

I'm not even sure there is a Mod for this sub

 

I don't understand why you didn't get an all aluminum replacement when they're about the same price and have far less issues. Just wondering...

 

As far as I know AA doesn't carry them in stock (or anywhere locally that I know of) and its my wife's work car so I didn't have much time to choose. Plus the factory lasted 100k+ miles so if I have the car in another 100k it'll be worth it.

 

Thanks for the help/post.
I never changed a radiator before, but was able to do it with the help of this post.

It did take me four hours, longer than I expected, because of problems unclamping and reclamping the three lower hoses, which are difficult to see.

Taking a closer look at your photos, is a special "pliers for radiator clamps"?.
I used a regular pair of pliars, which after seeing the clamps after removing the radiator, the gap between the split side of the clamp was wider than regular pliers.

 

I usually use something like these



Although something like this would be the best and I'd really love to have a set

 

It's normally and correctly considered pretty lame to blame the tool(s) for a poor or difficult job - but when special tools are required, or extremely helpful, this is allowed.

This is a very tough situation for the amateur, or learner.. the best of them recognize that blaming the tool is foolish, but at the same time, they may not always be experienced or savvy enough to realize when a special tool is required. They needlessly blame themselves for failing the task and/or maiming some parts, when they didn't know that the 'pro' would do the same, without the purpose-built tools.

Tricky deal..

 

LOL. I'm COMPLETELY sure it will help me.


I plan on tackling this next week. Pleased as hell to find the thread, with great pics and annotations. Nice job, and thanks for going thru the trouble to post.

Edited to add: Ended up deciding to patch instead of replace.

 

And me....

 

At least he made one for those with no experience. I might add it would be best to replace the hoses if they haven't been replaced yet. I would also add the beer with a thumbs up as the last picture of this DIY and make it a standard for all DIY threads.

 

Why, to be like everyone else? I think the end of the DIY was perfectly fine. Alcohol and vehicles absolutely do not mix.

 

Resurrecting from the dead - this is exactly the kind of thing that should be a DIY. Simple/moderate things are DIY. The really tough stuff is DIP - Do It Professionally

I would add that, since you have the radiator out anyway, might as well just change the hoses - the upper at least; not expensive and a CYA kind of thing. Check/replace the t-stat, you are essentially down to it anyway. And lastly, do a home flush.

I went to a big chain quick oil change place and asked them how much for a coolant flush, since my truck was 17 years young and had never had one. They wanted something along the lines of $176.

"That come with any kind of agents in it to clean, etc. ?"
"Nope, just 5 gallons of coolant."

Screw that. If you have your radiator swapped out anyway (i.e. already draining and refilling), might as well run some fresh coolant in to pull as much yuck out of the engine as you can. I bought 5 gallons of the cheapest 50/50 AutoZone had (self brand, about $6 a gallon), filled it up, ran it long enough to open the t-stat and circulate, drained, repeat. You can opt to remove the t-stat to just run it all through and save time, then replace it when done.

After I did this for the 5 gallons, I filled it with a better quality coolant, took all the old stuff (which incidentally was coming out gross the first several gallons, then eventually came out much cleaner in the end) right back to the same chain that disposes of it for free, and considered the $140 or so I saved a bonus.