Radiator removal

[Monkeyfinger]

So I checked the workshop manual and it stated that 1st part of radiator removal was to take the bonnet off. Can anyone confirm if this is necessary or can the rad be extricated with the bonnet in situations?

[mgcjag]

Hi Yes it can......to make things easier if you have the damper type of bonnet stay then you can remove it to open your bonnet a bit more, but tye it up somehow so it dosnt fall....if your doing this with the car on the ground and want the bonnet open a bit more you can drive the front wheels up onto low blocks....

[abowie]

Do this. Hole centres are 330mm.

[abowie]

You end up with the bonnet a little before it's balance point.

[Mark Gordon]

I would recommend removal of the bonnet. I sounds like a daunting task, but it turns out to be very easy; I just removed mine the other day by myself and it took about 20 minutes. With a helper, it can be done in about 10 minutes.

Jack the front end up a few inches so that the bumper over riders will clear the floor when the bonnet is elevated to 90 degrees. Place a pad on the floor beneath the over riders where they will rest when the bonnet is removed. Remove the bolts holding the hinge springs to the bonnet support frame and pivot the bonnet to 90 deg. Adjust the height of the front end so that the over riders are only a couple inches above the pads on the floor. This is where a helper comes in handy. Now undo the pivot bolts from each side and then the pivot bushings. As the pivot bushings are removed, the bonnet is free to drop to the pads. You can now move the bonnet to a convenient storage place, resting either on the over riders and tied to a wall or flipped 180 degrees and resting on the end that mates with the bulkhead. The little bit of extra effort is well worth the greatly improved access for removing the radiator.

[Monkeyfinger]

Great input from everyone...much appreciated

[politeperson]

Just to put my oar in, I took the radiator out of mine with the bonnet on. Took about 10 minutes.

From memory it was 2 brackets half way up, 2 hoses, 2 bottom nuts, the otter sender plug and that was it.

It took 10 minutes to refit it as well.

James