Radiator Replacement 99 STS

[carl425]

Wow, so there I was wondering why I should "Check Coolant Level", it's never leaked and I haven't seen any spotting in the rock driveway (no concrete in Germany!). Turns out after much investigation that the passenger side radiator end cap on top where the upper mount/bracket goes over the nipple is cracked.

The car's never been in an accident but I noticed when I took the bracket off that it seemed to be under some stress towards the front of the vehicle. After further investigation, I found that one of the lower, round rubber mounts was installed (or rather improperly installed) upside down by the dealer and was kind of jammed in the hole it supposed to sit in cock-eyed. This had been causing the radiator to lean towards the front of the car since who-knows-when and the cap cracked around the nipple that sticks up on top. I temp-fixed the crack with some epoxy and ordered a new radiator from Rock Auto. It arrived yesterday and I put it in today.

I gotta tell ya, I would have LOVED to have had the braniac present who engineered that design for the whole "ordeal". First, anyone who's ever drained their radiator knows that it is physically IMPOSSIBLE to not make an aboslute MESS due to where the drain is located. Second, getting to the lower tranny cooler line could only be done when the cooling fan assembly was unbolted, but not yet removed (you can't until the tranny lines are off). The rest of it was not too terrible except for those darn GM hose clamps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What, please someone, ANYONE tell me, was wrong with a good old fashioned hose clamp that you could just put in place and use a flat screwdriver or 5/16' nut driver to tighten?! It took me 45 minutes to get the clamp in place over the lower hose and that was after I had pre-positioned it priot to putting the radiator back in.

Anyway, moral of the story, bring a boat load of patience with if you decide to tackle this task yourself...

[steve6]

The rest of it was not too terrible except for those darn GM hose clamps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What, please someone, ANYONE tell me, was wrong with a good old fashioned hose clamp that you could just put in place and use a flat screwdriver or 5/16' nut driver to tighten?! It took me 45 minutes to get the clamp in place over the lower hose and that was after I had pre-positioned it priot to putting the radiator back in.

Anyway, moral of the story, bring a boat load of patience with if you decide to tackle this task yourself...

Those old style clamps rip the outside hoses when you tighten them, potentially wrecking the integrity and life of the clamp. But, yes I agree. I hate those style clamps and the skimpy one's the foreign makers love to use on their cars(referng to this one http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00013UT...73.LZZZZZZZ.jpg ) They are a great idea from the factory, but terrible to get off 10 years later.

If you have the right pair of pliers those GM clamps arnt too bad.

[JimD]

I'll add an opinion on the OEM spring clamps. I love them if only because the spring clamp maintains constant tension regardless of temperature.

Newer spring clamps have a latch design that holds the clamp open while you are installing. Removal goes easier with the proper tools.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i101/Jim...et/DSC01841.jpg

[KHE]

I'll add an opinion on the OEM spring clamps. I love them if only because the spring clamp maintains constant tension regardless of temperature.

Newer spring clamps have a latch design that holds the clamp open while you are installing. Removal goes easier with the proper tools.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i101/Jim...et/DSC01841.jpg

That is exactly the reason that the spring clamps are used and not the screw type clamps.