Radiator removal

C

Clem Smith

Member
Can someone help me with a basic step by step to R&R radiator?

Don't want to take A any further apart than needed, but don't want to cut corners and damage anything.

Thanks
Clem Smith
 
Do you have a copy of Les Andrews Mechanics Handbook.? If not it the best to have if you own an A. Can be purchased at all A's supply vendors, Brattons,Snyders and others .
 
Drain water, remove hood clip at gas tank, remove hood and store in a safe place. Unattach hood rods at radiator and fire wall. Disconnect light and horn wires and pull through rad shell, remove rad shell, (4 bolts) and store in safe place. Remove hose clamps and hoses, and two hold down bolts on bottom side of rad, and carefully lift up past the light bar. Good idea to cover the light bar so NO scratch. Your home. Iceman
 
In addition to the above, it is a good idea to either pull the fuse on the starter or disconnect the ground cable from the battery before you remove the horn and headlight wires.

If your headlights are wired as original disconnect the wires to the headlight buckets at the headlights and feed the wires through the grommets in the radiator shell. However, a good many Model A's have been rewired with wire nuts inside the headlight buckets. if that is the case you will have to remove the lens and reflectors to unhook the wires.

You also have to unbolt the four bolts & nuts that attach the radiator shell. I always cut two pieces of cardboard and slip one down between the radiator and the fan and the other between the radiator and the light bar. This will protect both sides of the radiator.

The two bolts that hold the radiator at the bottom come up through the bottom and have a spring and a castle nut on the top with the nut holding tension on the spring. You will have to remove the cotter pins to unscrew the nuts. Under each mounting foot of the radiator is a rubber shim. They go between the bottom of the radiator mounting feet and the frame.

You may have to wiggle the radiator around a little so that the mounting feet will come out from under the sheet metal trim above them.

You will have to remove the upper and lower hoses. This can sometimes be difficult as they may be stuck on there. Perseverance and twising will usually get them off, Worst case is you have to cut them off.

When you go to install new hoses spray them inside and outside (especially the outside)with Silicone spray lubricant by Gunk, obtainable at any auto parts store. This will make it easy to install the hoses, and if you are using original style hose clamps the outside spray will prevent the hose from bunching under the clamp adjusting mechanism and creating a tunnel for leakage.

Good luck with the project.
Tom Endy
 
Where is a good source for reconditioned Model A radiators?
Already reconditioned or will fix the current one.
I live in plymouth MA.
I am not interested in an Aluminum radiator .
Don
Minuteman Model A Club Sudbury MA.
 
I don't know anything about these 2 businesses but you might want to check with them as they both advertise that they do antique car radiators, L/A Radiator in Auburn ME and Maine Auto Radiator in Lewiston ME and they may be within a reasonable distance of you. Others on this forum may have more knowledge of these or other shops near you.
 
remove hood and store in a safe place.
Click to expand...

Unless you're built like a gorilla you'll need help removing the hood. Alternatively, you could remove the pins holding the sides of the hood on and remove the hood in pieces.
 
Post #8 is new Sanford Radiator in Waterboro, ME has been doing radiators for generations. He's done everything from antique trucks, tractors, cars to heavy construction equipment. He's done 3 WWII jeep radiators for me and I've seen many Model A radiators in his shop. I have 3 'extra' radiators that came with my '29 RPU that I plan on having him test/fix before I sell off the 2 '30-'31 styles I have. He gives them a nice paint job too! His name is Tony Wolfinger and he has his younger son working with him too.

Craig
 
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