radiator removal

NicBe wrote:

Just removed mine today,
Drain fluid
Unbolt fan cowling 3 Bottom 2 top, remove bolts completely or they will fowl the fan when you lift it out
Remove top hose
Remove bottom hose
Unbolt rad, 2 10mm bolts at top sides of rad
Move cowl as far forward to engine as pos
Lift rad out, hand spin the fan as you lift to allow the bottom outlet space you'll see.

Takes longer to drain than remove

Is this with aircon?

Yes no need to touch aircon

You can change the engine without removing the AC.
But not without removing the radiator.

Has anyone done this on an auto?  The manual suggests there are two additional hoses and some ATF will be lost.  No pictures, though.  I'm inclined to do the drive belts without radiator removal if this is the case.

Yes, the transmission hoses are at the bottom of the radiator. I'd be inclined to do it with the rad in. Belt change is relatively easy job, if a bit tight for space. The bits you cant see are an 8mm Allen key bolt that is the pivot for the alternator and a 10mm Allen key hole in the power steering tensioner to use to tighten it. Everything else is 12mm.
Removing the top radiator bolts and leaning it forward allows you a precious few mm extra space.

Just had a go but the 12mm main bolt for the tensioner is extremely tight (the belts look original, and they will be, unless someone has adhered to time as well as mileage service intervals - yeah right) and it's not a location I want to flood with releasing fluid in case I still can't loosen it - slippy belts!

I can see the ATF hoses underneath and my guess is that a fair bit of fluid would be held up in the rad, so I don't fancy disconnecting them.

Might have to farm this one out to a neighbour mechanic!

pretty sure the only jobs I removed my rad for was the starter motor and the engine itself.

I would do a careful spray of WD40 penetrating (the special one) on the bolts on day one (with a rag to stop spillage to the belts) and then trying to dismantle on day two..