GUIDE: Installing a Performance Radiator
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From: Hershey, PA
GUIDE: Installing a Performance Radiator
I got bored, so I made this writeup:
The entire install took me about 3 hours – Could have done it much faster had I known a few things listed here.
1. Start by draining the stock radiator and removing the fan, mine was electric, so only 2 bolts were holding it on. If you still have a clutch driven fan, I strongly recommend upgrading or changing to an electric setup during the swap.
(click picture for larger image)
2. Remove the radiator support brackets –
Unbolt the Hose clamps, top hose first. Pull the radiator and bottom hose out togethor.
3. Take the ‘bushings’ from the stocker and put them on the new Koyo, I didn’t do this and learned the hard way.
4. Clean the brace and whatever else before putting the new parts back in
5. Put your replacement bottom radiator hose on, don’t tighten the clamp, leave it loose for now
6. Carefully lower the radiator into place using the same holes as the OEM radiator. Put the radiator brackets back on and attach the bottom hose to the block.
7. Put the top radiator hose on, my Samco hoses required some trimming – use a jubilee clip and razor, don’t worry its hard to screw up.
(click picture for larger image)
8. Tighten all the clamps and two radiator brackets and put the fan back in.
9. Fill the radiator through the cap, not the overflow reservoir. This took some time, I even rocked the car around and let it sit overnight to let most of the bubbles come out. Fill to the top and put the radiator cap back on, fill the reservoir to the minimum line. A new radiator needs some bling (My Nismo is on the way, higher pressure caps raise the boiling point and help cooling)
10. Let the car idle and go for and easy drive, when you return (let the engine cool!!!) remove the cap and fill to the top. Also fill the overflow to between the min and max lines.
And you are done!
The entire install took me about 3 hours – Could have done it much faster had I known a few things listed here.
1. Start by draining the stock radiator and removing the fan, mine was electric, so only 2 bolts were holding it on. If you still have a clutch driven fan, I strongly recommend upgrading or changing to an electric setup during the swap.
(click picture for larger image)
2. Remove the radiator support brackets –
Unbolt the Hose clamps, top hose first. Pull the radiator and bottom hose out togethor.
3. Take the ‘bushings’ from the stocker and put them on the new Koyo, I didn’t do this and learned the hard way.
4. Clean the brace and whatever else before putting the new parts back in
5. Put your replacement bottom radiator hose on, don’t tighten the clamp, leave it loose for now
6. Carefully lower the radiator into place using the same holes as the OEM radiator. Put the radiator brackets back on and attach the bottom hose to the block.
7. Put the top radiator hose on, my Samco hoses required some trimming – use a jubilee clip and razor, don’t worry its hard to screw up.
(click picture for larger image)
8. Tighten all the clamps and two radiator brackets and put the fan back in.
9. Fill the radiator through the cap, not the overflow reservoir. This took some time, I even rocked the car around and let it sit overnight to let most of the bubbles come out. Fill to the top and put the radiator cap back on, fill the reservoir to the minimum line. A new radiator needs some bling (My Nismo is on the way, higher pressure caps raise the boiling point and help cooling)
10. Let the car idle and go for and easy drive, when you return (let the engine cool!!!) remove the cap and fill to the top. Also fill the overflow to between the min and max lines.
And you are done!
Last edited by nsn240; Oct 25, 2005 at 07:02 PM.
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From: NY
Re: GUIDE: Installing a Performance Radiator
Originally posted by nsn240
9. Fill the radiator through the cap, not the overflow reservoir. This took some time, I even rocked the car around and let it sit overnight to let most of the bubbles come out. Fill to the top and put the radiator cap back on, fill the reservoir to the minimum line. A new radiator needs some bling (My Nismo is on the way, higher pressure caps raise the boiling point and help cooling)
10. Let the car idle and go for and easy drive, when you return (let the engine cool!!!) remove the cap and fill to the top. Also fill the overflow to between the min and max lines.
9. Fill the radiator through the cap, not the overflow reservoir. This took some time, I even rocked the car around and let it sit overnight to let most of the bubbles come out. Fill to the top and put the radiator cap back on, fill the reservoir to the minimum line. A new radiator needs some bling (My Nismo is on the way, higher pressure caps raise the boiling point and help cooling)
10. Let the car idle and go for and easy drive, when you return (let the engine cool!!!) remove the cap and fill to the top. Also fill the overflow to between the min and max lines.
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 831
From: In a 240 near you
No, your temp would still be down, and since your radiator now is probably same one that was in the car when it was built its 16 years old! If your in to performance at all you should not over look it.
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From: Hershey, PA
Originally posted by I'm with Stupid
Does the SR20DE not have a bleed screw on the coolant outlet elbow? It's also a good idea to turn the heat on to further bleed the heater core.
Does the SR20DE not have a bleed screw on the coolant outlet elbow? It's also a good idea to turn the heat on to further bleed the heater core.
Originally posted by phreze
No, your temp would still be down, and since your radiator now is probably same one that was in the car when it was built its 16 years old! If your in to performance at all you should not over look it.
No, your temp would still be down, and since your radiator now is probably same one that was in the car when it was built its 16 years old! If your in to performance at all you should not over look it.
Good right up nsn240. If you want to know where the bleeder is for filling the system, it is usually located around the thermostat on almost every nissan engine that I have ever seen.....
Do you notice a difference in coolant temprature with the KOYO?
Do you notice a difference in coolant temprature with the KOYO?
Thread Starter
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Posts: 1,634
From: Hershey, PA
Originally posted by BigVinnie
Good right up nsn240. If you want to know where the bleeder is for filling the system, it is usually located around the thermostat on almost every nissan engine that I have ever seen.....
Do you notice a difference in coolant temprature with the KOYO?
Good right up nsn240. If you want to know where the bleeder is for filling the system, it is usually located around the thermostat on almost every nissan engine that I have ever seen.....
Do you notice a difference in coolant temprature with the KOYO?
I did notice a drop... at idle and after a regular run around the block (hitting boost and regular driving) it dropped about one dash lower (little bit less than a full dash) and thats with the single stock electric fan
that was with a nismo radiator cap too, they are supposed to help cause of the higher pressure they provide.
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 206
From: Paducah, KY
Ok, I got a really good question here. The radiator fan. I currently have two. One the one pictured in your writeup. Two the clutch driven fan. Both are on the car for OEM. Can I just take off the clutch driven fan???? And if I can, is that ONE enough for the cooling of a KA24DE??
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Posts: 1,634
From: Hershey, PA
Originally posted by BigVinnie
You can just use the electric fan, but you will need to install a thermal switch. The electric fan you have is originally designed to work with your A/C unit when it turns on...
You can just use the electric fan, but you will need to install a thermal switch. The electric fan you have is originally designed to work with your A/C unit when it turns on...
Thread Starter
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,634
From: Hershey, PA
Originally posted by Helghast
That's whack.
Spend a couple bucks and get a thermal switch.
That's whack.
Spend a couple bucks and get a thermal switch.
it was free to ground out a 4in piece of wire... now, i can have the fans running, and engine cooling whenever i want, engine on or off
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From: Socal, 909/626
I dunno about this whole thread.
Title should have been something like "change a radiator on your SR fanless engine swap".
Plus you didn't bleed the system, that's like the most important step when changing radiator fluid and/or radiators.
Kinda funny how you strongly recommend upgrading or changing to an electric setup during the swap . Why? Is it because the clutch fan really doesn't work? Or because you have an efan and have no real idea how to do the job on a car that has a clutch fan? =P
(BTW KA or SR, if you have a clutch fan all you have to do is remove the fan shroud - not the whole fan as this thread states)
Oh and changing radiator caps does not "raise the boiling point". What it does is change the point at which the cap opens up to release excess coolant to the resevoir.
I'm not trying to be an *** here, just want to clear some stuff up so that others will get the job done correctly if they use this thread as a reference =)
Title should have been something like "change a radiator on your SR fanless engine swap".
Plus you didn't bleed the system, that's like the most important step when changing radiator fluid and/or radiators.
Kinda funny how you strongly recommend upgrading or changing to an electric setup during the swap . Why? Is it because the clutch fan really doesn't work? Or because you have an efan and have no real idea how to do the job on a car that has a clutch fan? =P
(BTW KA or SR, if you have a clutch fan all you have to do is remove the fan shroud - not the whole fan as this thread states)
Oh and changing radiator caps does not "raise the boiling point". What it does is change the point at which the cap opens up to release excess coolant to the resevoir.
I'm not trying to be an *** here, just want to clear some stuff up so that others will get the job done correctly if they use this thread as a reference =)
