Changing a Viper rad

[Lemay88]

Bonjour Valuable Viper gurus,

Me again, I was doing my engine oil change and found this bad news....leaking rad.
I would like to tackle the job myself but I am not sure how hard the job is. I am more a noobie/backyard/week-end gearhead.
I have the service manual, a garage, the viper forums, time to do it and some questions...
--For the hardcore gearhead, how would you rate the job,,,easy, you can do it or don't touch this you'll be all over your head??
-- Should I go recore or pay the extra and have a new one??
--any other things worth doing while doing this job??
--Any advice before I start the job??

Thank you very much for your input

Ben

image.jpg

[Steve-Indy]

Start here:

https://driveviper.com/forums/thread...gen-2-any-tips

And

https://driveviper.com/forums/thread...ecommendations

[ZZ SRT]

Pretty basic if you remove the hood. I think you can handle it

[Double0fox]

Just a FYI, I did mine last winter without removing the hood. I moved the oil cooler out of the way, but if I recall that was pretty much it. I am sure having the hood off makes it quite a bit easier though.

[Lemay88]

Thanks for the thread...I think I'm a lucky guy, 3 radiator shop in my town.
Hopefully One of them can fix it!!
I'll use every thread and DIY I can find...might even try documenting everything and make a "how to" out of it...
If I fail, it will become a fail video...lol

[dave6666]

Done it more times than I care to mention changing out junk aftermarket radiators. Never wanted to remove the hood; it's not in the way at all. Actually, I've never had any of the well published horror stories happen ever. Drain plug came right out, hoses come right off, blah blah. It's almost caveman simple.

[ViperTim]

Super easy. If you can't do that by yourself then you shouldn't even change the oil in a car.
Hood does not need to come off.
Though the electric fan will be a pain in the ass as the sway bar is in the way.

[Lemay88]

Well, today's the day...
Starting the job. I'll try without removing the hood (don't have extra hands to do it)
On Monday, I'll check with the local radiator shop for a rebuilt/recore of mine and I'll keep you posted on price and how well the job went.

Thanks for your input

[SA Heat]

Getting it past the driver's side hood hinge was the hardest part for me. Otherwise, it's an easy project.

[ViperTim]

Getting it past the driver's side hood hinge was the hardest part for me. Otherwise, it's an easy project.

That was no problem for me while taking it out.
Reinstalled the radiator today and the drivers side hood hinge was a problem. Got passed that but it was a bitch.

[Lemay88]

Rad is out...yay.

No big problems but unplugging the fan was frustrating...lol, took some time to find out you have to remove the little red lock thing...lol
I had to wiggle the radiator to get it out, driver side hinges and oil cooler lines made it a lil' difficult but all in all, an easy job.

I was surprise to see all the dirt on the rad but again, it's 20 years and 35000miles.
Ben

image.jpg

[BlknBlu]

Good work, and yes that is very dirty, can be very efficient like that.

Bruce

[VenomousOne]

I just did mine last week. I went with a recore because I wasnt sure if the aftermarket ones would be a direct fit.

[slitherv10]

I did mine and had it triple cored. They come double from the factory but you can ad one more core to it for better cooling

[Lemay88]

I'll keep it double core...never had any over heating problems....Canada weather Eh!!!
lol

[Dajerseyviper]

Have it re cored with a 3 row core. Thats what I did.

[Lemay88]

Didn't know you could add a core
I'll ask for prices and go from there. Like I said, never had any heating problem.

With all the debris on the rad, it there a way to clean between the 2 rad??

[plumcrazy]

bring it to a radiator shop

[dave6666]

I wasnt sure if the aftermarket ones would be a direct fit.

Ron Davis - fits perfectly but fails quickly err leaky new out of the box (personal experience)

Roe 3-pass - fits perfectly but fails quickly and general shoddy workmanship (personal experience)

Howe 3-pass - fits perfectly and lasts 5+ years (personal experience)

Modified stock - fits perfectly (personal experience)

Be Cool - no data

Griffin - no data

Fluidyne - interferes with OEM air box but relatively easy fix

X2 - of numerous reports on Viper forums, never heard of anyone happy with how it fits, but however cheap and effective

[dave6666]

Didn't know you could add a core

You can't. You have to have a new core made with the 3rd row included.

Here's a pic of an OEM core. You can see the tube sheet has been left blank where the 3rd row could be.

BTW, that radiator core was still good (not leaky) when removed. That mineral deposit buildup is average. Which is why when people take leaky factory radiators out and then rant and rave about how much better the new <insert name of aftermarket brand> radiator cools, I can't help but laugh at how ridiculous those statements are. No, it wasn't your new miracle <insert name of aftermarket brand> radiator, it was the fact that you took out a clogged radiator that didn't flow any more. Any new radiator cools better than an old one. Any. Even OEM.

[plumcrazy]

always trust dave on radiators and cooling

[Lemay88]

That's the inside of mine.
Strange that the leak wasn't there when I parked it last October. And I think it is scary that is was leaking when cold??
Can it rot from outside in???
Does a too high coolant mix be "eating" rad and cooling passages?? (ie mix is more coolant than water)
I had a little sipping from the bleed screw (hose inlet top of engine) that got a little more.
Should I remove the bleeding screw, clean everything and put it back in with some teflon tread lock??image.jpg

[98RedGTS]

I actually believe it's the other way around in that more water than coolant is more corrosive than having more coolant than water. I'm sure I'll be correct if my understanding is wrong.

Everyone always talks about taking them to a radiator shop to have them recored. Guess I'm just unlucky as I can't seem to find one where I live and it's a fairly large town. Every shop I've called they just replace radiators, they don't fix them.

[Boosted Motorsports]

Lemay your core looks pretty clogged similar to Dave's documented core pictures. I have no cooling issues but all these pictures make me want to re-core mine lol.

Also you have the incorrect coolant in your car.

[Lemay88]

O'Mally, what's wrong with my coolant???
Red GTS, that's what I thought about mix...more coolant can't be wrong, but wanted to confirm.