A change of driving pattern has "forced" a different maintenance regime.
The Dobby has been losing coolant over the last few years. Nothing radical, maybe a pint every couple of thousand miles. So slight, I couldn't identify where it was going to!
It may be the increased mileage or the onset of winter, but I could see a small weep at the radiator. I was loathe to use a chemical solution, and research showed reasonable replacement costs from the usual suspects.
So how did it go?
Pretty well actually! Fiat have actually thought about replacement, and drain taps and a vent plug are a big help. Quick release hose unions are used - not my favourite as I'm old fashioned, but they seem to work....
Jack up the front of the car, put it on axle stands.Remove the undertray.
Unscrew the wheel arch liners. No need to remove the wheels.
Keep the car jacked up as it will help with the radiator dropping out - it comes out downwards.
There is a plastic clip each side at the wing/bumper joint, right at the wheel arch. These unscrew from the bottom.
Four flanged torx bolts on top and four underneath to remove.
Pull the bumper away from the wing each side - outwards away from the car.
The bumper will now slide forward. Easily done by yourself even if it is a big lump of plastic,
You may now be frightened by the plethora of pipes and coolers behind the crash bars - with the radiator still not visible! Don't panic, they don't need to be disconnected, and there is enough play in the pipes to allow radiator removal.
Unhook the cable clips. Undo the oil cooler brackets. I hooked the cooler over the bonnet catch to keep it out of the way.
Unscrew the screws from the intercooler cowling. Unclip the top cowl and slide it out. This locates the intercooler and air con exchanger cowl, so you can now slide this out.
Unhook the fan connectors. The fan unit can stay on the radiator so no need to fiddle with the screws. There is a sensor wire with a plug on the slam panel. Unhook and remove.
Remove the nut holding the air con pipes to allow access to the bolts holding the top crash bar.
Remove the foam from the top crash bar, and then the crash bar itself.
Remove the bottom crash bar.
Unhook the intercooler and remove the screws holding the air con exchanger - tie this up carefully. The intercooler is held on its pipes and doesn't move much!
Now is a good time to drain the radiator and remove the 3 hoses.
I took off the expansion tank, but left it connected, for access.
Under the radiator is a box section crossbar. This is held by an Allen bolt each side going upwards into the chassis leg.
Carefully remove the crossbar. The radiator will follow it out!
Change out the fan assembly to the new radiator.
Assembly, as they say, is the reverse of removal.....
But on refitting the radiator, it may be useful to have a helper to locate and hold the radiator in its top rubbers whilst you secure the bottom rubber and crossbar.
It took me most of the day to do this, with lots of stops and pondering, as well as mugs of tea. I could probably do it in half that time now!
Even on a cold December day, all the plastic bits worked and nothing snapped off. The QR hose unions were manageable.
Usual disclaimers, e&oe. Do it at your own risk. The value of your investments may go up as well as down. Etc. Etc.
The Dobby has been losing coolant over the last few years. Nothing radical, maybe a pint every couple of thousand miles. So slight, I couldn't identify where it was going to!
It may be the increased mileage or the onset of winter, but I could see a small weep at the radiator. I was loathe to use a chemical solution, and research showed reasonable replacement costs from the usual suspects.
So how did it go?
Pretty well actually! Fiat have actually thought about replacement, and drain taps and a vent plug are a big help. Quick release hose unions are used - not my favourite as I'm old fashioned, but they seem to work....
Jack up the front of the car, put it on axle stands.Remove the undertray.
Unscrew the wheel arch liners. No need to remove the wheels.
Keep the car jacked up as it will help with the radiator dropping out - it comes out downwards.
There is a plastic clip each side at the wing/bumper joint, right at the wheel arch. These unscrew from the bottom.
Four flanged torx bolts on top and four underneath to remove.
Pull the bumper away from the wing each side - outwards away from the car.
The bumper will now slide forward. Easily done by yourself even if it is a big lump of plastic,
You may now be frightened by the plethora of pipes and coolers behind the crash bars - with the radiator still not visible! Don't panic, they don't need to be disconnected, and there is enough play in the pipes to allow radiator removal.
Unhook the cable clips. Undo the oil cooler brackets. I hooked the cooler over the bonnet catch to keep it out of the way.
Unscrew the screws from the intercooler cowling. Unclip the top cowl and slide it out. This locates the intercooler and air con exchanger cowl, so you can now slide this out.
Unhook the fan connectors. The fan unit can stay on the radiator so no need to fiddle with the screws. There is a sensor wire with a plug on the slam panel. Unhook and remove.
Remove the nut holding the air con pipes to allow access to the bolts holding the top crash bar.
Remove the foam from the top crash bar, and then the crash bar itself.
Remove the bottom crash bar.
Unhook the intercooler and remove the screws holding the air con exchanger - tie this up carefully. The intercooler is held on its pipes and doesn't move much!
Now is a good time to drain the radiator and remove the 3 hoses.
I took off the expansion tank, but left it connected, for access.
Under the radiator is a box section crossbar. This is held by an Allen bolt each side going upwards into the chassis leg.
Carefully remove the crossbar. The radiator will follow it out!
Change out the fan assembly to the new radiator.
Assembly, as they say, is the reverse of removal.....
But on refitting the radiator, it may be useful to have a helper to locate and hold the radiator in its top rubbers whilst you secure the bottom rubber and crossbar.
It took me most of the day to do this, with lots of stops and pondering, as well as mugs of tea. I could probably do it in half that time now!
Even on a cold December day, all the plastic bits worked and nothing snapped off. The QR hose unions were manageable.
Usual disclaimers, e&oe. Do it at your own risk. The value of your investments may go up as well as down. Etc. Etc.
