Technical Stilo 1.4 Radiator replacement

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Technical Stilo 1.4 Radiator replacement

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Aug 14, 2011
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Hi folks
Got a coolant leak from what looks like the top hose (passenger side) area -was hoping it would turn out to be the hose connection but seems to be a bit further in towards the radiator (altho can't see because of all the plastic shrouding stuff). Anyone else had a similar thing? Would it be worth a go with Radweld or similar (haven't used this for years and from memory cant recollect it being particularly effective, but you never know?). Otherwise looks like replacing the radiator - did a search on here and looks like a fairly straightforward job in principle (undoing the two hoses and removing the four bolts to take away the support panel under the radiator and letting it drop out)subject to a couple of possible issues relating to sticking hoses and bolts, but just wanted to confirm with you guys on here before i contemplate further....
Other thing was - does the same radiator fit the 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6? Looks like around 40ish quid will get a new aftermarket item which seems not bad at all....
 
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Everyone will have their own view on Radweld type products. Mine is that they were OK as a temporary fix in the larger bore cores fitted up to 15 - 20 years ago, but could easily block the small bore cores fitted now. Wurth made a product designed for small bore cores, I don't know if they still do. I've had can of it in my boot for emergency use for about 10 years. It cost about £15 then, probably more now.

According to ePER, the 1.4 and 1.6 radiators are the same part number (46799894). The 1.2 is shown as a different part number, and the 1.8 and 1.9 are another different part number.

Cheapest radiator on eBay is £41 delivered here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fiat-Stil...hash=item27da430c36:m:mog3lwo5nGzuzheb4ThMpcQ but they list it as suitable for all engines up to 1.6.
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Thanks Davren. Think replacement is the way to go then. Is my understanding of the method right enough, would appreciate the reassurance of a comment on this from those who know.
 
Bought mine 3 days ago at 34€

580x310x18 Stilo 1.2 16v

Here it is brand new!

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bloody hell - thats cheap!

the 1.2 ive just sold had a very minor leak, i mean... it litterally dripped once a week or something and it went inside the bumper, the rad was kinked along the bottom (high curb when parking, nearly took my bumper off when reversing away)... however, never hardly lost coolant - your rad looks awesome, wish id of took the pleasure of replacing that other one before i sold it...

I will be looking for a aircon coolant raditor soon - my multijet looks like it may have had a bird strike, hence the repaired front bumper... the main cores are fine but the fins dont look very good in a tennis ball size of a circle... will point this out in a new thread next month or so - i was told that my multijet has 3 rads, one for ac, then coolant, then oil... plus intercooler...

How was the job of fitting it to your current front slam panel?
 
Ok guys - these hose connectors, how do they work, i cant seem to shift them (and therefore cant get the old rad out). How is it that they work- is the metal retainer supposed to push in or pull out. Is there something I'm missing?
Cheers
 
Those things are an utter pain in the ass. They fit them on the Alfas as well.

They are very fiddly and take a shed load of squeezing, i think i ended up using some pump handled pliers (the ones you can adjust to open them up further) and it does help to swear at it very, very loudly!

I did have one that I just ended up mullering and had to order new from Alfa / Fiat.
 
Lol. Pain in the ass is one way of putting it..... I can't get either of the little feckers to budge in any direction and the mullering approach is fast becoming the preferred option in my mind. In that case, Artemis can you remember offhand if these are available as separate items from Fiat ie without having to buy the hoses as well and if so can you recollect price, roughly?
Cheers
 
Lol. Pain in the ass is one way of putting it..... I can't get either of the little feckers to budge in any direction and the mullering approach is fast becoming the preferred option in my mind. In that case, Artemis can you remember offhand if these are available as separate items from Fiat ie without having to buy the hoses as well and if so can you recollect price, roughly?
Cheers

Mate the last one I bought was from Alfa for a 156 GTA and it came as an entire hose assembly - not just the clip. That was well over £150 at the time.

Fiat should be more reasonable.

Check out eBay there is a couple of lower coolant hoses listed on there for £30-£40 region, although you'll have to assess whether or not they're right for your model.

Have you got the thing off the car to have a proper go at it?

Take the hose off the stat and drop the rad from the car then work on the stupid clip.

You might find you need to amend your approach because you're squeezing on the plastic housing and you need to give it a hell of a squeeze on the metal tangs. Don't be afraid to stick a screw driver or something under the pliers to direct the squeezing pressure where needed.
 
Thanks Artemis. Hmmmm. Havent got the rad out cos need to remove the hose connectors to get it down past all the plastic shroud stuff. Don't fancy the £150 bit (bearing in mind that the diy effort was to keep the costs down rather into the garage, but between these feckin not quick non release connectors and the rusted bolts on the drop panel wish id never bothered). Going to see if i can get some sort of clamp or pliers or something that is big enough either that see if there is enough room to cut the feckers off at the rad inlet and outlet and get them off on the bench some way to re-use.
 
Hi guys. I've had a thought about this which maybe ties back to a thread I've read on here? But can't find it again. Is there any reason why i cant just do away with the hose connectors and connect the top and bottom hoses directly to the inlet and outlet pipes which are part of the new rad - i think the bore is the same and there seems like enough give on the hoses? This would let me simply cut or hack off in some way the connectors without having to worry about reusing them or sourcing replacements.
Grateful again for comments.
Cheers.
 
Providing the plastic pipes on the radiator are strong enough to take a jubilee clip without distorting the pipes, and there's enough space and hose to bend the hoses on to the pipes without kinking the hoses, it should be OK.

The push on elbows are obviously designed for quick/easy assembly at the factory, rather than quick/easy repairs 10 years later.
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Hi guys
For what its worth, just to let you know I've now successfully finished the rad replacement. Main points to note, I think are - 1. I couldn't shift the hose connectors so ended up chiselling the outlet and inlet extrusions on the old rad to get them off(without damaging the connectors themselves) and drop out the rad; 2. there is absolutely no way i would ever gave gotten the connectors off while still attached to the old rad and still in the car - removal on the bench involved placing the connector in a small vice so that the metal clips were fully depressed, attached mole grips to the remnants of the extrusions from the old rad and bashed the nose of the grips in the right direction, the force required to get the connectors free could never have been applied with them still in the car; 3. I decided not to connect the hoses directly to the extrusions on the new rad since they have locating bars which i would have needed to cut or grind off which i didn't fancy doing, but reused the old connectors; 4. In reusing the old connectors i realised their true beauty - i gave them a good clean out when i had them off and they went back on really easily with that wonderful solid click. At one point i had to take one back off and this came away no problem and as was already said, you don't really need to push the metal retainers in too hard to get them off when they are working properly; 5. only managed to salvage one of the bolts/clips retaining the drop panel, the others were rusted to buggery and i ended up just deliberately snapping off two of them and had to grind off the other; 6. all in all can't believe the hassle with this - have done rad replacement a few times years ago (in simpler times) and for me as an amateur it would be an afternoon's work at most, but this took me ages (but hey that's progress and i dont suppose the Stilo is any different from most moderns).
Cheers
 
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Yesterday finally I had time to replace coolant radiator

First lift the Stilo

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There are 4 screws that hold the plastic securing the radiator

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Ready to remove radiator

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Cut one side of radiator to empty the coolant

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Old radiator with a leak at left side

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New radiator ready to insert

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Fitted, only hoses to attach

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Quick connector ready to fit

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Upper radiator connection

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Lower

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