Radiator, rear arm bearings and exhaust fitting

Kingswell · Post by **Kingswell** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 10:06 pm

If I buy a Valeo radiator from a supplier, is it difficult to fit?
How about rear arm bearings if I buy them from GSF?
How about the exhaust?

These jobs don't seem that hard and if I do them myself I'll save a lot of money which I will happily use to have the valve stem seals replaced and the front struts rebuilt.

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 10:13 pm

Radiator and exhaust are quite easy to fit.

Rear arm bearings aren't too bad but you will need a fair amount of tools and equipment.

Kingswell · Post by **Kingswell** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 10:15 pm

I was looking at the guide on this site and I think I can gather up the tools needed. I'm more worried about making a complete hash of it and having to take it to the mechanic

ellevie · Post by **ellevie** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 10:50 pm

Here's a tip to help with removing the rear arm bearings http://www.bxclub.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2760

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 9:28 am

Exhaust and radiator are a doddle, rear arm bearings for people who know what there doing!

Oscar · Post by **Oscar** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 9:53 am

I've just done rear arm bearings. I'm not a mechanic but I had some help with the first one from my garage-owning mate. They are not difficult. Jon’s excellent instructions and Ellevie’s tip on this site will guide you through what you need to do. You may need to use a fair amount of welly to get bearing outers out. Just pay attention to the replacement order of the new parts. A great big vice to hold things will help.

Give yourself plenty of time and space – it’s not a job that you should take on when you need to have the car ready to pick up the mother-in-law at the busstop at 3pm.

On the exhaust, give yourself loads of room - get the car up as high as you can. No, higher than that. And make sure that it is rock solid and absolutely safe. You will be completely underneath the car and there will be a fair amount of grunting and pushing and pulling.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 6:54 pm

Kingswell wrote:I was looking at the guide on this site and I think I can gather up the tools needed. I'm more worried about making a complete hash of it and having to take it to the mechanic

Don't worry if you make a hash of it, it won't be mobile so you won't be able to take it to a mechanic

Just get me an air ticket and I'll come out and do it for you.

Kingswell · Post by **Kingswell** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 10:15 am

Ok a Ryan-air ticket will cost you 0.01 euros right? That is if you don't want food, luggage, bathroom facilities, windows, seats etc.....

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 10:26 pm

How much are cheap flights to Malta?

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 10:49 pm

I dunno, but I think they've just gone up by £10.

Thank you Mr Brown.

Kingswell · Post by **Kingswell** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 12:30 pm

I know that once I've installed the radiator there are two things I need to check.
I have to make sure that all the air is bled from the system and that the heater matrix is in the hot position.

How will I be sure that both these are fine once I've installed the replacement unit?

Oscar · Post by **Oscar** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 12:54 pm

Leave the heater control in the cabin set to "Hot". This leaves the gate between engine cooling and cabin heating systems open. Do this before you drain the system, to get all the old fluid out. Leave it open while you are filling the system again.

Use a header tank to ensure you fill the system properly. Identify your bleed points and open them before you start filling. As pure coolant, without bubbles, starts coming through, close them one by one. Your haynes manual should identify them for you. If you don't have a manual, someone on the site may be able to tell you where yours are.