A. DRAIN COOLANT
B. REMOVE RADIATOR
A. To drain the coolant from a CRD's system:
The drain valve is located on the lower-right of the radiator, facing rear. To open the valve, use either a 16mm wrench or 'go-through' socket OVER the drain-plug. OR, you can use a 10mm Allen-wrench IN the end of the plug. Either may fit a bit snug, but they should work. Keep in mind that prior mechanics may have deformed the plastic plug while forcing the wrong tool or by using excessive-force when tightening/loosening. The pic below displays the radiator off-vehicle; use it to help you visualize the drain-valve, what you are trying to loosen and how far you need to rotate it. Pic illustrates FULLY-OPEN position of drain valve. After 1/2-turn you'll feel notable resistance:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ewh52s1wcb9db ... 1.jpg?dl=0- COOLANT CAPACITY= AT LEAST 6 LITRES. Spec calls for 6, but my system requires 8... maybe due to oversized replacement radiator by PO? (I'm not sure why).
Use adequately-large drain-pan to capture/recycle all coolant.
If the pink-colored coolant seems strange, I opted for (NAPA) Caterpillar-spec nitrite-charged coolant (and I like pink, lol).
NOTE: Pic also shows small pipe-wrench substitution for 37mm box-wrench to remove/replace the Mechanical Fan (MF):
https://www.dropbox.com/s/nild0ni1csqhs ... 3.jpg?dl=0- IT ONLY REQUIRES 1/2 (ONE-HALF) TURN TO FULLY-OPEN THE DRAIN VALVE! (And only 1/2-turn to close...)
BE PATIENT: the open-petcock does not yield a torrential-flow; it requires about 10-minutes to fully-drain the entire cooling system.
PLEASE BE RESPONSIBLE WITH COOLANT AND ALL OTHER AUTOMOTIVE FLUIDS
B. It is possible to remove the radiator without de-pressurizing & detaching the AC condenser's refrigerant-lines. Easy? Not really, but doable.
- Remove the serp-belt: 15mm wrench on tensioner to free the belt. Here's a few fairly useless pics. 1st shows 15mm wrench on 'relaxed' serp tensioner, 2nd torqueing wrench to right @ max tensioner-flex:
1.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/digpskjdb73n1 ... 6.jpg?dl=02.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/kqeea94b4ws1r ... 3.jpg?dl=0- Remove the Mechanical Fan; it's big hub-nut is 36-37mm/1-7/16" and un-screws left (normal-threaded).
- Remove the left Idler-pulley from the MechFan bracket; it's REVERSE-THREADED, 16mm.
- Remove the MechFan bracket: 4 bolts, all 13mm normal-threaded. Top-3 are obvious, BUT 1 SNEAKY, INVISIBLE, long-ass bolt hiding behind the big fan pulley, only accessible through one of the pulley holes, oriented about 4 o'clock:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/f1cdhoph6cdyj ... 9.jpg?dl=0-Disconnect IN/OUT hoses from the CAC (turbo intercooler). You can leave them attached at the engine-end, you just need them off at the radiator-end for the additional radiator-removal space.
- Entirely remove both upper & lower radiator hoses
- Remove the two short 10mm bolts, one on each side of the fan shroud, and then 'pop' the shroud up-and-out of the lower-clips mating it to the radiator. TAKE CARE NOT TO LOSE THE TWO STUPID SQUARE NUTS which tend to slip-out of their 'nests' on the radiator. Here's a pic of said 'nest'. Notice that I used white caulk to prevent the nuts from escaping:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/6ey5u2xmqrnpg ... 7.jpg?dl=0- Remove the two 10mm bolts located on the top-ends which fasten the radiator to the CAC
- Remove the two long 10mm bolts located on front of the CAC which fasten it to the front-clip of the jeep; easiest-access is through-grill using socket-extensions; drill also speeds R&R:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/b1qveky4prq4d ... 4.jpg?dl=0With the CAC's mounting-bolts removed you should have enough CAC vertical-travel to coax the radiator backwards, up and out. You should NOT have to separate the CAC from the AC-condensor/trans-cooler.
-The 3 most annoying obstacles during removal (imo):
1. The radiator has two base-mounted, forward-facing 'support flanges'. They have rubber-spacers that fit into holes in the frame to help reduce vibration. Annoyingly, the CAC must fit OVER those two radiator base-flanges:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wsk92tynoelam ... 8.jpg?dl=02. Additionally, (arrgh) there are two 'slots' located on the lower-front sides of the radiator. For removal, the CAC must slide up-and-off those slots to liberate the radiator; to replace, the CAC must slide down-and-on. The red-square in the pic shows one of the 'slots':
https://www.dropbox.com/s/au9eek0qr25e6 ... 6.jpg?dl=0(Actually, the pic shows a 'slot' on the back of the radiator (used to secure the lower fan-shroud); however, its front slots for the CAC look identical).
3. There's a PS-hose that obstructs the radiator's drain-valve when you try to lift the radiator out. It needs to be flexed-backwards while lifting the radiator out/dropping back in:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/qsd8av2y0brev ... 4.jpg?dl=0The procedure is frustrating, but possible. Keep repeating this mantra (as you chew valiums): "I will not vent refrigerant to atmosphere, I will not...". And you won't be throwing-away $$$ for an AC-recharge, either.
Whatever you do, don't damage the CAC in a fit of rage... =$600.
Keywords: Jeep liberty CRD radiator removal, crd antifreeze petcock, draining anti-freeze from jeep crd diesel