The first step is to get the car to a place where you can safely work on it. If you are stuck by the road take the smarter risk and move the car to a safe place like a driveway or a parking lot. If you are having it towed then you should wait inside the car. If you have to wait outside the car, never stand behind it for any reason, in fact it is wise to move at least 20 or more feet away in case someone accidentally hits your car! Next you need to see if you can get the parts for the car and get them to wherever it is that you are stuck. Sometimes it is easier to take the car to the parts other times not so much. It is wise to call around for prices on these parts because the price on radiators can vary widely. We got a price from a big chain store of $225 plus tax and the local auto parts guy had the same exact radiator for $160 plus tax.
Once you have the new radiator open the box and gently pull the new one out and compare it to the old one. Make sure that all the fittings are in the same place. As a side note here it is usually wise to replace the radiator cap and thermostat, and check all the hoses for wear and leaks when doing a radiator that way everything is fresh. Some people even change the water pump at this time to ensure a like new cooling system. Since overheating is one of the leading causes of severe engine damage it is wise to study your equipment in order to make an informed decision. Once the vehicle is apart these other items are easy to do.
Drain any fluid that may still be in the car. Do this into a clean drip pan and you may be able to reuse some of the coolant. Open the petcock on the lower part of the radiator. This fitting looks like a plastic wing nut. This is counterclockwise to remove. Open it just until there is a small amount of flow and make sure your pan is under the stream. Then slowly open it until the fluid is draining steadily. Remove the radiator cap to allow the system to vent. Next find the lowest radiator hose by reaching up under the car and remove the squeeze clamp and pull the hose off the radiator fitting. This may splatter some liquid so wear gloves and safety glasses.
When you have the lower hose removed take off the upper hose the same way. Next you need to remove the transmission cooling lines from the radiator and drain the transmission fluid into a clean dry container. This fluid is easily contaminated and it is typically not a great idea to reuse it anyhow. You will only lose a little bit but prepare to cover the end of these lines with a small plastic bag and some duct tape. This helps keep the fluid from dripping in your eye. Next remove the top piece of metal bracket frame that presses down onto the top of the radiator. Note some nuts on certain American built foreign cars are metric and some are English. Next unplug the electrical connectors on the fans and remove them both one at a time. There are tiny bolts around the perimeter of the fans and half of them broke off when we did this job. Using some "Blaster" spray type penetrating oil on these bolts helped a lot. The fans are a tight fit and you may bust a knuckle or three here so wearing mechanics gloves would be a wise option here.
After everything is clear of the old radiator lift it straight out remembering that some residual fluid will be stuck inside it. I usually have a large piece of cardboard and shop towels to keep any spills contained and mopped up. Also non scented cat litter is great to soak up any drips or spills.
Next take the two large rubber bushings off the bottom of the old radiator and place them onto the new one. Carefully set the new radiator into the cradle inside the frame on the RAV4. Attach the fans and hoses making sure to tighten all bolts and clamps as you go. Once you have the hoses on you can start filling the radiator while checking for leaks as you go.
There will be some air trapped in the system and the simplest solution is to elevate the front end of the car about five or more degrees. Whether you park it on a slight incline or you just jack it up does not matter. Once it is full in the radiator you can put the cap on it and fill the overflow bottle. In a sealed system like this the liquid in the bottle will be drawn back into the radiator on each heating and cooling cycle. Some may be drawn in as you drive due to the boiling of the fluid forcing the air bubble to vent back to the overflow and then a vacuum is created as the system cools down and this draws fluid back into the radiator.
It is important to check for leaks frequently the first few trips and keep doing this until the overflow bottle stays the same and no leaks are observed.
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