5th Gen Radiator Install

[simplegreen]

By b16asilverhonda
aka Dan; aka bobby hill

92-95 Upgraded Radiator Install

Notes: For all of you running a swap in your 92-95 Civic it should be time to upgrade your radiator since its probably been in the car since youve owned it/bought it and its not going to provide proper cooling for your motor. So save your motor and go buy an upgraded radiator. I had to replace my whole cooling system, first was my thermostat, then a water pump, then the rad.

Tools Needed

10mm Wrench or Socket and Rachet
Plyers

Step 1: Remove Radiator

Warning (DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT try to do this while the car is hot, coolant can reach temps of 250 F, so please to save your self burning yourself, wait till the coolant system is cool)

Remove the holding tab on the top of the rad. a 10mm bolt will be holding it in place. Disconnect the coolant overflow bottle hose as well. Once those are removed go ahead and open the rad. cap and release the pressure from the cooling system. Drain the radiator with the drain plug and disconnect the upper and lower rad hosed with a pair of plyers. Once you have that all squared away, take the radiator out of the engine compartment and remove the 2 rubber mounts on the bottom, then your engine bay should look something like this:

Oh yeah that is not my coolant I was just lazy and used a bucket with used oil in it already.

Step 2: Coolant Notes



Now compare the radiators, the stock puny one on the right is only 5/8's core size there is absolutely no way that thing is going to cool a beefy 1.8L VTECH motor yO! the upgraded unit from CSF Cooling is 1.25 Inches core size. Thats almost a 200% increase in size. 200% more cooling capacity is good! Time to install that bad boy.

Step 3: Install Radiator

Be sure to remove the fans off the previous radiator and reinstall them onto the new one. Mine came with the stock locations for everything so make sure your rad. has one. Like this:


Put the rubber mounts on the bottom, and install everything in reverse order. Your results should turn out like this:



Step 4: Bleeding the cooling system

Now that you have drained your cooling system, installed a new radiator and filled it up with fluid, now you have to bleed the system because you have just entered air into the system. With the car OFF, put a funnel where you fill the radiator, fill it up with fluid and crack open the bleeder valve (should be located on the front of the motor where the upper rad hose enters the motor). Let it run out for a minute or so, tighten it, and top the rad. off and put the cap on. Now your ready to start your car. Double check you don't have any leaks or anything, leaks and air pocket will cause your fan/s not to work and worse, make your car overheat

Step 5: Now the fun part

Besides enjoying the new upgraded cooling system in your car, since my OE rad was a absolute POS and half the fins were corroded I decided to take out some aggression.

First I took the longest pry bar I have:



Then I beat the living piss outta it!



A little more, ok thats better, friggin crap ass half rad!!!