Thread: TDV8 Radiator replacement

Hi,

We have owned a 2008 RRS with the TDV8 for around a year. There has been various issues and dramas, some I have sorted, some await inspiration.
Two weeks ago I noticed a smell of coolant after a drive and found a small crack in the radiator top tank near the top hose.
I was tempted to attempt a repair but decided to replace it. Luckily Rovercraft in Perth had one in stock, it being a Nissens brand made my decision easier.

I googled “radiator replacement” and didn’t find much information other than to remove the cooling pack as an assembly which means having to degass and regas the A/C with added expense and possibly more issues.

Anyway I wanted to describe how I replaced the radiator without removing the cooling pack.
This might already be listed somewhere but I couldn’t find it.

1. Removed under trays and front grill.
2. Drain coolant.
3. Remove top intercooler hoses.
3. Disconnect radiator hoses.
4. Remove upper fan shroud.
5. Disconnect fan plug and remove fan assembly.
6. Disconnect RH air intake tube and unclip from lower fan shroud.
7. Unclip hoses from lower fan shroud.
8. Remove lower fan shroud.
9. Remove front bumper.
10.Disconnect RH bonnet cable.
11.Remove bolts from front support panel and lift this up and put it ontop of the engine you can leave the LH cable and wiring connected.
12.Remove the 8 bolts holding the radiator to its frame.
13.Remove the bolts holding the intercooler, and anything else stopping the frame from “flexing” enough to allow the radiator to slide upwards.
14. Drag the radiator upwards.
15. Protect the core of the new radiator and slide it into place (second person needed to assist with prying the support frame apart as you push the radiator down).

As all good manuals say “ refitting is a reversal of this”.

Honestly it wasn’t that bad, it took a casual day but presumably can be done alot faster. I had some other things to fix ( bumper has had a very average repair done previously so I tried to fix that a bit better ), also it’s a good opportunity to clean up that area of the car.
In the order of work , I think I pulled the bumper and front support panel earlier as I realised they needed to be out of the way. There’s probably some stuff I missed but really I just wanted to let people know that the rad can come out this way.

Thanks

My brother did the same process to his 2008 TDV8 and I did similar to my 2012 L322 4.4 TDV8, not wanting to split the a/c pipes.