Matt300ZXT
05-11-2012, 02:20 PM
I spent probably 3-3.5 hours today installing my new AMS radiator. I know people hate AMS and that's fine, whatever, but the quality is no different on their radiator than any of the CX Racing, Megans, Mishimotos, etc that everyone else runs w/o problems. Plus it's a bigger core to boot.
Anyways, the hard pipes came off like cake, and actually went back on like cake, I don't know why everyone hates on them for being so hard to install. The old radiator came out with ease last night too. So late this morning I get to work on it, and it probably takes me 20 minutes just to get the radiator set in place. The round tabs on the bottom that the mounting pegs are welded to kinda interfere a bit with the intercooler pipes running to the throttle bodies. I was able to unbolt them from the other pipes and push them forward to get enough clearance, barely. After I got it set in place, it probably took me 30 minutes or so just to get the fan blade back on the clutch. That extra thick radiator makes that a real pain but I finally got it on there.
Most of the rest of the time was spent just installing, then uninstalling and cutting on the shroud and refitting it...repeat repeat repeat!!! I finally got it cut enough that the AMS silicone hose would slip on and go far enough onto the outlet AND still give me room to get the hose clamp far enough back onto the hose. Once all that was finally cut and shaped enough, I got the upper hose completely bolted in place and tightened down.
Next came the hard pipes...with some PB Blaster providing the lube and backing off the nut to the very end to loosen up the t-bolt clamp so I could move them around and position them the way I wanted, I was able to slide them right into position and tighten the clamps down. Once they were both installed (didn't remove the outter of the 2 hard pipes, only the throttle body ones) I was able to reconnect the overflow hose.
I filled the radiator up with brand new Prestone green 50/50 mix that's safe for all coolant system metals and fired the car up with the cap off and air bleeder bolt off. I let it run with the heat on full blast until it reached operating temperature and topped it off again when the thermostat opened. After it ran at operating temperature for a few minutes and finally topped it off the last time, I tightened down the cap and let it run another minute and then tightened down the air bleeder bolt.
All in all it wasn't that hard of a job and could get it done easier the 2nd time around if I had to. If this radiator ever breaks or whatever, or if I get another Z in the future that needs this upgrade, I'd probably just get the thinner core CX Racing or Mishimoto or something like that.
Anyways, the hard pipes came off like cake, and actually went back on like cake, I don't know why everyone hates on them for being so hard to install. The old radiator came out with ease last night too. So late this morning I get to work on it, and it probably takes me 20 minutes just to get the radiator set in place. The round tabs on the bottom that the mounting pegs are welded to kinda interfere a bit with the intercooler pipes running to the throttle bodies. I was able to unbolt them from the other pipes and push them forward to get enough clearance, barely. After I got it set in place, it probably took me 30 minutes or so just to get the fan blade back on the clutch. That extra thick radiator makes that a real pain but I finally got it on there.
Most of the rest of the time was spent just installing, then uninstalling and cutting on the shroud and refitting it...repeat repeat repeat!!! I finally got it cut enough that the AMS silicone hose would slip on and go far enough onto the outlet AND still give me room to get the hose clamp far enough back onto the hose. Once all that was finally cut and shaped enough, I got the upper hose completely bolted in place and tightened down.
Next came the hard pipes...with some PB Blaster providing the lube and backing off the nut to the very end to loosen up the t-bolt clamp so I could move them around and position them the way I wanted, I was able to slide them right into position and tighten the clamps down. Once they were both installed (didn't remove the outter of the 2 hard pipes, only the throttle body ones) I was able to reconnect the overflow hose.
I filled the radiator up with brand new Prestone green 50/50 mix that's safe for all coolant system metals and fired the car up with the cap off and air bleeder bolt off. I let it run with the heat on full blast until it reached operating temperature and topped it off again when the thermostat opened. After it ran at operating temperature for a few minutes and finally topped it off the last time, I tightened down the cap and let it run another minute and then tightened down the air bleeder bolt.
All in all it wasn't that hard of a job and could get it done easier the 2nd time around if I had to. If this radiator ever breaks or whatever, or if I get another Z in the future that needs this upgrade, I'd probably just get the thinner core CX Racing or Mishimoto or something like that.