Having my condenser replaced in the next week or so, just remembered that the dealer thought I might have a pinhole leak on the passenger side bottom of the radiator which is why my coolant drops by tiny amounts (personally think it might just be the cap which was the same symptom on my golf), so I was wondering if it's a front end off job to replace the rad or not?

 

If it is and I'm getting the condenser changed anyway, is it literally a case of unscrewing it from behind and dropping it off while that's being changed to save costs? Thoughts?

 

Oh, and if replacing the rad, whats the legal score with the coolant nowadays, do you have to do anything specific with it??

I do not believe it's a front off for the cooling radiator. Fan cowling comes off and radiator can come off and dropped down. New G12/13 coolant needed about 50% strength so you need a couple of three bottles 

Air con rad is a front end off job. 

Ta

Antifreeze needs to go to council site the is licened to despose of if correctly, i think the condenser may come out out of the same gap as the water rad, as all three are mounted in the same place; by all three i mean if looking from the front of the car you have the intercooler then the condenser then radiator. 

Nah, condenser is front most, then intercooler, then rad, I just wasn't sure if you needed the front off to change the main rad, thats all. My condenser has a white receiver drier plug on the top right side so I know it has to be that.

 

As it turns out it sounds like it's a moot point if you definitely don't need the front off to replace cos I can do it anytime if it IS the rad that needs changing to fix any leak in the cooling system. Just thought that while the front is most likely gonna be off whilst changing the condenser then it might be prudent to change the rad too to save expense later on, but sounds like it's not an issue or extra either way if I leave it. Guess if I do it I'll have to catch the coolant. Fire station I work at has an drain interceptor though so might be able to use that, will do some homework.

 

Thanks for the help though guys.

When you take the front crash structure off the rads etc will hang loose there will be nothing holding them as the slam panel for the bonnet has to come off too, so its just a matter of disconnecting the fan pack, top and bottom hoses, they are on clips, just pull clip and wriggle pipe off, I think the rad is bolted to the intercooler, if so it should just lift out leaving the intercooler still connected, or you might be able to take the whole lot off and separate on the floor?, that might be a better option depending how much time you have.

 

 

Trev

Cheers, sounds like there no benefit to changing the rad when the condensers being done more than doing it any other time then.

If it was me I would do the two together, that way it only has to come apart once.