Radiator upper cover removal

[vette-dude]

If anyone has taken one of these off I need to know how the six sheetmetal screws on the sides for the upper to lower cover/shroud were mounted. Mine had the head facing the frame on both sides and it was next to impossible to get to with any kind of wrench or socket. My plan for re-assembly is to remove the clips on the upper shroud and put them on the lower shroud so I can re-attach by screwing in the sheetmetal screws from the air dam intake under the car. Otherwise how in the heck could you get the screws started and tightened with the limited space between frame and shroud? Maybe this was assembled wrong by former owner or someone at Bowling Green had their head in the wrong place when it was engineered. Could someone look and tell me? I also am thinking why Mid America or someone doesn't make a shroud with a plate or cover that removes from the top to suck out all the leaves and debris. It would be an easy fix to the problem. 94 C4 Coupe. Thanks.:duh

 

[69MyWay]

On my 90 there are three or four screws on each side of the shroud with 7mm heads that can only be accessed by twisting your hand with a combination of either a 7mm wrench, or a 1/4" drive using a 7mm socket cut down. Either way, you can only turn the extreme middle screws about 1/4 turn at a time.

The good news is, after you break them loose, they can be fingered out of place.

I have done this now about 6 times, and have no easy solution for you. I have left the very middle screws out though, as it appears to me the upper and lower ones are enough to do the trick.

It is possible however to lift the entire upper and lower shroud assembly out in one piece, therefore having 100% access to these little tiny screws.

However, to take the whole thing out would require discharging the a/c, removing the hood, or at least the prop rod and having it supported to the extreme up position, draining the radiator, pulling the fan wires off, and the outside temp sensor, then lifting the whole thing out in one piece.

 

[jeepie]

It has been a little while since I did it but I will try to remember. My bolts were in the same as yours, and were a pain to get out, If I remember I ended up using a 1/4 drive socket and a
small 7mm box wrench to get them. I think I also removed the horn on the pass side which helped a lot. I did install mine the same way they were in because I also put a piece of screen
over the opening between the bumper and air foil to try to stop the leaves from getting in, I think the screen had about 1/4 openings. I have heard of others mounting the screws the other way to make them easier to get to, I also have heard of others leaving them out completely.
Hope this helped.

 

[vette-dude]

okay and thanks. I thought maybe someone had put them in wrong from a former removal. I am going to reverse the clips and screw them in from the air intake opening. I also am going to get another upper shroud and experiment with making a removable plate across the top for easier access with a shop vac to the area between the rad. and the AC condensor. I let you know how this turns out. Got to find a used shroud first. :BOW

 

[poorboys831]

hi-was just looking at mine while i am changing out the water pump and opti-what would be wrong with just cutting out a piece of the schroud and leaving it off? If it is a concern that leaf and debri would be forced up into the engine compartment the hole could be small enough to be covered by the air cleaner and that way it would block most of it and still be easy to clean out. Dennis

 

[vette-dude]

In my opinion the integrity of the shroud is important to direct the airflow through the radiator. I think you could cut the shroud out between the condensor and radiator and then using clips and sheetmetal screws make a removable plate that covers the cutout. Purists would howl at the moon over it but it would definitely make it easier to suck out the leaves accumulating there. I think leaving this open would cause the airflow to escape out the opening and not through the radiator as the engineering guru's at GM intended. At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it!!!

 

[poorboys831]

yea probably right about the cover-but god only knows,sometimes, why these gm guys were thinking -sometimes I think the devil made them do it dennis

 

[vette-dude]

update

Well got it all apart and sure enough the radiator and AC condensor were plugged up. Blew out with air hose and washed out with water hose. The six sheetmetal screws on the side of the upper cover proved to be a challenge but reversed the way they were installed and next time it will be a piece of cake. Car now runs about 20 to 30 degrees cooler and when the fans finally kick on (not running ac and in heavy traffic) it cools down very fast. This was definitely worth the effort. Thanks to all those who lent me advice and encouragement. When you get as old as I am - it ain't so easy bending over to work on cars that close to the ground.

 

[jeepie]

Nice to see you got it finished, all you need now is a 160 thermostat and have your chip programmed to have both your fans come on earlier and you will run cool all the time even with the A/C on in 90 deg outside temps.

 

[vette-dude]

jeepie,
That's next but think I will wait till spring. I plan on doing a little cruising up cleveland way end of Oct. and want to make sure I have a good heater. Never know when you might want to take the top off ( the car silly -- not the wife)!!