How to Remove a Dodge Intrepid Radiator
by Russell WoodUpdated July 10, 2023Things You'll Need:
- Drain pan
- Pliers
- Flat-head screwdriver
- 3/8-inch ratchet and socket set
- Jack
- Jack stands
- Open-end wrench set
1. Allow the engine to cool down
Allow the engine to cool down for at least three hours or until you can hold your bare palm on the radiator cap without feeling warmth. Put a drain pan below the radiator. Open the petcock on the bottom of the radiator and drain out the coolant into the pan.
2. Remove the upper radiator hose clamp
Remove the upper radiator hose clamp from the upper radiator hose using the pliers, or the flat-head screwdriver if the Intrepid's original-equipment clamp has been replaced. Unbolt the radiator panels from the radiator using the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket. Then unplug the radiator fan connection by hand and unbolt the radiator fan using the ratchet. Remove the fan from the area.
3. Lift up the front of the Intrepid using the jack
Lift up the front of the Intrepid using the jack. Place a jack stand on either side of the chassis, under the frame rails, then lower the car onto the stands. Remove the hose clamp on the lower radiator hose using the pliers or the flat-head screwdriver. Unbolt the lower condenser bolts from the condenser using the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket and an open-end wrench. Lower the car off the jack stands with the jack.
4. Unbolt the upper radiator and condenser mounting bolts
Unbolt the upper radiator and condenser mounting bolts, using the ratchet and a wrench. Pull the condenser away from the radiator. Angle the top of the radiator toward the firewall and engine, then lift it up and away from the car.
Warning
Do not ever work on a vehicle with a hot cooling system, or you risk burning yourself.
Video showing how to replace a radiator in a Dodge Intrepid:
Comments from this video:
- That is a miserable job to do. The fasteners they use to put the car together are for quick / easy assembly line install but when they get rusted they are near impossible to unfasten. Totally miserable job to have to do!
Things You'll Need
- Drain pan
- Pliers
- Flat-head screwdriver
- 3/8-inch ratchet and socket set
- Jack
- Jack stands
- Open-end wrench set
Warnings
- Do not ever work on a vehicle with a hot cooling system, or you risk burning yourself.
Writer Bio
Russell Wood is a writer and photographer who attended Arizona State University. He has been building custom cars and trucks since 1994, including several cover vehicles. In 2000 Wood started a career as a writer, and since then he has dedicated his business to writing and photographing cars and trucks, as well as helping people learn more about how vehicles work.
