How to Remove a Radiator Valve
- 1). Remove the radiator cap, then lower the radiator's antifreeze level. Radiators are equipped with either a drain bolt or a petcock plug, each of which is located at the base of the radiator, usually on the side of the radiator facing the engine. A petcock plug looks like a wing nut. If the radiator uses a drain bolt, remove the bolt with a wrench and allow the radiator to drain until the fluid level falls below the top radiator hose, then reinstall the bolt. If equipped with a petcock plug, loosen the plug by turning it in a counter-clockwise direction with a wrench, until radiator fluid exits from the center of the plug. Tighten the plug once the fluid level falls below the top radiator hose.
- 2). Follow the top radiator hose from the radiator to the spot where the hose attaches to the engine. Note that the hose attaches to a metal elbow on the engine. That elbow is the radiator valve's housing and, as its name suggests, contains the radiator valve.
- 3). Slacken the clamp which holds the top radiator hose to the valve housing. The design of hose clamps varies, but clamps typically feature a single screw on them. Loosen the screw with a screwdriver until the clamp loosens, then pull the top radiator hose off the housing.
- 4). Remove the radiator valve's housing from the engine. The vast majority of housings are attached to the engine with two bolts, although some use three. Remove each bolt with a wrench, then pull the housing off the engine to expose the radiator valve.
- 5). Pull the radiator valve out of the engine.
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