Ranger Mods

I've had my Koyorad radiator in my Wildtrak now for almost two years, the installation of it however left a lot to be desired as the "mechanic" who carried out the install broke two of the cowl clips that hook onto the plastic frames that go either side of the radiator.
I acquired a second hand cowl and two new side frames well over a year ago and yesterday armed with a good idea of how to do the job properly I decided to carry out a "re-installation".
The first thing is to remove the top cover, easy enough, it's retained by 5 press in clips and then prize the cover off, next - and this is on mine - remove the bottom ARB under-body protection plate. If yours has one, it has to be removed.

Okay, Drain the OAT coolant, I siphon the header tank into a 5 litre container and have a banana shaped scoop that directs the radiator coolant into a bucket once the drain plug is removed, if you don't have one, make one up otherwise you lose the Coolant all over the driveway, and its not cheap to replace.

My coolant is made up of 50% Ford OAT concentrate and 50% demineralised water. Bitter experience has taught me that to use ordinary tap water in any coolant mixture in an engine with an alloy cylinder head is to court trouble with corrosion. The Koyorad holds about 30% more coolant that the Ford OE radiator so have at least 4 litres of additional coolant mixture ready for the re-fill

Disconnect and remove the two bottom hoses at the radiator and just let them hang loose.
Okay, next remove the top hose and the small vent line off the top of the radiator, if you are installing a Koyorad for the first time this will be discarded and replaced with a length of 5 mm ID heater hose.

The cowl can now be removed, its in two sections, the bottom section has two clips - just press the sides and it will come away from the upper section. The upper section can now be maneuvered up and out.
Next remove the two top retaining screw that have a Phillips head indenture, I just used a 14 mm socket, Next there are two 10 mm screws passing through rubber isolators - these need to be removed along with the two 10 mm screws that retain the air conditioning condenser to the radiator.
Gently lift the condenser up roughly 20 mm so that the two lugs came out of the rubber grommets on the radiator brackets.

The radiator can now be lifted clear of the engine bay.

On the Koyorad, press in the two rubber grommets that hold the bottom of the condenser into the brackets.
On the two plastic side frames ovalise the two top holes AND the captive flat washers on the two 14 mm bolts, This is essential as the Koyorad is 5 mm wider then the standard radiator and the plastic frame MUST sit flush with the rear face of the radiator, if not the cowl lugs will not clip into the frame and the lugs will be snapped off -- this is what the "mechanic" did to mine !! It was held in place with duct tape !!

Okay, fit the side frames back in. On the near side hold off clipping the refrigerant line back into it's clip until all the top screws have been replaced, the side frames have a rubber bush that fits into two holes in the firewall.
Next gently slide the radiator in, allow the condenser to sit into the two brackets and when it has replace the 4 off 10 mm screws so that the condenser is again held by the radiator and the plastic frames are screwed to the panel.
Okay, now the two 14 mm screws, - ensure that the frame is level to the rear face of the radiator then screw then into the cast-in nuts on the Koyorad using the oval washers and ovalised holes in the frames as a means of getting it right back and both sides flush with the rear face of the Koyorad .
The cowl can now be lowered back down and the 4 lugs will easily clip into the side frames. Next clip the lower section of the cowl back in place and while you are down there connect the two hoses to the radiator.
Next the top hose. Before you fit the new rubber hose breather line, a tip to venting the air out of the engine ..........
I use a 12 volt DC positive displacement self priming water pump, ( obtained from eBay ) I connect this to the vent line and run the discharge line into the header tank and connect it to the car battery with crocodile clips. Both hoses are semi translucent silicon so the coolant is quite visible. I fill the header tank slowly while running the pump, it sucks the air out of the top of the radiator causing a small vacuum that draws the coolant into the radiator quite quickly and pumps any coolant it might draw off back into the header tank. I ONLY turn the pump off when I am getting a full flow of coolant with no bubbles out of the pump and the header tank coolant level is about 5 mm above the FULL line .

The new vent hose will push onto the spigot on the Koyorad - use a hose clamp to secure it - and I cut the "press fitting" off the "old" vent line and, again with a hose clamp, used it on the new rubber hose to connect it to the header tank.
Run the engine and while its idling refit the top cover with the 5 press in plastic clips and the job is all but done - , change out of your dirty clobber and take your Ranger for a test run, check the coolant level in the header tank and then have a well deserved cold beer.