3.5 Ecoboost Radiator Replace

[RSD559]

Anyone replace the radiator in their 3.5 Ecoboost F-150? I ordered a heavy duty cooling radiator for my 2012. I was looking at the factory service manual, and it wants me to recover the freon and disconnect the A/C lines from the condenser, before removing the radiator and the condenser as a unit. I don't want to have to mess with the condenser, except to separate it from the radiator in the truck. Any experience here?

[RSD559]

Dave H M wrote:
Quite often challenges like that are solved by you tube.

No such luck, this time. I guess they are still too new. I have been doing some detectiving on my own, though. The condenser is hooked onto the radiator kind-of like a barn door lock. It has two pegs sticking out on each side that slide into hooks on the radiator. The coolant lines are rigid, but hook onto loose sections of hose with enough room to, hopefully, slide the condenser up enough to disengage the pegs, and allow the radiator to lean enough to get out. I would then need to secure the condenser in that position until the new radiator goes in. A lot of "enough"s in that last line to make it kind of iffy. We'll see. Worse comes to worse, I'll hook everything back up and take the truck to get the Freon removed. I can vacuum pump and re-fill the Freon on my own. Maybe I should do a YouTube video. That's a scary thought!

[Dave_H_M]

Quite often challenges like that are solved by you tube.

[theoldwizard1]

Tyler0215 wrote:
Look and see if there is room to remove the radiator without messing with the A/C condenser.
Slide a piece of HEAVY cardboard cut to fit between the radiator and condenser before you begin removal so you don't damage the A/C.

EXCELLENT SUGGESTION !!

[Tyler0215]

Look and see if there is room to remove the radiator without messing with the A/C condenser.
Slide a piece of HEAVY cardboard cut to fit between the radiator and condenser before you begin removal so you don't damage the A/C.