There are several things to remember when removing and refitting a car radiator.

The first is the fragility of the unit. Most modern car radiators are made from an aluminium centre core capped on both ends with plastic tanks.

Unlike the older copper and brass Audi radiators they are not easily repaired and even the slightest nick in the aluminium core can render the Audi radiator useless.

The Audi radiator plastic end tanks are also fairly fragile and great care should be taken to not knock the plastic locating pins.

NEVER remove a Audi radiator cap from a car radiator expansion tank or Audi radiator whilst the engine coolant is still hot. Great pressure can build up in some Audi radiator systems and the fitter must be sure that the engine and it's cooling system have had sufficent time to cool.

If your replacement Audi radiator is of copper and brass construction be careful  not over tighten any threaded fittings such as the hole for the Audi radiator fan switch. The fittings are only soft soldered into the Audi radiator tank and can easily be broken if over tightened.

Care should also be taken when removing and refitting the Audi radiator hoses on to the Audi radiator pipes, again these fiitings are soft soldered and can form leaks if excessive force is used.

If your car radiator has an inbuilt oil cooler with threaded fittings for the pipes ensure they are not cross threaded when attaching.

Always, always, always replace the anti freeze solution when refilling the Audi radiator. The antifreeze also acts as engine coolant as it has a higher boiling temperature than water. Aways use the manufacturers recommended soultion and observe the correct ratio of water to anti freeze.

When you are confident that the car radiator is fitted correctly and all pipes are sufficently tightened you will need to run the engine until it gets warm enough for the thermostat to open and circulate the water through the entire system. It is ESSENTIAL to remove any trapped are from the car radiator cooling system as air expands greatly and can blow a Audi radiator from the pressure build up.

It is advisable to set the heater temperature control to HOT as this will allow water to circulate through the unit. Do not switch the fan on as this will only slow the process of heating the system.

If you are in any doubt about removing or refitting a car radiator you should leave it to your local garage or car radiator specialist.

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