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1999 Mercury Sable - removing radiator, and having trouble understanding directions / locating parts


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almightyeric
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Jan 3, 2011, 11:14 PM

Post #1 of 4 (23573 views)
post icon 1999 Mercury Sable - removing radiator, and having trouble understanding directions / locating parts Sign In

I have a 1999 Mercury Sable LS Wagon with a 3.0L V6 OHV engine. It has 186,000 miles on it.

I'm trying to remove the radiator from it, so I can install a replacement radiator that's arriving on Wednesday from parts store. I'm using the Chilton Ford Taurus/Sable '96-'99 Repair Manual as my guide.

Here's my problem:
The instructions refer to various parts; but I don't know what, or where, some of them are. Specifically, these parts:
1) A/C condenser retaining bolts
2) A/C condenser bracket
3) A/C condenser core
4) transaxle oil cooler line bracket
5) oil cooler (I assume "transaxle oil cooler")
What do each of these things look like and/or where are they?

This is by far the most major car repair I've undertaken. To illustrate my experience level, the next most major work I've done is replacing the serpentine belt and changing the oil.



How did I get into this mess? I was driving home on the freeway one night in the fog a few weeks ago. It occurred to me at that time, that my car heater hadn't gotten warm all day. After driving on the freeway for about 5 minutes, I heard a thump as I felt a slight thump against on my right foot (gas pedal foot). I looked at the gauges and saw the temperature gauge all the way up at hot. Steam or smoke was also coming from my hood (as it was dark and foggy, I don't know whether it was steam, smoke, or both). I pulled over within 20 seconds and got my car towed home.
Days later, I opened the hood and saw a piece of metal (size of a license plate) with a black rubber thing in it that looks like it belongs in it, laying loose under my hood. For what it's worth, my then-visiting uncle who has experience working on car engines, said it looked like a "heat shield". Maybe the thump was related to something hitting that, or that hitting something.
While troubleshooting, here is the behavior I observed: When I pour water into the coolant overflow reservoir and put the cap back on the reservoir, there appears to be no water leaking (or very, very little, I don't remember). When I *remove* the cap, coolant (water) leaks out in a steady stream beneath the car. My dad and I examined the area with flashlights and didn't see where the source of the water was, but it was coming off the car at the radiator near the drain petcock (but not *from* the petcock).
As it appeared to be coming from somewhere higher on the radiator, I concluded the radiator was damaged, and set out to replace the radiator. And that is where I am now. I'm following the directions in the Chilton book, but do not know where to find (or what they look like) some of the parts it refers to.


By the way, does anyone else here have a 1999 Mercury Sable (or Ford Taurus) who I can trade learnings with?
1999 Mercury Sable LS Wagon (w/3.0L V6 OHV engine)

(This post was edited by Jeff Norfolk on Jan 4, 2011, 7:14 AM)


almightyeric
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Jan 4, 2011, 12:00 AM

Post #2 of 4 (23549 views)
Re: 1999 Mercury Sable - removing radiator, and having trouble understanding directions / locating parts Sign In

This is what I see, from underneath my car, looking up towards the bottom of the radiator. I added colored arrows so I can refer to parts of the picture more easily.

Red = Lower radiator hose (disconnected from radiator)
Orange = Engine cooling fan enclosure or assembly
Yellow = Radiator
Green = [is this the AC condenser core?]
Blue = [what is this?]


1999 Mercury Sable LS Wagon (w/3.0L V6 OHV engine)

(This post was edited by almightyeric on Jan 4, 2011, 1:06 AM)


re-tired
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Jan 4, 2011, 12:06 AM

Post #3 of 4 (23544 views)
Re: 1999 Mercury Sable - removing radiator, and having trouble understanding directions / locating parts Sign In

DO NOT REMOVE YOUR AC CONDENSER. YOu dont have the equip to do so , freon recovery etc. The radiator is designed to slip out the bottom of car . You need to jack car front end up a couple of feet . please use jackstands , please use jackstands , I cant say it enough. when secure here are the instructions with pictures , I like pictures Crazy




REMOVAL & INSTALLATION



See Figures 1 through 8



Fig. Fig. 1: Remove the lower mounting bracket to access the lower radiator hose



Fig. Fig. 2: Remove the clamp from the lower radiator hose and...



Fig. Fig. 3: ... remove the hose from the radiator



Fig. Fig. 4: Remove the transmission cooler line retaining clips



Fig. Fig. 5: Install the release tool onto the cooler line and release the fitting



Fig. Fig. 6: The upper radiator retaining screws are accessible through a hole, remove them from the radiator



Fig. Fig. 7: Remove the lower radiator retaining screws and...



Fig. Fig. 8: ... remove the radiator from the vehicle
Fuel line disconnect tool set T90T-9550-S or equivalent is required to perform this procedure.
  1. Disconnect the battery cables, negative cable first.
  2. Remove the battery and the battery tray.
  3. Unclip the constant control relay module and position it aside.
  4. Remove the radiator cap.
  5. Raise the vehicle and support it with jackstands.
  6. Remove the radiator splash shields.



CAUTION Never open, service or drain the radiator or cooling system when hot; serious burns can occur from the steam and hot coolant. Also, when draining engine coolant, keep in mind that cats and dogs are attracted to ethylene glycol antifreeze and could drink any that is left in an uncovered container or in puddles on the ground. This will prove fatal in sufficient quantities. Always drain coolant into a sealable container. Coolant should be reused unless it is contaminated or is several years old.

  1. Drain the cooling system into a suitable container.
  2. Remove the radiator mounting bracket assembly.
  3. Disconnect the lower and upper radiator hoses and the overflow hose from the radiator.
  4. Remove the A/C condenser retaining bolts.
  5. Remove the transaxle cooler line clips.
  6. Using a 3 / 8 inch fuel line disconnect tool T90T-9550-S or its equivalent, disconnect the transaxle oil cooler tubes from the radiator.
  7. Remove the transaxle oil cooler line bracket and position the oil cooler aside.
  8. Remove the A/C condenser bracket and position the A/C condenser core aside.
  9. Remove the retaining bolts and radiator support bracket.
  10. Remove the radiator.


To install:
  1. Place the radiator in position.
  2. Install the radiator support bracket and the retaining nuts. Tighten the nuts to 71-106 inch lbs. (8-12 Nm).
  3. Place the A/C condenser core into position, install the condenser bracket and the retaining bolts. Tighten the bolts to 45-61 inch lbs. (5-7 Nm).
  4. Place the transaxle oil cooler in position and install the oil cooler tube bracket. Tighten the retainers to 45-61 inch lbs. (5-7 Nm).
  5. Install the transaxle cooler line tubes and the cooler line clips.
  6. Place the A/C condenser retaining bracket and install the retainers. Tighten the retainers to 45-61 inch lbs. (5-7 Nm).
  7. Attach the radiator overflow hose and the radiator hoses to the radiator. Tighten the hose clamps securely.
  8. Install the radiator mounting bracket and its retainers. Tighten the retainers to 81-106 inch lbs. (8-12 Nm).
  9. Install the radiator splash shields and lower the vehicle.
  10. Place the constant control relay module in position and install the retaining clip.
  11. Install the battery tray and battery.
  12. Connect the battery cables, negative cable last.
  13. Fill and bleed the cooling system.
  14. Start the engine and check for coolant and transmission fluid leaks.



LIFE'S SHORT GO FISH


almightyeric
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Jan 4, 2011, 12:39 AM

Post #4 of 4 (23539 views)
Re: 1999 Mercury Sable - removing radiator, and having trouble understanding directions / locating parts Sign In

@Re-tired: Thanks for your quick response. Those instructions and pictures are the same as the ones in my Chilton book (although the numbers of the steps in the book go from 1-30 instead of 1-6/1-10/1-14, and the pictures you posted are brighter and larger than the ones in my book). As for lifting the car, I drove the front wheels onto ramps, and put tire chucks behind the rear wheels.


Regarding the steps you provided, I have already done the first steps 1-6 (d/c battery, remove battery & tray, set aside CCRM, remove cap, raise vehicle, remove shield) and the next steps 1-4 & 6 you provided (drain fluid, remove bracket, d/c hoses, ..., remove transaxle cooler line clips, and d/c transaxle cooler tubes).

I didn't do that step 5 (remove A/C condenser retaining bolt) because I didn't know where that bolt was (I still don't know where it is). That's one of the 5 components I listed in my first post that I don't know the location of.

The remaining 4 components I don't know the location of are the ones steps 7 & 8 refer to. Here are the 5 parts I'm trying to locate:
1) A/C condenser retaining bolts
2) A/C condenser bracket
3) A/C condenser core
4) transaxle oil* cooler line bracket
5) oil cooler (I assume "transaxle oil cooler")

*note: in my first post, I accidentally left out the word 'oil' in #4.

Anybody know where any of those parts are? I posted a photo of the underside of my radiator and surrounding parts.
1999 Mercury Sable LS Wagon (w/3.0L V6 OHV engine)






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