6 replies to this topic

[mk=john]

Hi
Just a general question. I have a Mk1 Cooper, side mounted rad like all early minis. I have to remove the radiator to access the water pump. The radiator cowl is the two part which consists of an upper and lower cowl.

Do I have to remove the bonnet to extract the radiator, or is there enough room to remove it with the bonnet in place? Its just tat even though I can mark the position of the hinges on the bonnet, its a pain in the a*rse to get it realigned.

Thanks

[[email protected]]

There is room to do it, but like every job in the engine bay, you'll bang your head less with it off.

[annodomini2]

No but it makes things a lot easier.

[minimadjonesy]

as above! no But seriously consider taking it off, makes things a lot easier and you don't have to be a Contortionist to get in their either!

[pogie]

As the others have said, the bonnet can be left on but the back of your head will thank you if you do remove it. It only takes a couple of minutes to get it off and to make it easier to line up again, just use a marker pen to draw around the hinges where they bolt to the bonnet.

If you do take it off, put an old blanket in the gap between the scuttle panel and the rear edge of the bonnet and then drape it over the wings. You will find that as you remove the bonnet it nearly always wants to fall backwards and hit the paint near where the scuttle meets the wings.

HTH

Edited by pogie, 19 September 2007 - 11:44 AM.

[Spinksta]

I can normally manage to do it no problems without taking the bonnet off.
I'd rather have the hassle of not having quite such clear access to the engine bay than the hassle of re-aligning the bonnet afterwards.
But then I am a skinny runt...

[Jammy]

Save yourself a lot of trouble and undo the bottom hose at the water pump, then lift the rad out with the bottom hose attached.