My radiator appears to be shot after 20+ years of service. It leaks from the top tank.

Anyway, I feel like I can just DIY this job. Can't be much harder than a few bolts and hoses.

The hoses are what concern me. I don't want to be tugging on a, say, transmission line, and having the 20 year old hose rip. Because I'm not walking the 10 miles to an auto parts store for an extra hose. I had a guy pull a high pressure power steering hose (very big diameter hose and very thick hose walls) and the thing just crumbled. So I don't have too much faith in the integrity of the hoses.

Does anyone have a list of hoses and their sizes that I should buy before I start the radiator job so if I break one, I don't have to worry about it? I know I should prob get new top and bottom radiator hoses. What else is there?

 

There are also two transmission hoses attached to the bottom of the radiator. On my 96 ls400, I didn't have any trouble getting them off. What you have to worry about is making sure your replacement radiator is wide enough. My first radiator wasn't wide enough and I busted out the back side of it when I transferred the temp sensor. Make sure the width is the same on your replacement radiator.

 

I would take time to soak all the hoses with armor all to supple them up the day before the job if I was concerned about them. The radiator replacement on an LS400 is very easy. Be sure not to crack the fan shroud, though. They can be flimsy and an added expense too. Have a clean container to catch tranny fluid, so you can reuse it. It's $7-8 a quart for Type T - IV. Only use this type or equivalent or you will be making a HUGE mistake. When it comes time to refill the coolant, you have to do it with the car jacked up off the ground about a foot to burp it, or you will get air pockets in the engine. That would cause lots of foaming and stuff. Bad, bad things like gaskets start leaking, and ECU thinks the fuel mixture should be different. Things like that.