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The entire front end does not need to be removed this is 100% false I removed and reinstalled a new radiator in 1-1.5 hours you 100% got ripped off. ...
Did you remove ventilators?
Originally Posted by 05ls430518
Side note did you get a all aluminum radiator installed ...
Seems like a lot of money but as wiz said if you are getting a new rad, flush and fluids, i would say that's not unreasonable. I happened to do mine in the spring this year and although the first one that i put in had a leaky petcock and had to put in a second new one , it took me the better part of three days to get it all sealed back up.The bottom rad hose was my nemesis but those bottom bolts brought me to my knees( literally!!) As i say this it occurs to me that maybe a gas Rx is different than the Hybrid but , if not, i think $700 is a fair price. Sure if you've got all the right tools this job is EASIER( NOT easy) but it's still a job.
I removed the shroud radiator and condenser as all one unit I had to buy new bottom mounts because the screw was rusted on there. Here is the part number for them
Just go into amazon or ebay and type in 2004 RX330 radiator it will show you both towing package and non towing all aluminum as well the ones with the plastic end tanks. I replaced mine as it had the normal RX leaky radiator from the coolant eating the aluminum.
Also for anyone trying to burp there cooling system burp it then let it sit over night and cool down and burp it again,that way you can be 100% sure there is no air in there.
Last edited by 05ls430518; Dec 2, 2020 at 06:00 AM.
well it was 650 bucks because most of that was the labor; not so much the parts themselves. The reason it was so much also was because practically the whole front end of the vehicle has to be removed to get the old one out and it took a good 3-4 hours to get it all done and put back together. There is no way i can do these type of things on my own. I just dont have what it takes to get it done so i just use the shop down the street from me which i trust.
There is a HUGE improvement on the RX350 for this repair that makes a big difference.
In the video at 22:30 there are 2 bolts that go thru the lower bracket holding the condensor to the radiator and they can be removed with a phillips or a socket as seen in the video- and he ratcheted them off with ease in seconds.
This is not the way it is on the 2004 RX330 because they used plain phillips screws on my car with no way to put a socket on them- and they rust out bad.
Because mine were ruined, I had to drill the phillips screw heads, mangle the brackets, and reach in with an aircraft wrench to remove the 2 hidden screws on each side between the bracket and radiator.
My only other choice was to evacuate the refrigerant from the AC and pull the condensor out with the radiator as one piece.
>> The black arrows(below) show the hidden screws that are impossible to reach when the bracket screws rust out.
well it was 650 bucks because most of that was the labor; not so much the parts themselves. The reason it was so much also was because practically the whole front end of the vehicle has to be removed to get the old one out and it took a good 3-4 hours to get it all done and put back together. There is no way i can do these type of things on my own. I just dont have what it takes to get it done so i just use the shop down the street from me which i trust.
You 100% got ripped off there is no way it takes 3-4 hours I have physically done it I also own a shop and can look up book time it says 2-2.5 hours.
Your saying they removed the front bumper, lights, crush bar and all the front plastics to change a radiator? If thats the case you may want to get a shop that knows what they are doing.
There is a HUGE improvement on the RX350 for this repair that makes a big difference.
In the video at 22:30 there are 2 bolts that go thru the lower bracket holding the condensor to the radiator and they can be removed with a phillips or a socket as seen in the video- and he ratcheted them off with ease in seconds.
This is not the way it is on the 2004 RX330 because they used plain phillips screws on my car with no way to put a socket on them- and they rust out bad.
Because mine were ruined, I had to drill the phillips screw heads, mangle the brackets, and reach in with an aircraft wrench to remove the 2 hidden screws on each side between the bracket and radiator.
My only other choice was to evacuate the refrigerant from the AC and pull the condensor out with the radiator as one piece.
>> The black arrows(below) show the hidden screws that are impossible to reach when the bracket screws rust out.
Without these issues this is a gravy job.
Yupp same issue I had that is the parts I posted pics of its the rubber bushing and those brackets. The top screw that goes through the radiator condenser and shroud is the one that wouldnt come off for me so I had to cut it off and buy new ones.
You 100% got ripped off there is no way it takes 3-4 hours I have physically done it I also own a shop and can look up book time it says 2-2.5 hours.
Your saying they removed the front bumper, lights, crush bar and all the front plastics to change a radiator? If thats the case you may want to get a shop that knows what they are doing.
excuse me! but they know damn well what they are doing! if they didnt i wouldnt be using them! shop or no shop! i know what they are doing is right! they have been in business since 78! so they have been around the block a time or 2! so dont try and tell me otherwise!
excuse me! but they know damn well what they are doing! if they didnt i wouldnt be using them! shop or no shop! i know what they are doing is right! they have been in business since 78! so they have been around the block a time or 2! so dont try and tell me otherwise!
Yah they know what they are doing they know how to rip you off and make money off you clearly. How would you know if they were doing it correctly you yourself said you don't have the knowledge to do stuff how do you know they are not taking you for a ride.
If you know so much why arent you doing the work yourself oh yah thats right you don't so you come here and argue with everybody and complain for the sake of complaining.
Here is some advice get a car you can afford to maintain like a civic or corolla.
Oh wow they have been in business since 78 Muammar Gaddafi was in control of libya for 42 years doesnt mean he did a great job.
Yah they know what they are doing they know how to rip you off and make money off you clearly. How would you know if they were doing it correctly you yourself said you don't have the knowledge to do stuff how do you know they are not taking you for a ride.
If you know so much why arent you doing the work yourself oh yah thats right you don't so you come here and argue with everybody and complain for the sake of complaining.
Here is some advice get a car you can afford to maintain like a civic or corolla.
Oh wow they have been in business since 78 Muammar Gaddafi was in control of libya for 42 years doesnt mean he did a great job.
heres some advice for you why dont u just be quiet instead of ripping on other people!! do u think i give a s---- what u say? nope! just because u own a shop doesnt mean jack squat to me!
heres some advice for you why dont u just be quiet instead of ripping on other people!! do u think i give a s---- what u say? nope! just because u own a shop doesnt mean jack squat to me!
Why dont you take your own advice and stop making yourself look foolish, your the fool thats paying $300-$400 more for there radiator I was genuinely trying to help at first so why dont you chill with the attitude and listen to the answers people give you when you asks questions, if your "shop" knows so much why are you on the forum asking questions.
Your a real internet gangster your some little punk 23 year old grow up, get your head out of your chalupa and maybe you can learn something so you can fix your owm car instead of getting ripped off.
Also your the last person in the world to take advice from you cant even afford to fix your only car and still live with your parents.....now I am ripping into you.
Last edited by 05ls430518; Dec 3, 2020 at 08:23 AM.
Yupp with burping it takes like 1-1.5 hours thats what I have been trying to tell the OP but his shop has been in business since 78 so
