anyone have an estimate as to how long it would take a rookie to replace the radiator and the cost difference between having a shop do it vs myself doing it.

thanks in advance

 

A couple of weeks ago I had mine out in about 30 minutes on the driveway. Drain the fluid, disconnect the hoses, overflow bottletube,and transmission cooler lines, undo the fan shroud bolts (2 each) at the top of the shroud...leave the shroud loose and laying there around the fan, remove the two fasteners holding the radiator to the body, lift radiator out. When reinstalliing make sure you re-engage the two slip-joint type fittings at the bottom side of the radiator. The hardest part is getting the lowerradiatorhose loose. Piece of cake otherwise. I can't say about the cost difference to have someone else do it. I'd check with your shop, however. They might include the remove/install with the cost of rebuilding or replacing your radiator.