Is it really necessary to remove the grill and take everything apart or can the radiator be slid out and leave everything else more or less in place? My new radiator will be here probably Tuesday and I'd like to change it one evening if that's realistic.

 

I've never replaced it on my 99, but it sounds like people have more trouble with pre-facelift. When I did my 04 I removed the grill(3 plastic screws on the top and pull up) and that was it besides the hoses and fan cowl. You have to remove the grill to reach all the screws. I left the trans-cooler lines on it and just carefully held it out of the way. Took me a little over an hr just at a slow cautious pace.

 

On my 02 I left everything in place only had to remove the air box. It was a pain to wiggle it past the oil and trans coolers , leave them in place at all costs I have seen horror stories about those connecters blowing off. Leaving you stranded.

 

You just need a really long Philips to reach through the grill and get to the screws on the side.

 

Doing an '04, this was the key for me as well. Be careful and you can finagle the radiator off and on the trans-cooler without damaging any fins.

Other than that part, its pretty straight forward unscrewing a bunch of things.

 

1.5 out, in and system bleed. Oh and don't drain the whole system its not needed.

 

Thanks everyone. That's what I was hoping for.

 

Have a great deal of respect for the screw that goes down in the plastic tank. Too much screw or too much force and it will crack and leak. And the small connections to the radiator are delicate.

 

I took out battery & air box. Found it a bit tricky getting trans/oil cooler lines to slide into their respective slots, but finally managed...Also, don't forget to take special notice of where & how radiator sundries fit (rubber part at bottom and 2 retaining clips AND the 2 nuts that come with it tend to slide out repeatedly during the wiggle process. Good Luck....

 

When taking of the cooler lines, spray them with penetrating oil incase they are dirty other wise you can fight them for hours.
Be careful when re-installing the 2 upper screws for the top cover, don't want to thread them in to tight or you will puncture the radiator.