I made one very ignorant mistake in the first post. It's getting late! You should be standing at the passenger's fender. The proper post should read like this: See, we all make stupid mistakes!



Don't fret. If I can do it, you can do it. In your case, get out from under the car and forget about dumping the two quarts in the tranny sump. Leave that drain plug alone.

If you plan on working on your car, you must find some way to remember the meaning of righty-tighty, lefty-loosey. If you have to, take a loose large nut and bolt and in your hand physically screw the nut on (or off) to better focus on which way a nut must turn.

After a good nights sleep, you should be ready to tackle the radiator nut. Now tomorrow:

You should be standing at the passenger's front fender looking down at the upper transmission cooling line. Use the proper size open end wrench, I think 15 mm. and just install the wrench on the nut. It should fit tight. You will be pushing the end of the wrench forward, but not yet. To ensure you don't break the nipple flange right off the radiator when you push, there should be a larger nut built onto the circumference of the flange. You must restrain that nut by using the proper size open end wrench or, if you must, a large but tightly adjusted adjustable wrench. As you begin to push forward on the 15mm nut, you need to hold and slightly pull back (to counter the torque) on the restraining nut. You'll see. The nut will loosen and you'll be off to the races!

If you should have any doubts as to which way to turn the 15mm nut and by now you shouldn't, imagine you're in the engine compartment facing that nut. Now take your example nut and bolt and with the threads and nut facing you screw the nut on and then off a few times; it will then be apparent as to which way the nut should turn - to the left, or counterclockwise, to remove.

Probably my biggest screwup potential is when I get frustrated. When that happens you're just asking for trouble. It's best to just walk away for awhile.
You can post about how easy the job was tomorrow. Just don't make a mess.

Marty Wolfson

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