Shade tree mechanics

[BigV]

Do you know how to change the oil in your car? Can you replace a headlight or taillight? Most of my friends can do these things but don't, for whatever reason, opting to have the work done by someone else. Rotating tires, replacing brakes, flushing cooling systems, this kind of maintenance is beyond the skill and beyond the interest of almost everybody I know. Am I the last of the shade tree mechanics?

I was waiting at the light on my way to work the other day, and the truck ahead of my was putting out a lot of steam in his exhaust, enough that I noticed his brake lights illuminated the whole cloud while we were stopped. Only when I backed into my parking place at work a couple of minutes later did I realize that the steam was coming from me. I popped the hood and sure enough, I was leaking coolant pretty freely. Damn. I traced the highest point of the greenish wetness and could clearly see the cracks in the side of the radiator. Time to replace the radiator.

I had never replaced a radiator, but it looked pretty straightforward. A couple of hoses and a couple of retaining bolts, reconnect and refill, and away we go! So I got a quote from my local auto parts supplier (Action Auto Parts, not Sch***k's) and for $276 they would have one there in the morning. I stopped by after work the next day and picked up the radiator and a case of coolant. I decided that Saturday I would start my project.