The radiator on a Cadillac Sedan DeVille is made of aluminum and has a built-in transmission cooler. Road debris or age may damage the radiator, requiring it to be removed. A few tools and some time is all it takes to remove the radiator.
Disconnect the negative battery terminal. This needs to be done before performing any work on an engine.
Remove the radiator cover. To do this, loosen three plastic screws. Once the screws are loose, pull the plugs with the screws out together. Next, pull upward on the cover just above each headlight to unfasten it, and then it set aside.
Disconnect the brackets from the two engine mounts bolted to the front cross-member. Do this by removing three bolts on each bracket with a socket wrench. The other ends of the engine mounts still attached to the engine will allow you to swing the mounts up and out of the way.
Remove the air filter housing. Plastic buttons with rubber grommets attach the air filter housing to the vehicle. For removal, unplug the sensor located in the upper half of the housing. Next, simply loosen the clamp using a flat-head screwdriver at the end of the rubber elbow, and then lift up on the right side of the air filter housing to dismount it.
Separate the oil cooler lines from the radiator. The oil cooler lines go to the right side of the radiator. Loosen the fittings with a wrench, and gently push the lines back using caution not to kink or bend them.
Cover the oil cooler lines with small plastic bags or the like. This will prevent contamination of transmission oil.
Remove the electric cooling fans. To do this, remove the 3/8-inch bolts located at the top of each cooling fan mounting bracket. Once removed, the fans can be tilted slightly rearward and pulled up to dismount. This will give you access to disconnect the electrical connector to each fan. Carefully remove each fan so you don't damage the radiator fins.
Open the radiator drain valve to drain coolant. The drain valve is on the radiator's lower right side under the lower transmission cooler line. Use a suitable drain pan to collect the draining coolant.
Remove both radiator hoses. Start with the lower radiator hose; then remove the upper radiator hose.
Disconnect the upper radiator mount located atop the radiator. Remove three 3/8-inch bolts, and gently lift the mount up and rearward, taking care not to lose the rubber isolators at each end.
Remove the radiator from the engine compartment. Do this by tilting the radiator back and then gently pulling up. This will separate the radiator from the condenser and allow you to remove it. Take care not to lose the lower radiator rubber isolators. They are sandwiched between the radiator and vehicle frame.
