How to access lower radiator hose from radiator on 99 windstar. do i need to remove the bumper?

Removal & Installation

1. Drain the cooling system.
2. Remove the cooling fan motor and shroud, as outlined in this section.
3. Remove the front bumper cover, as follows:
   • Raise and safely support the vehicle..
   • Remove the 2 bolts from the top of the radiator grille.
   • Remove the 4 scrivets from the top of the radiator grille.
   • Remove the 3 lower pin-type retainers.
   • Remove the 6 fender splash shield screws (3 each side).
   • Remove the 4 lower screws (2 each side).
   • Disconnect the side marker lamp electrical connectors, if equipped.
   • Disconnect the fog lamp electrical connectors, if equipped.
   • Remove the front bumper cover.
   • Pull the corner of the bumper cover from the bracket.
4. Disconnect the upper radiator hose and lower degas bottle hose from the radiator.
5. Disconnect the lower radiator hose from the radiator.
6. Lift and remove the tabs from the radiator support and position the radiator towards the engine.
7. Remove the 2 A/C condenser bolts from the radiator and separate the condenser from the radiator. To install, tighten to 10 Nm (89 inch lbs.).
8. Remove the radiator.

To install:

1. Installation is the reverse of the removal procedure, noting the following:
   • Tighten the A/C condenser-to-radiator bolts to 10 Nm (89 inch lbs.)
   • Fill and bleed the cooling system.

Changing the alternator itself is the easiest of tasks on the A6. It's getting to it that is a problem.
Here is how.
Disconnect the headlight connections the remove the headlamps.
Disconnect the water hoses between engine and radiator.
Remove transmission cooler pipes from radiator. (You have to plug these somehow to prevent loss of ATF and dirt contamination)
Remove spot light covers from bumper. Look under there and you will see 2 alled bolts fixing the bumper to the chassis. Undo these.
Next remove the bumper bolts on the fenders whichn yo can only reach through the headlight holes.
Ease out the grille and disconnect any wiring that could be strained especially the one on the radiator lower hose.
Pull the right side of tf the bumper out more to see the alternator. You do not have to remove air con pipes, just un-hook any hangers.
You need a 17mm socket and power bar to remove the serpentine belt then you undo the 2 bolts attaching alternator to motor and the 2 elecric cables to the alternator.

Remove drain plug from radiator by unscrewing, if this does the trick you are on your way if not, take a tooth pick and pick at the hole. if this fails and you still need to drain radiator, let it sit until it cools down then remove lower radiator hose..This will remove all coolant from block and radiator.

I think you will have to lower the splash shield under the front bumper and it should be on the very bottom of the radiator.

If not, you can loosen the lower hose at the radiator and drain it that way.

1. Drain coolant
2 Remove lower splash shields
3. Disconnect the lower radiator hose and the high pressure transaxle line
4. Lower the vehicle
5. Disconnect the transaxle return line
6. Disconnect the upper radiator hose and degas hose
7. Position the hood latch assembly out of the way
8. remove the 2 bolts and the center support
9 remove the 2 top bolts retaining the cooling fan to the radiator
10. remove the upper radiator support brackets, and remove the radiator from the vehicle
11. To install, reverse the removal procedure

The textbook method is to remove the drain plug. Most drain plug is make of nylon/plastic and it may fall apart while you turn it.

The professional method is to loosen the lower radiator clamp and drop to lower radiator hose.

Drain the coolant onto a large drain pan and recycle the coolant

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remove the radiator hose remove the two bolts that hold the tube on and buy new tube and replace is in reverse order.

Not 100% sure but if you look up under exhaust manifold area, on block,is usually a common place. Simple hex head plug into block on most. Are you sure just pulling lower rad hose, and thermostat housing off won't get you where you need to be?

At least you have the 4 liter 6. Once you get all the **** out of the way its like replacing a W/P on an "old school" engine, very much like a Ford or Chevy straight 6. 1) Remove radiator top retainer (the metal U that looks like its the top of the radiator (#13 or 14mm sockets I think). 2) To completely get if off you also have to remove the grill (4-6 phillips screws), then 3) unbolt it from the tubular bumper retainers underneath the grill. 4) DO NOT remove the latch cable - no need. 5) Remove the top bolts holding down the fan shroud. Lift the shroud off its bottom "tabs" and push over the fan. 6) Using #10mm socket remove fan from fan clutch, then remove bolts holding fan clutch onto water pump pulley. 7) Pull out shroud, then fan, then fan clutch. Be very patient, lots of wiggling may be needed. 8) Locate belt tensioner on idler puller below the Power steering pump. Losen very little the pulleys center bolt (10mm), then use a 10mm w/entension to losen the pulley's tension (use counter clockwise/normal rotation to losen). 9) Draw a diagram of the belt routing - you will Never remember it correctly otherwise. 10) Tap the w/p pully and pull if off - do not hit radiator fins! 11) Drain the radiator (clockwise/right rotation opens petoc from factory radiators - counterclock used on aftermaket rads). 12) Remove lower raditor hose at radiator, then at pump (it will be a challenge). 13) Remove upper radiator hose from rad and from thermostat housing. 14) losen the Rubber heater hose from the metal hose screwed into the W/P. 15) Remove 4 bolts from W/P (13 or 14mm I think). The one at the 4oclock position is longer than the others. One is hidden at 6oclock.
16) Remove 2 bolts (14-15mm??) on bottom of Power Steering mount - these go through the W/P case to the block. You may also need to losen the top PS bolts so the PS Bracket can be loose at the W/P case. 17) Wiggle the W/P out from under the PS bracket. and pull off. (16b if needed, remove the upper idler pulley near the A/C unit.) 18) Remove the Thermostat (upper hose return) housing. Scrape off old gasket. Replace with 160deg or 190deg thermostat. Use silicone on gasket. 19) Carefully use a 17 or 19mm box wrench to remove the metal heater hose return line from the upper part of the old water pump. Coat threads with spark plug thread antiseize and screw onto new W/P. 20) Install new W/P gasket w/silcone, be careful to Not block the water holes. 21) Slide W/P under the P/S bracket and jiggle into place. Hand thread one of the top bolts to hold the W/P in place. 22) Insert the P/S bracket bolts and lightly tighten. 23) Jiggle W/P around and insert other bolts, start with the 6oc hidden bolt. Add remaining bolts and tighten to 25 or 250?ftlb (about 3/4 past socket-snug). 24) Tighten ALL P/S bolts. 25) Adjust metal heater pipe. Reinstall rubber heater hose. 26) Reinstall W/P pulley and Fan clutch, and upper idler if it was removed. 27) Thread NEW Belt on pulleys. 28) Tighten tension on idler. Tighten idler axle bolt. 29) Install lower rad hose. 30) Slide shroud over pulleys. 31) Install fan on clutch. 32) Clip shroud retainer bolt mounts back on top of radiator. 33) Install shroud. 34) Connect upper hose. 35) Reinstall radiator retainer. 36) Bolt retainer to Tubular bumper mounts. 37) Reinstall grill. 38) Wonder where the extra bolts etc are supposed to go. 39) Cuss - pray -cuss - pray. 40 ) sip some beer. 41) carefully inspect everything to ensure its back to the way it looked before (several pictures from a digital camera taken during the disassembly will help). 42) Close the rad petok. 43) Add 1 gallons of antifreeze. 44) Start engine and add another gallon of A/F. 45) Turn heater controls to HOT inside (no need for fan). 46) Water guage should show 180 to 210F. 47) Add 1 gallon of water. 48) Install New 18PSI rad cap. 49) Turn off engine and add water or A/F to overflow tank. 50) 1 hour later open Cap to see if level has settled. Add Water as needed to fill rad.

depends on what motor you have, it'll either be on the bottom of radiator (you might have to move the cover to get at it) or in the rear of the engine block. if you get at them i'd simply just remove the lower hose from the radiator. just make sure car is compleatly cooled down first.