How hot do they get?

[Newboy]

Just been to look at a 95 3.0 ssrx with 100km. Since it is only the 2nd surf I looked at, I'm a little lost at the following.

1) There is filler/putty on front/top of the radiator, painted over, my guess is that it had a leak at the top sometime ago and it's been filled in.

2) All the cross beams underneath the car is very clean, in fact too clean, it's been resprayed, why would anyone do that, I can understand it if they respray everything, but they only done the beams?!

3) I only drove it down the road for 10-15 mins. the rad was still too hot to touch 10 mins after we stopped. On removing the cap, the coolant was steaming and about 50ml spurted out. Doesn't excess coolant get dumped back into the reservoir?

Any help appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[marky]

Just been to look at a 95 3.0 ssrx with 100km. Since it is only the 2nd surf I looked at, I'm a little lost at the following.

1) There is filler/putty on front/top of the radiator, painted over, my guess is that it had a leak at the top sometime ago and it's been filled in.

2) All the cross beams underneath the car is very clean, in fact too clean, it's been resprayed, why would anyone do that, I can understand it if they respray everything, but they only done the beams?!

3) I only drove it down the road for 10-15 mins. the rad was still too hot to touch 10 mins after we stopped. On removing the cap, the coolant was steaming and about 50ml spurted out. Doesn't excess coolant get dumped back into the reservoir?

Any help appreciated. Thanks in advance.

1. Radiator has had a repair.
2. Chassis & engine bay is expected to be like that as they dont put salt on the roads in Japan. Also may have been undersealed at dealers over here
3. The coolant was steaming What did you expect FROZEN WATER.
All sounds fine to me

[TonyN]

A repaired rad rarely works, best trying to a new one in the deal, unless your sure its been soldered really nicely

Dunno about the cross beams, these cars are normally spotless underneath most of the time, espcially if its fresh in the country.

The coolant will stay hot for ages, a good 1/2 hour at least before the pressure goes down enough the let you open the cap, without spurting out. The reservior only get water when the pressure is great enough to lift the valve in the rad cap, which isn't all the time.

Where abouts in Hampshire are you looking?

Just been to look at a 95 3.0 ssrx with 100km. Since it is only the 2nd surf I looked at, I'm a little lost at the following.

1) There is filler/putty on front/top of the radiator, painted over, my guess is that it had a leak at the top sometime ago and it's been filled in.

2) All the cross beams underneath the car is very clean, in fact too clean, it's been resprayed, why would anyone do that, I can understand it if they respray everything, but they only done the beams?!

3) I only drove it down the road for 10-15 mins. the rad was still too hot to touch 10 mins after we stopped. On removing the cap, the coolant was steaming and about 50ml spurted out. Doesn't excess coolant get dumped back into the reservoir?

Any help appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Newboy]

I'm just outside winchester. The one I looked at was in Horsham. Not that many surf nearby, quite a few in Southampton but dealers have lots of mixed feedbacks.

I've looked at your site, but you only have the 2.4 which I don't really want. However, have got you in mind for services and repairs if and when necessary as you ain't too far from me.

[mickey]

looking through some of the threads, it seems that the radiators can be prone to developing small cracks at the top..mine had a pinprick hole which just showed a damp mark after a run, however, a year later it dumped the coolant, having turned into a 1 inch fracture..
as a cheap fix, i used a rad sealing paste, a two part compound which set like steel, which sounds pretty much like yours..it didn't inspire much confidence though, because the cooling system on the surf ain't something you want to be taking chances with..so i opted for a recon exchange from roughtrax..frankly, it looked like new, and has been fine..it was easy to fit too.

[TonyN]

I'm just outside winchester. The one I looked at was in Horsham. Not that many surf nearby, quite a few in Southampton but dealers have lots of mixed feedbacks.

I've looked at your site, but you only have the 2.4 which I don't really want. However, have got you in mind for services and repairs if and when necessary as you ain't too far from me.

hehe, we've got a 3.0 to, don't let Linda see you leaving out the Bullet! There are lots of Surfs in the yard ATM. 2 1st gens, (one mine, one Robs (wierd noise from motor) ), 4 2.4's (1 2 door being built, 2 early 2.4's being broken for spares, and Garaths 2.4 EFI that's in for head problems) and Linda's 3.0.

Only asking cos if the truck you were looking at was local, could have had a sniff round it with you.