Radiator advice needed

[Dave_bax]

Hi i am looking for some advice, my rad has developed a split along the top tank right on the seam of the tank.

The question is, is this repairable (with it being on the seam) or is it the case of a recon rad?

If it is repairable, does anyone have any experiance of costs involved.

Cheers.

[DaveD]

Hi i am looking for some advice, my rad has developed a split along the top tank right on the seam of the tank.

The question is, is this repairable (with it being on the seam) or is it the case of a recon rad?

If it is repairable, does anyone have any experiance of costs involved.

Cheers.

Vince(Bushwhacker) has repaired his a few times by soldering it,though I think he plans to replace it now. Talk to your neighbour TonyN he may be able to offer a soloution.

[Philip]

Radiator

Took me a bit of time to find it, but call 01753694223 or 07956137886. He is in Slough and fixed mine and was very good price.
Called Auto Radiators.
Philip

[Dave_bax]

Philip did he come out to you? Also if you dont mind me asking how much did it cost?

Cheers.
Dave.

[Philip]

No i did have to take the radiator to him and it cost between £35 and £45 can't remember exactly, but he replaced top part of tank and as far as i know its still fine. Ask Tony he knows who has my last car.
Philip

[poppy986]

Hi Dave, Have you had a look at Rough Trax they do recon and new
rads at resonable prices ?



poppy

[davemaxx]

radiator

i was going to repair mine because it was leaking in just the same place as yours but i decided to get a new one, i used to be a gas welder and brazer and could have done the job while it was insitue but because it had gon once and i have no means of preasure testing it higher than its operating presure i thought it might be a fools labour, (i mean, you repair one weak spot and it will blow out of another soon after and usually when your miles from home)

[Dave_bax]

Good point Dave. Cheers for the help guys, i think i need to get a few prices on the options of repair or replace.

[toyotav84x4]

Ok I am a cheap skate but all these jap rads are basically braised together like any plumber would do a copper fitting.

I also hate to see the recyling of jam jars into the same $$$$$$ jam jars. (I really mean beer bottles - they could just refill the one I am using and the energy saved could fuel my thirst for less money) I am a drunk 4x4 environmentalist.

But really, I have relocated in and out ports, header tanks and cores on various vehicle rads and they work just fine - ie they are as new if you have a small amount of skill! your concern may lie with a pressure increase in the system caused by other engine problems?

If you are going to repair a rad it needs to flow well and not be corroded beyond a decent thickness.

[davemaxx]

fair point but i only paid £140 quid for a brand new one with a twelve month guarantee. like i said i used to be a gas welder and brazer and you wouldn't believe me if i told you how many rads, exahsts, fuel tanks, fuel lines, oil coolers, oil seperators, turbo chargers, and brake servoes i've assembeld, preassure tested, repaired and re sprayed. If i went through all the booking out tickets for brazing and welding rod by the meter at the factory where i worked the length would be hundreds and hundreds of miles, funny thing is though while assembling these things at a rate of hundreds a day we put them in a thing next to the bench called a bin.
there are further links and posts about the japanes brass on the rads not being very good, i can tell you from first hand experiance that lots of componants on all manner of things are just plain $$$$ and other components would leak all over the place if it wasnt seald with a doubble dip of paint.

food for thought:
make sure you've got the right preasure relief rad cap, lots will fit but check that there is still movement in the center for the relief valve to travel upwards once its screwed down. its hard to explain but if you measure from the top of the rim of the rad filler hole to the inner surface where the center washer of the cap fits,(example say 30mm) then get the rad cap and measure from the large inner seal ring to the bottom washer to make sure it will reach and seal, (it would need to be just over that 30mm) then compress it as if it is lifting under preasure, check that when its compressed the measurement is a good few mm less than the example 30mm, if it isn't you may as well just ram a cork in it and wait for something to split

[Philip]

Warning

Do not buy the cheaper rad from Milners as it is not nearly as good as original. It is narrower apart from anything else and Mine leaked after couple of weeks and this is why i had my original one fixed and by that i mean a new top part not just soldered.
By the way, Milners refunded money immediately.
Philip

[davemaxx]

i wouldn't swear that my new one is a genuine part either, even though it is dimensionally perfect but my peice of mind is in the recipt guarantee, promising a replacement if it fails in the first twelve months.

i mean the way the law works, its the part that is guaranteed for twelve monts, so if mine fails after eleven months i get another new one which carries its own twelve month guarantee again, don't be told any difrent about your rights (fair play the bloke behind the counter may not know himself) but thats the way it works.

[michael sa]

...i mean the way the law works, its the part that is guaranteed for twelve monts, so if mine fails after eleven months i get another new one which carries its own twelve month guarantee again, don't be told any difrent about your rights (fair play the bloke behind the counter may not know himself) but thats the way it works.

That's interesting. I know this is not relevant to your situation, but over here in Oz, the warranty covers you for x months (usually 12) from the original date of purchase. Items that are repaired or replaced under warranty carry their own 'service warranty' (which, if I remember correctly is 90 days)

[davemaxx]

i think its one of thoes mine field areas where there are lots of diferent warrantees, guarantees, product guarantees, purchase protection ect, and then what ever the bloke in the shop puts on his advert and the recipt of purchase to make his product more appealing than any one elses so you buy it from him.