350i Radiator.

[mrzigazaga]

Hi Peeps.

Initially i bought a secondhand early pre-serp chimaera rad that at first was believed to just need the bleed screw welded up but after it was tested it was found to be leaking so i had it re-cored and the bleed screw welded up and an overflow pipe welded on..A bit more cost than i anticipated but there was no immediate solution..This way i can drive mine to its destination where the new rad will be fitted.

Total cost for the rad & Hoses £300

Thanks to Gerald at Aaron radiators for being very helpful, They did knock off a fair bit...For £250 they tested the rad initially..Re-cored it..Welded up the bleed screw hole and welded on an overflow..Tested..Painted and delivered...They will be offering a 30% discount voucher for TVR rad's soon..

Before:


The seller is a TVR enthusiast and was a nice enough fellow..It was working when he took it out but it had started to fail on the corners which is what will happen to all of them as they are not rubber mounted..This is something i WILL be doing to prolong the life of the new rad.

After:



Hopefully i will be back to normal on Monday ...What ever that is...

Associated posts.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Cheers...Ziga

Edited by mrzigazaga on Thursday 10th March 10:44

[mk1fan]

That's a very complimentary 'before' picture

[mrzigazaga]

Hi Peeps...Well i thought i would share my experience with removing and fitting a new radiator into the Wedge with you...
Below is a pic of the rad, Brackets and bolt positions.


We left the spoiler on as the bolts holding it have been glassed in but have become loose within the glass..Another job for later!...

The job took us 3.5 hours but allow longer..Although in that time we replaced the twin hooters...Ooo missus...
I was really lucky to have the help of a fellow Wedger..(PK500)..Who now has free breakfasts for the next 20 years....
He also had every spanner and socket known to man....The long reach 10mm were a must.

I would say that without some of these particular tools that it would be easier with the spoiler removed...

Once i figure out how to use the video software i will link the vid that i took...Happy days....Cheers...Ziga


PS: Only one of the two hoses in the Wedge parts list was of any use...More on that later.

[GV]

[quote=mrzigazaga]Hi Peeps...Well i thought i would share my experience with removing and fitting a new radiator into the Wedge with you...
Below is a pic of the rad, Brackets and bolt positions.


We left the spoiler on as the bolts holding it have been glassed in but have become loose within the glass..Another job for later!...

The job took us 3.5 hours but allow longer..Although in that time we replaced the twin hooters...Ooo missus...
I was really lucky to have the help of a fellow Wedger..(PK500)..Who now has free breakfasts for the next 20 years....
He also had every spanner and socket known to man....The long reach 10mm were a must.

I would say that without some of these particular tools that it would be easier with the spoiler removed...

Once i figure out how to use the video software i will link the vid that i took...Happy days....Cheers...Ziga


The easiest way IMO is to drop the front spoiler and remove the rad with cowling attached from underneath the car - should take 30 mins tops assuming the nuts holding up the front spoiler aren't rusted through...

[mrzigazaga]

GV said:

The easiest way IMO is to drop the front spoiler and remove the rad with cowling attached from underneath the car - should take 30 mins tops assuming the nuts holding up the front spoiler aren't rusted through...

Hi mate..I assume you are not saying that the whole job takes 30 mins?....
I'd say..
5 minutes for removal of the bonnet
20-30 minutes for the removal of the spoiler..IF all the bolts come out easily..Though i doubt it as most have been there for 20+ years!.
5-10 minutes undoing the hoses and draining the rad.
15-20 minutes to remove the 4 securing side bolts.
5-10 minutes to remove the cowling..Probably easier to cut the bolts.
Talking in-between ...40 minutes..Although this is optional, Especially if you are doing it on your lonesome..

Then fitting is reversal of removal so another 75 minutes..Total..If you are lucky 2-2.5 hours...We are talking TVR after all....

Edited by mrzigazaga on Thursday 5th March 10:34

[adam quantrill]

Whenever I worked on mine with front spoilers it was almost inevitable that the retaining bolts would be cut off with an angle grinder. Safest place is to take off the heads inside the wings on each side. In extreme you can use a hacksaw blade in the gap between the spoiler and body. Sometimes the spanner would just snap the bolt head off which would save a job...

This usually applied even with the replacement bolts I installed myself... these days probably I would get stainless replacements.

[TA14]

mrzigazaga said:

GV said:

The easiest way IMO is to drop the front spoiler and remove the rad with cowling attached from underneath the car - should take 30 mins tops assuming the nuts holding up the front spoiler aren't rusted through...

Hi mate..I assume you are not saying that the whole job takes 30 mins?....
I'd say..
5 minutes for removal of the bonnet
20-30 minutes for the removal of the spoiler..IF all the bolts come out easily..Though i doubt it as most have been there for 20+ years!.
5-10 minutes undoing the hoses and draining the rad.
15-20 minutes to remove the 4 securing side bolts.
5-10 minutes to remove the cowling..Probably easier to cut the bolts.
Talking in-between ...40 minutes..Although this is optional, Especially if you are doing it on your lonesome..

Then fitting is reversal of removal so another 75 minutes..Total..If you are lucky 2-2.5 hours...We are talking TVR after all....

When I did mine it took about three hours to work out what to do, try five ways to do it, deal with rusty seized bolts etc. On fitting the refurbed rad there was a mistake so I had to remove it again, then there was a third fitting after the rad place had finally got it right. By that time I knew exactly where to lie under the car, which spanners, sockets, extensions etc to use and did it in half an hour, just.

[bradderztvr]

If you ever remove the front spoiler consider replacing the fixing bolts with stainless steel ones, and cover the ends with a blob of grease....easy to undo next time.

[jon haines]

Ooh I remember doing this job and swearing a lot as it was a bugger, had to cut all the bolts holding the spoiler on had to remove the nearside headlamp pod to get at the top hose clip cos it was fitted the wrong way round by some numpty and the reverse fitting wasnt much easier somall I can say zig is good luck mate.

[mrzigazaga]

jon haines said:

All I can say zig is good luck mate.

Thanks Jon...Its done already..Done on Sunday by a fellow Wedger..I just got in the way most of the time..

Here is the old rad..Proper kerplunked...



This was the top hose..Listed as a top rad hose for a Land rover discovery 2.5..(Parts list)


The bottom one ..(NRC4844 ) doesn't seem to fit anywhere? so used the old ones.
New mesh..

Back on terra firma...

Im not too bothered about the bolts showing..Can always get some bolt head caps...

[mrzigazaga]

Hi Peeps...I finally put together a video of the rad removal in the hope that it helps somebody....Cheers...Ziga
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=...

Just updated the vid....

Edited by mrzigazaga on Thursday 7th January 15:11

[wooly350i]

Pffffffff, I'd give it a whole day!

[mrzigazaga]

wooly350i said:

Pffffffff, I'd give it a whole day!

Probably would of been a week if i had to do it out in the street....

[mrzigazaga]

Hi Peeps...I meant to say that the removal of the strip of fibreglass was a last minute decision purely because the bolts were spinning in the spoiler and ..

1. We couldn't access them
2. We didn't have time to cut them and fit new ones.

So ideally remove the spoiler....Or if you are skilled like me then you can glass it back in again...Mines coming off in the spring anyway to be re-painted so cutting it was irrelevant..I have to use time I'm given FOC in someone else's garage...Different if i had a house with its own garage underneath where i could employ some monkies to boss about!...


Cheers


Ziga

[adam quantrill]

An easy way to cut those pesky spoiler side bolts is to use a hacksaw blade in at the side, hand held. Assuming there's a small gap and someone hasn't already fitted stainless ones!

[mrzigazaga]

adam quantrill said:

An easy way to cut those pesky spoiler side bolts is to use a hacksaw blade in at the side, hand held. Assuming there's a small gap and someone hasn't already fitted stainless ones!

That was the only solution mate but we were short on hours and had loads to do and definitely would not of had time to re-glass in some new bolts...Ill do that later..The video is only a guide and is like most things in life..You take what you need from it..If i had all day to make a video about spoiler removal/Repair/Re-fit as well as replace a leaking rad don't you think i would of....I certainly do not promote cutting bits off of your car even though i have HAD to do it to both Wedges i have owned..Albeit a bit of mesh on Delilah...I have said in the video that we couldn't remove the spoiler, You can even hear in my voice i wasn't happy but it had to be done...Unfortunately there are some small brained people out there who have seen it and are accusing me for the demise of these rare cars...Err hello knobhead...The rad was replaced to keep the car on the road...So go away and get a life you sado...

Again i say i hope this helps somebody...

Cheers

Ziga

[ElvisWedgely]

Mark, why do you care what people think? it's your car and you are happy with the job. The car is fixed and that is all that matters.

I think it's very good of you to go to the trouble of making a video in the first place, with view of helping others. I like the idea, and if everyone did the same on different jobs on the car we would all benefit from a wealth of information instead of criticising. Well done Mark, good useful information mate.

Tony. TCB.

[mrzigazaga]

Thanks Tony....I do try to help as much as i can to help keep these beasts alive, Even sending parts to people that i put aside for mine as they are hard to find..And i always condemn the use of cheap parts..I should not let these small minded people upset me but sometimes its like a mosquito buzzing round your head...