radiator refurb
Discussion
Hi all, sorry if this has been asked before but. does anyone know of a good radiator recorer in or around the Weston super mare area? My rad is passed its best I think as was running hot the other day after a rant, around 100 and spends a lot of time at 90 with the fans on. I looked at the rad and a lot of the fins are missing and theres considerable what looks like copper corrosion there. Time for a recore I think.
Many thanks
Mike
Many thanks
Mike
Picked up my recored rad from Berkshire Radiators this afternoon.
I thought i had got away with a repair at £50 for the leak i was aware of, but subsequent testing showed other problems and a recore or new was the only option.
I ended up paying £250.00 which i thought was a bit steep, but the service was good and If the going rate appears to be about £225.00 then maybe not too bad. I also got an uprated core. Apparently the waterways are spaced at 9mm rather than the usual 15mm.
I thought i had got away with a repair at £50 for the leak i was aware of, but subsequent testing showed other problems and a recore or new was the only option.
I ended up paying £250.00 which i thought was a bit steep, but the service was good and If the going rate appears to be about £225.00 then maybe not too bad. I also got an uprated core. Apparently the waterways are spaced at 9mm rather than the usual 15mm.
The thing everyone should keep in mind here is what you nearly always end up with when you get a radiator reconditioned is (more or less) a brand new radiator.
Then ask yourself how far off from a completely new radiator your reconditioned one truly is.
"Not far off at all" is almost certainly going to be the answer.
Now look at the cost of an aluminum radiator, in my experience the Chimaera just doesn't need one. The only advantage an aluminum radiator gives is a reduction in weight, the disadvantages can be accelerated internal corrosion and the increased likelihood of splits forming around the welds.
There is no significant cooling advantage in going aluminum and the standard Chimaera cooling system is more than capable anyway, it really doesn't need uprating at all.
So with a reconditioned radiator being 98% a new radiator and more robust than an ally one why pay more than you have to?
Knowing how much work is involved and what you should typically end up with, anything from £180 - £220 for a reconditioned radiator seems very fair to me.
And if you're feeling a bit put out by £250 right now just ask yourself how much engine damage you could have done if that old leaky rad had let go in in a big way in all this hot weather we're currently enjoying?
Makes that £250 spent seem like a very sensible investment indeed to me..
- Completely new tanks
- Completely new (& often uprated) core
- Re-black paint job
Then ask yourself how far off from a completely new radiator your reconditioned one truly is.
"Not far off at all" is almost certainly going to be the answer.
Now look at the cost of an aluminum radiator, in my experience the Chimaera just doesn't need one. The only advantage an aluminum radiator gives is a reduction in weight, the disadvantages can be accelerated internal corrosion and the increased likelihood of splits forming around the welds.
There is no significant cooling advantage in going aluminum and the standard Chimaera cooling system is more than capable anyway, it really doesn't need uprating at all.
So with a reconditioned radiator being 98% a new radiator and more robust than an ally one why pay more than you have to?
Knowing how much work is involved and what you should typically end up with, anything from £180 - £220 for a reconditioned radiator seems very fair to me.
And if you're feeling a bit put out by £250 right now just ask yourself how much engine damage you could have done if that old leaky rad had let go in in a big way in all this hot weather we're currently enjoying?
Makes that £250 spent seem like a very sensible investment indeed to me..
Badgerchim said:
Good points, when you put it like that it has to be money well spent
Your only problem now may be the car runs a bit too cool in the winter, don't trust the TVR temp gauge though, have a look at what Rover Gauge tells you.I've just put a re-con rad in 'Ol Gasbag' as a precautionary maintenance measure and can see from my Canems software she's definitely running slightly cooler now than she did, BTW I've been running an 88 degree thermostat all rear round for many years now with no issues whatsoever.
My guess is she'll need a rad blind in the very cold winter months, the standard cooling system in a Chimaera really is more than adequate, perhaps even verging on the slightly over efficient.
What you don't want is a rad failure, so in my opinion a rad recondition every 10 years should be part of everyone's maintenance plan.
You've done the right thing...
I have a new 88° thermostat to fit so will monitor guage temps. Rover guage is on the shopping list. Also invested in a new otter switch and hoses so should have an efficient cooling system when all fitted.
Is there any preference/ real difference in pink or green antifreeze. I know you should not mix. It had pink when the rad was drained?
Is there any preference/ real difference in pink or green antifreeze. I know you should not mix. It had pink when the rad was drained?
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