Leaking aluminium radiator
Discussion
The radiator on my car developed an odd intermittent leak, here pictured when the system was pressurized by a bicycle pump to a few PSI.
The radiator is aluminium and mounted on four rubber grommets (two top / bottom) of the same type used on Classic Range Rover / Defender / Discovery, the radiator is about ten years old.
It looks like the welding between the matrix end plate and the end tank didn't penetrate very well or have I missed something?
Options are repair or replace.
What would you PHers do?
The radiator is aluminium and mounted on four rubber grommets (two top / bottom) of the same type used on Classic Range Rover / Defender / Discovery, the radiator is about ten years old.
It looks like the welding between the matrix end plate and the end tank didn't penetrate very well or have I missed something?
Options are repair or replace.
What would you PHers do?
Thank you.
I asked the manufacturer what they thought the cause of the leak was, they didn't comment besides mentioning coolant quality and ensuring the grounds were good to prevent electrlytic corrosion. The radiator is electrically isolated from the LV vehicle systems and the chassis with the only conductive path would be the coolant.
I asked the manufacturer what they thought the cause of the leak was, they didn't comment besides mentioning coolant quality and ensuring the grounds were good to prevent electrlytic corrosion. The radiator is electrically isolated from the LV vehicle systems and the chassis with the only conductive path would be the coolant.
Very excited to take delivery of the repaired radiator today despite my wallet being £440 lighter. It's had a replacement core welded in and arrived well packaged inside bubble wrap and cardboard (rather than the custom wooden crate I shipped it to the manufacturer in). Needless to say that the outer cardboard was damaged but the radiator was fortunately intact. No "fragile" markings on the packaging, not that they are heeded but it's the thought that counts.
I set about installing the repaired part this evening hoping to test-drive the car later but fount that while the bottom mounting pegs line up with the rubber bushed holes, the upper ones do not.
Is it unreasonable to expect that as part of the repair and QC process (there's a QC sticker on the bottom) that the location of the original mounting lugs is measured, recorded and reproduced when repaired?
The photos illustrate better, far from what a colleague used to call "excellent best".
What should my next step be - send the photos and ask how they'd like to rectify?
LH mount
RH mount
I set about installing the repaired part this evening hoping to test-drive the car later but fount that while the bottom mounting pegs line up with the rubber bushed holes, the upper ones do not.
Is it unreasonable to expect that as part of the repair and QC process (there's a QC sticker on the bottom) that the location of the original mounting lugs is measured, recorded and reproduced when repaired?
The photos illustrate better, far from what a colleague used to call "excellent best".
What should my next step be - send the photos and ask how they'd like to rectify?
LH mount
RH mount
Not near enough really.
This was the reply:
"Sorry to hear you are having trouble fitting this repaired radiator. Our jig which we have used for many years to make these radiators for "customer x" calls for the upper brackets to be placed at 510mm centre to centre."
No apology or admission of responsibility.
My lugs were at 506 centres but I'd used the radiator as a template and the holes were centred. I think the one radiator lug is misplaced and with the 510 centeres the failure to alignm results.
Very irritated.
I've cut the old lugs off and am part way through getting the replacement ready to weld on.
This was the reply:
"Sorry to hear you are having trouble fitting this repaired radiator. Our jig which we have used for many years to make these radiators for "customer x" calls for the upper brackets to be placed at 510mm centre to centre."
No apology or admission of responsibility.
My lugs were at 506 centres but I'd used the radiator as a template and the holes were centred. I think the one radiator lug is misplaced and with the 510 centeres the failure to alignm results.
Very irritated.
I've cut the old lugs off and am part way through getting the replacement ready to weld on.
stevieturbo said:
So was it a generic radiator supposed to fit your vehicle ?
Or a radiator ordered as a like for like replacement for what you sent them ?
And is there no sort of rubber/vibration damping mounts going on there ?
I though originally it was your end tanks etc, but with a new core ? Although I see the brackets you show are on the core plates itself ?
Yes, my end tanks with a new core.Or a radiator ordered as a like for like replacement for what you sent them ?
And is there no sort of rubber/vibration damping mounts going on there ?
I though originally it was your end tanks etc, but with a new core ? Although I see the brackets you show are on the core plates itself ?
There are rubber resilient mounts but not shown in the photographs - they are like grommets with one side of smaller OD. Hole diameter for grommet is 12mm and centre hole of grommet is a shade over 8mm.
Bottom mounts are pegs, top mounts use bolts.
The bottom mounts are in the correct position and the radiator is centred which suggests that the error is with the top mounts.
Gassing Station | Engines & Drivetrain | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff