Some evenings . . . . . . radiator blues.
Discussion
. . .. you just know it's going to go badly and she isn't going to play ball.
So this evening, getting Nigella ready for the European tour in September doing all those odd jobs I wanted to get done I fired her up after a service and few other bits around the engine. Noticed a small puddle under the nose once she was good and hot. . . . rusty water. Arse. Bugger. Feck.
Not the help I needed. Knew it was going to be a bad night. I've had a Courage Brewery pin that's lived in the seal below the roof above the mirror in both TVR's I've owned for nearly 10yrs. Having changed the seal I went to put it back and the pin broke off . . . after debating the best way round this i carried on with stripping the drivers door and then noticed this puddle . . Not bad on it's original rad, 9yrs old and 75k miles with a non std engine testing its mettle. Never been troubed with temps as the system has always been well kept etc so going for a re-core as the stories of ally rad's cracking etc put me off and never needed the additional cooling capacity.
At least Nigella showed me now rather than on the Col De L'Bonnette, Stelvio or another equally inaccessible place to break down with a blown radiator that we'll be tackling in a month !
So this evening, getting Nigella ready for the European tour in September doing all those odd jobs I wanted to get done I fired her up after a service and few other bits around the engine. Noticed a small puddle under the nose once she was good and hot. . . . rusty water. Arse. Bugger. Feck.
Not the help I needed. Knew it was going to be a bad night. I've had a Courage Brewery pin that's lived in the seal below the roof above the mirror in both TVR's I've owned for nearly 10yrs. Having changed the seal I went to put it back and the pin broke off . . . after debating the best way round this i carried on with stripping the drivers door and then noticed this puddle . . Not bad on it's original rad, 9yrs old and 75k miles with a non std engine testing its mettle. Never been troubed with temps as the system has always been well kept etc so going for a re-core as the stories of ally rad's cracking etc put me off and never needed the additional cooling capacity.
At least Nigella showed me now rather than on the Col De L'Bonnette, Stelvio or another equally inaccessible place to break down with a blown radiator that we'll be tackling in a month !
Johno said:
I've had a Courage Brewery pin that's lived in the seal below the roof above the mirror in both TVR's I've owned for nearly 10yrs. Having changed the seal I went to put it back and the pin broke off . . .
You sentimental old bugger you 
Hope you get the leaky rad fixed quickly mate, and if there is anything I can do to help give me a shout.
Cheers Roger, but I'm pretty competent with my spanners. If I had rusty water coming from my expansion tank I'd be very worried.
It tell's me 2 things, one is that the flow through the rad isn't as good as I'd like it (it get's flushed completely annually) and second it's the rad that's leaking. Prooved correct when I whipped out the rad this morning, quick job, just damned awkward.
Higher spec core now going with 8.8mm gapped row rather than the 12mm ish that's in there now and finally getting the otter switch blanked off completely.
£175+ dreaded . . . Just a shame my really local rad man has gone out of business, had to run 30 miles down road to Sheldrakes, but he'l have it back on Thursday afternoon for me.
It tell's me 2 things, one is that the flow through the rad isn't as good as I'd like it (it get's flushed completely annually) and second it's the rad that's leaking. Prooved correct when I whipped out the rad this morning, quick job, just damned awkward.
Higher spec core now going with 8.8mm gapped row rather than the 12mm ish that's in there now and finally getting the otter switch blanked off completely.
£175+ dreaded . . . Just a shame my really local rad man has gone out of business, had to run 30 miles down road to Sheldrakes, but he'l have it back on Thursday afternoon for me.
My 500 also spits out coolant if I fill-up the swirl tank .... however, I recently replaced my Rad with a recore but did not re install the foam strips which blank out the space around the rad.
My normal running temperature is 90 deg, never higher probably due to good fans. Does anyone a> think constant 90 deg too high and b> think the foam strips make any difference at all ?
My normal running temperature is 90 deg, never higher probably due to good fans. Does anyone a> think constant 90 deg too high and b> think the foam strips make any difference at all ?
The strips will make a difference as they serve too force more air through the rad aiding the cooling.
In terms of a constant temp, more of an effect will be the combination of temp's you're running for the otter switch and stat.
I tend to un a 74 degree stat in the summer and soemtimes up that to 82 degrees for the winter. I no longer use an otter switch but you can vary the temp's from these aswell and try to balance the temp the otter switch turns on the fans with the temp the stat releases the coolant from the block.
This will also vary with where you Otter switch is placed, later cars having the switch in the rad rather than the swirl pot.
In terms of a constant temp, more of an effect will be the combination of temp's you're running for the otter switch and stat.
I tend to un a 74 degree stat in the summer and soemtimes up that to 82 degrees for the winter. I no longer use an otter switch but you can vary the temp's from these aswell and try to balance the temp the otter switch turns on the fans with the temp the stat releases the coolant from the block.
This will also vary with where you Otter switch is placed, later cars having the switch in the rad rather than the swirl pot.
So bought some new radiator bobbins to fit with the re-cored rad, found they seemed in pretty good nick and are into captives in the GRP. Decided why tackle a crud job as they well in there and would no doubt put up a real fight to come out and were all right when tested a little . .. so left them.
Refitted rad tonight, did up bolts, careful not to go too tight so not to stress the rubbers . .. fit all pipework etc etc . . . give everything a little push and pull to check it's all aligned, bolted down etc etc
Yes, you guessed it, nearside bobbin has split after having put everything together . . . Rad ain't going anywhere so it'll keep until we get back, but how annoying . . .
Refitted rad tonight, did up bolts, careful not to go too tight so not to stress the rubbers . .. fit all pipework etc etc . . . give everything a little push and pull to check it's all aligned, bolted down etc etc
Yes, you guessed it, nearside bobbin has split after having put everything together . . . Rad ain't going anywhere so it'll keep until we get back, but how annoying . . .
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