Leaky rad on 4.2AJP

[antwan]

Hi all hope you can help. Ive just started noticing a wet patch or two on the drive and am now convinced the radiator is to blame as the lower third of the radiator area looks damp and I cant see any other joints which are leaking.
What are the options for repair/replace? The rad looks quite old, presumably the original.
Does anyone have any advice or good contacts?
Many thanks
Ant

[Supateg]

I got a alloy one from arron radiators to replace my standard Leaky one.

http://www.aaronradiator.co.uk/index.php?p=home

Cheaper than most and decent quality. Make sure the rubber bobbins that secure it are nice and flexible. I also allowed more movement to cater for body twist so as not to affect the rad.(some reports on here if you search about stress fracturing) Also fitted quick release bonnet hinges and replaced condenser, horns, dryer and cleaned up all the wiring and chassis up front while I was there.


Temp before was 95 to 100 after around 80 - very pleased

[Cerbieherts]

Pricey, but these are superb:
http://radtec.co.uk/products/322/Cerbera-Chimera-G...
Shaves a few degrees off temps and superbly made. Not seen one fail yet. Also, that old crappy rad is not only inneficient, but it also weighs as much as a 3 bedroomed house...

[pmessling]

Also one more vote for a radtec. Interestingly the rad is the same as an early range rover one.

Worth changing the condenser as mine was rotten at the bottom.

[antwan]

thanks chaps, not cheap are they!
I think the alloy will be the way forward. Do you think they are more efficient at cooling or just new and not crusty inside?

[Supateg]

£294 all in Arron for Alloy one

[Cerbieherts]

I've fitted six or so of the Radtec's and they all (my 4.5 included) dropped a few degrees. Get what you pay for with radiators.

[antwan]

supateg, just been on the website and they are 378 all in or am I missing something?

[antwan]

just on a slightly different note but isn't it a bit unusual to provide the mount covers for the fans which restrict the normal flow of air through the radiator when not using the fans. Would an improvement be to just use the zip tie type fixings and mount the fans directly to the radiator surface.
I did this on a past kit car, seemed OK to me??

[Tanguero]

antwan said:

thanks chaps, not cheap are they!
I think the alloy will be the way forward. Do you think they are more efficient at cooling or just new and not crusty inside?

Alloy rads are less efficient at cooling as the aluminium isn't such a good conductor of heat, however that is made up for by being clean and better designed.

[Cerbieherts]

And alluminium rads have better heat transfer across the welded joints, the old radiator has soldered joints which insulate at the joins. Doesn't sound important but added across the whole surface area it's a fair few joins.

[aide]

Is the rad not a bit taller than the original?
i.e. you can't refit the front tray back on properly afterwards??

[Supateg]

antwan said:

supateg, just been on the website and they are 378 all in or am I missing something?

I got mine in November, just looked at website Bl**dy H**L thats gone up a lot in such a short time, Sorry fella. (I rang direct when I ordered)

It fitted as per original, using original fan cowels and F1 tray fitted fine on this one. I replaced the rubber seal at the top too.

[ukkid35]

I paid £20 for a used Griff rad, transformed the car, never overheats now. You regularly see recon rads on eBay for £200.

[pmessling]

aide said:

Is the rad not a bit taller than the original?
i.e. you can't refit the front tray back on properly afterwards??

I had problems getting my f1 panel back on. I had to adjust it. Including making the rad bleed hole bigger

[antwan]

Thanks chaps.
I have just extracted mine from the car and the base is heavily corroded and its leaking under gravity alone.
I have been doing a little research and it seems that the rad is the same as the Chim and Grif and actually originated from the Range Rover.
Does anyone know if TVR made any modifications to the standard RR part??

Im also thinking of replacing the AC radiator at the same time as this too looks shot (I was going to get the AC re gassed for the summer to so it might make the system a little more reliable. I presume that the AC rad is full of those nasty CFCs? I know less than nothing about the AC system.

[antwan]

To all in need of a new rad,
I have managed to source an alloy rad for my 4.2 from Aaron Radiators. The chap I spoke to was very helpful and he actually gave me 'special price' by quoting the forum. My new rad came in at 300 all in (delivery too). Looks like a good product too. I did need to shorten the upper mount brackets slightly but hey ho, still a good deal.

Thanks to all for helping.

[Supateg]

Well done,

Very pleased with mine, had a fair bit of use too.

[Brummmie]

Standard rad In good health is very good, my thermostat failed And I could not get my temp higher than 65 degrees.