Discussion
Leven technology www.leventechnology.co.uk/index.htm sell uprated aluminum rads for TVR's.
Question: Why do they leak so quickly/often? Both Rads on my previous TVR's leaked and i also have 'moistness' along the bottom of my current rad in a 21,000 mile '99 Chim. Yet i've never had this problem in my 'normal' cars - Focus etc...? Why?
I was told this occurs due to TVR chassis flexing and stressing the radiators?
Really?
I was told this occurs due to TVR chassis flexing and stressing the radiators?
Really?
I had a slight leak which I put up with for about a year and then recently had the radiator re-cored.
The cooling is far better, on a hot day / slow moving traffic the gauge is 5 - 10 degrees lower. I have read many threads previously saying this and they were right. It's far more comfortable in slow moving traffic and I don't get paranoid over the tempertaure gauge.
Mine was done by a local independant, went in one day, came back the next.
The cooling is far better, on a hot day / slow moving traffic the gauge is 5 - 10 degrees lower. I have read many threads previously saying this and they were right. It's far more comfortable in slow moving traffic and I don't get paranoid over the tempertaure gauge.
Mine was done by a local independant, went in one day, came back the next.
More fins and now cooling is much better than before. Cost fitted inc vat £300 ish Waynester said:
I was told this occurs due to TVR chassis flexing and stressing the radiators?
Really?
It can't be, because the radiator doesn't mount to the chassis - it mounts to the body. More likely thermal stress caused by the radiator being of marginal capacity for the job it has to do.
The standard Range Rover rad is designed to be in an upright (vertical) position, so all the wieght and stresses are transfered vertically so there is no lateral strss on it. mounted in a TVR it is at an angle so there are lateral stresses which it is not designed to handle.
It is very important to make sure you have the foam placed so that it is supported as evenly as possible to minimise high load points. But it still doesn't totally cure the issue because each time you hit a bump the rad tries jump, as it is held in place by the bottom lugs and the bolts at the top and both fixing are on the tanks. So the result is flex stressing of the soldered joints of tanks to the core.
It is very important to make sure you have the foam placed so that it is supported as evenly as possible to minimise high load points. But it still doesn't totally cure the issue because each time you hit a bump the rad tries jump, as it is held in place by the bottom lugs and the bolts at the top and both fixing are on the tanks. So the result is flex stressing of the soldered joints of tanks to the core.
My radiator in the Chimaera was good for seven years, then it all went wrong at London Thunder! I think that it got holed by a gritter lorry during a cold snap and then it suddenly became a very big hole!
With a little help, I replaced the radiator (as I couldn't move the car), had the original re-cored, replaced the otter switch to be on the safe side and apart from struggling to bleed the system properly, it went like clockwork. Now the car runs at 60 degrees as opposed to the 70 degrees previously. I'm still not convinced that this is a good thing, would be happier if it went back to 'normal', but it seems happy enough. It's been 3.5 months now and all is well so far.
Interesting about the foam - I didn't put it back in because it was so thin and insignificant, I couldn't believe it was necessary. However, having read the last comment, maybe I should think again!
With a little help, I replaced the radiator (as I couldn't move the car), had the original re-cored, replaced the otter switch to be on the safe side and apart from struggling to bleed the system properly, it went like clockwork. Now the car runs at 60 degrees as opposed to the 70 degrees previously. I'm still not convinced that this is a good thing, would be happier if it went back to 'normal', but it seems happy enough. It's been 3.5 months now and all is well so far.
Interesting about the foam - I didn't put it back in because it was so thin and insignificant, I couldn't believe it was necessary. However, having read the last comment, maybe I should think again!
V8 GRF said:
I'm getting mine recored with a higher density core on Wednesday.
I'll report back if you're interested.
I'll report back if you're interested.
If you that would be great.
I was going to get re-cored but I have been told on a different forum the the T350 radiator cant be re-cored as it has got plastic ends ????
Is this true ?
FWIW, I had a minor leak from a small hole in one of the pipes in the core. Took the rad out and gave it to a local radiator bloke to fix ... took him a few minutes to locate the hole and solder it closed, for which he charged me £5. Leads me to think repair can be anb awful lot cheaper than replacement.
ATG said:
re. the foam ... bluebottle was describing the radiator's position when mounted in a Griff. The radiator is vertical in the Chim.
Hadn't realised that about chimp rads, assumed they were cranked over as well.
Amazon - the foam does perform two other functions, one is to prevent the rad from chattering in its mounts, and the other is force the air through the cooling fins and not around the sides of the rad.
marT350T said:
V8 GRF said:
I'm getting mine recored with a higher density core on Wednesday.
I'll report back if you're interested.
I'll report back if you're interested.
If you that would be great.
I was going to get re-cored but I have been told on a different forum the the T350 radiator cant be re-cored as it has got plastic ends ????
Is this true ?
Martyn
Automedon are having some with metal ends made as upgrad items
tuscnick said:
marT350T said:
V8 GRF said:
I'm getting mine recored with a higher density core on Wednesday.
I'll report back if you're interested.
I'll report back if you're interested.
If you that would be great.
I was going to get re-cored but I have been told on a different forum the the T350 radiator cant be re-cored as it has got plastic ends ????
Is this true ?
Automedon are having some with metal ends made as upgrad items
Martyn
Cheers Nick, just sorted one out, im now on the hunt for silicon hoses.
bluebottle said:
ATG said:
re. the foam ... bluebottle was describing the radiator's position when mounted in a Griff. The radiator is vertical in the Chim.
Hadn't realised that about chimp rads, assumed they were cranked over as well.
Amazon - the foam does perform two other functions, one is to prevent the rad from chattering in its mounts, and the other is force the air through the cooling fins and not around the sides of the rad.
Thanks Bluebottle
Good to understand this, will go and search for some decent foam. marT350T said:
V8 GRF said:
I'm getting mine recored with a higher density core on Wednesday.
I'll report back if you're interested.
I'll report back if you're interested.
If you that would be great.
I was going to get re-cored but I have been told on a different forum the the T350 radiator cant be re-cored as it has got plastic ends ????
Is this true ?
Spoken to Heath Briggs and Paul Forrest today, they're sorting my radiator and some other stuff out for me.
So the rads out and gone for recore....
Apparently T350 rads can be recored but it's not really worth it because of the plastic ends.
Alloy rads might look good (well if you could actually see them) but for the marginal improvement in cooling they're not worth (IMO) the premium.
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