GT3 Radiator replacement - relatively easy DIY.
Discussion
Had leaking radiator in the front-left - low coolant level and small~ish puddle in front of front left tyre seemed to point to the culprit.
Ring around - about 3-4hrs labour plus bits. OPC wanted £150~ish + VAT for the radiator.
Rang Prestige in Leeds - new radiator £95 +VAT. Removed & replaced old one in just under 3hrs, taking it very slowly. Only 'special' tool being torx bit. Probably be ablr to do it in half that time if I had to do it again.
Can't believe there is a £65 difference in price on a single part between spaeres dealer and the OPC.
Enjoying cold beer as I type!!!!
Ring around - about 3-4hrs labour plus bits. OPC wanted £150~ish + VAT for the radiator.
Rang Prestige in Leeds - new radiator £95 +VAT. Removed & replaced old one in just under 3hrs, taking it very slowly. Only 'special' tool being torx bit. Probably be ablr to do it in half that time if I had to do it again.
Can't believe there is a £65 difference in price on a single part between spaeres dealer and the OPC.
Enjoying cold beer as I type!!!!
johnfm said:
Had leaking radiator in the front-left - low coolant level and small~ish puddle in front of front left tyre seemed to point to the culprit.
Ring around - about 3-4hrs labour plus bits. OPC wanted £150~ish + VAT for the radiator.
Rang Prestige in Leeds - new radiator £95 +VAT. Removed & replaced old one in just under 3hrs, taking it very slowly. Only 'special' tool being torx bit. Probably be ablr to do it in half that time if I had to do it again.
Can't believe there is a £65 difference in price on a single part between spaeres dealer and the OPC.
Enjoying cold beer as I type!!!!
I didn't have you down as the naive type John !Ring around - about 3-4hrs labour plus bits. OPC wanted £150~ish + VAT for the radiator.
Rang Prestige in Leeds - new radiator £95 +VAT. Removed & replaced old one in just under 3hrs, taking it very slowly. Only 'special' tool being torx bit. Probably be ablr to do it in half that time if I had to do it again.
Can't believe there is a £65 difference in price on a single part between spaeres dealer and the OPC.
Enjoying cold beer as I type!!!!
Slippydiff said:
johnfm said:
Had leaking radiator in the front-left - low coolant level and small~ish puddle in front of front left tyre seemed to point to the culprit.
Ring around - about 3-4hrs labour plus bits. OPC wanted £150~ish + VAT for the radiator.
Rang Prestige in Leeds - new radiator £95 +VAT. Removed & replaced old one in just under 3hrs, taking it very slowly. Only 'special' tool being torx bit. Probably be ablr to do it in half that time if I had to do it again.
Can't believe there is a £65 difference in price on a single part between spaeres dealer and the OPC.
Enjoying cold beer as I type!!!!
I didn't have you down as the naive type John !Ring around - about 3-4hrs labour plus bits. OPC wanted £150~ish + VAT for the radiator.
Rang Prestige in Leeds - new radiator £95 +VAT. Removed & replaced old one in just under 3hrs, taking it very slowly. Only 'special' tool being torx bit. Probably be ablr to do it in half that time if I had to do it again.
Can't believe there is a £65 difference in price on a single part between spaeres dealer and the OPC.
Enjoying cold beer as I type!!!!
Last year at Spa I had a small split in a hose. Ever since then when it ran a bit hot at trackdays it had a tendency to spill a bit of coolant when resting. Tried about a zillion times to bleed the bugger with about 10 different methods from various 'experts'.
I had also recently done the angled rad mod with the air ducted over the bonnet rather than under, which involves lengthening the front pipework so had to start all over again and thought I had fixed it.
At Spa this year had the same prob, dribbling a bit when very warm - nowhere near the red limit but above the normal vertical needle - so spent half the time pouring in water, topping up, spitting it out, filling it up again etc, etc.
OPC pressure tested and said it was fine but took it back, praying it was not my handiwork causing the problem. They tested again and then diagnosed the infamous split header tank??
Why it didn't fail the first pressure test I have no idea and I suspected they just did it as a precaution - and at my expense, despite Porsche being on the 4th incarnation of this poxy tank it is still not admitted as a design fault and not covered by the warranty.
So far I have topped it up as directed and so far so good, although I have not really given it a hard run out. In 'normal' road driving mode it has never shown a problem.
I had also recently done the angled rad mod with the air ducted over the bonnet rather than under, which involves lengthening the front pipework so had to start all over again and thought I had fixed it.
At Spa this year had the same prob, dribbling a bit when very warm - nowhere near the red limit but above the normal vertical needle - so spent half the time pouring in water, topping up, spitting it out, filling it up again etc, etc.
OPC pressure tested and said it was fine but took it back, praying it was not my handiwork causing the problem. They tested again and then diagnosed the infamous split header tank??
Why it didn't fail the first pressure test I have no idea and I suspected they just did it as a precaution - and at my expense, despite Porsche being on the 4th incarnation of this poxy tank it is still not admitted as a design fault and not covered by the warranty.
So far I have topped it up as directed and so far so good, although I have not really given it a hard run out. In 'normal' road driving mode it has never shown a problem.
gfreeman said:
Last year at Spa I had a small split in a hose. Ever since then when it ran a bit hot at trackdays it had a tendency to spill a bit of coolant when resting. Tried about a zillion times to bleed the bugger with about 10 different methods from various 'experts'.
I had also recently done the angled rad mod with the air ducted over the bonnet rather than under, which involves lengthening the front pipework so had to start all over again and thought I had fixed it.
At Spa this year had the same prob, dribbling a bit when very warm - nowhere near the red limit but above the normal vertical needle - so spent half the time pouring in water, topping up, spitting it out, filling it up again etc, etc.
OPC pressure tested and said it was fine but took it back, praying it was not my handiwork causing the problem. They tested again and then diagnosed the infamous split header tank??
Why it didn't fail the first pressure test I have no idea and I suspected they just did it as a precaution - and at my expense, despite Porsche being on the 4th incarnation of this poxy tank it is still not admitted as a design fault and not covered by the warranty.
So far I have topped it up as directed and so far so good, although I have not really given it a hard run out. In 'normal' road driving mode it has never shown a problem.
Nothing lasts foreverI had also recently done the angled rad mod with the air ducted over the bonnet rather than under, which involves lengthening the front pipework so had to start all over again and thought I had fixed it.
At Spa this year had the same prob, dribbling a bit when very warm - nowhere near the red limit but above the normal vertical needle - so spent half the time pouring in water, topping up, spitting it out, filling it up again etc, etc.
OPC pressure tested and said it was fine but took it back, praying it was not my handiwork causing the problem. They tested again and then diagnosed the infamous split header tank??
Why it didn't fail the first pressure test I have no idea and I suspected they just did it as a precaution - and at my expense, despite Porsche being on the 4th incarnation of this poxy tank it is still not admitted as a design fault and not covered by the warranty.
So far I have topped it up as directed and so far so good, although I have not really given it a hard run out. In 'normal' road driving mode it has never shown a problem.
classic! 
Porsche Tech said:
Nothing lasts forever
In fairness Richard , everybody here welcomes someone who has extra experience and knowledge .. And you seem to have both. But in the words of the great Josey Wales , you also seem to think that it's okay to p1ss down our backs and then tell us it's raining ... Not a good idea.gfreeman said:
At Spa this year had the same prob, dribbling a bit when very warm - nowhere near the red limit but above the normal vertical needle - so spent half the time pouring in water, topping up, spitting it out, filling it up again etc, etc.
Tim,Did you top up the coolant level with the system charged? ie, with about 5k rpm on the revs whilst filling up? I had a similar problem at Spa this year - it was traced back to a marginally loose hose clip which was fine under regular pressure, but when the system was under high pressure, it started leaking. Replaced the clip and offending hose back in the UK, pressure tested it up to over 20bar, and it hasn't lost a drop ever since including days at the 'Ring and Hockenheim.
PolarExpress said:
gfreeman said:
At Spa this year had the same prob, dribbling a bit when very warm - nowhere near the red limit but above the normal vertical needle - so spent half the time pouring in water, topping up, spitting it out, filling it up again etc, etc.
Tim,Did you top up the coolant level with the system charged? ie, with about 5k rpm on the revs whilst filling up? I had a similar problem at Spa this year - it was traced back to a marginally loose hose clip which was fine under regular pressure, but when the system was under high pressure, it started leaking. Replaced the clip and offending hose back in the UK, pressure tested it up to over 20bar, and it hasn't lost a drop ever since including days at the 'Ring and Hockenheim.
PolarExpress said:
Tim,
Did you top up the coolant level with the system charged? ie, with about 5k rpm on the revs whilst filling up? I had a similar problem at Spa this year - it was traced back to a marginally loose hose clip which was fine under regular pressure, but when the system was under high pressure, it started leaking. Replaced the clip and offending hose back in the UK, pressure tested it up to over 20bar, and it hasn't lost a drop ever since including days at the 'Ring and Hockenheim.
Yup I did all that and fek me! I'd love to see your hoses with 20bar in them!Did you top up the coolant level with the system charged? ie, with about 5k rpm on the revs whilst filling up? I had a similar problem at Spa this year - it was traced back to a marginally loose hose clip which was fine under regular pressure, but when the system was under high pressure, it started leaking. Replaced the clip and offending hose back in the UK, pressure tested it up to over 20bar, and it hasn't lost a drop ever since including days at the 'Ring and Hockenheim.
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