Radiator WARNING
Discussion
On Saturday my radiator suddenly failed and sent all the coolant over the windscreen. It took maybe 10 seconds to clean the screen using wiper and squirter, before I could see out of the windscreen again. By luck I was on a nearly empty and straight road.
The plastic end to the radiatior had suddenly split open. There was no significant leek before, I had checked the level of coolant in the header tank before I set off.
The car is 4 years old in April and just comming up to 20k miles.
If for any reason you need to take the front clam off a similar car have new rad fitted (without plastic ends). Or just change it anyway. I've removed the old rad it took a long time and refitting the front clam will take even longer, but it doesn't seem too bad.
I've also bought a new thermostat, can any who has changed their thermostat save me some time and tell me how they changed theirs.
Thanks
The plastic end to the radiatior had suddenly split open. There was no significant leek before, I had checked the level of coolant in the header tank before I set off.
The car is 4 years old in April and just comming up to 20k miles.
If for any reason you need to take the front clam off a similar car have new rad fitted (without plastic ends). Or just change it anyway. I've removed the old rad it took a long time and refitting the front clam will take even longer, but it doesn't seem too bad.
I've also bought a new thermostat, can any who has changed their thermostat save me some time and tell me how they changed theirs.
Thanks
Thanks for the replies.
The Remote Thermostat is said to be away of protecting the engine from sudden changes of temperature and therefore lessen the chances of HGF.
I've seen many theories about HGF and decided to just get a larger rad and replace the thermostat with a new 82degree one.
The Remote Thermostat is said to be away of protecting the engine from sudden changes of temperature and therefore lessen the chances of HGF.
I've seen many theories about HGF and decided to just get a larger rad and replace the thermostat with a new 82degree one.
Edited by mjowsey on Monday 4th February 15:00
Have fitted the best rad available from eliseparts.com
Refitting the front clam was surpisingly easy (only a few bits left over at the end
)
Could not find the thermostat, I think its probably somewhere inacessible under the inlet manifold. Might be able to get to it from under the but since the front of the car was on axle stands it was not possible to look.
Anyway the car is back on the road.
Refitting the front clam was surpisingly easy (only a few bits left over at the end
)Could not find the thermostat, I think its probably somewhere inacessible under the inlet manifold. Might be able to get to it from under the but since the front of the car was on axle stands it was not possible to look.
Anyway the car is back on the road.
I looked at a 06 elise yesterday, it did have a radiator with plastic ends.
After my experiance i'd say change the thing to an all metal one.
I read on SELOC that the labour to change the rad is £600, most of this labour is, probably, removing/refitting the front clam.
Hopefully a good all metal one will last long long time.
After my experiance i'd say change the thing to an all metal one.
I read on SELOC that the labour to change the rad is £600, most of this labour is, probably, removing/refitting the front clam.
Hopefully a good all metal one will last long long time.
Edited by mjoy on Monday 4th February 16:33
Yep All Elise/Exige/VX Variants have the plastic end tanks on the radiator.
Some fail within a year!
Most of the time they will just weep a little and no big drama- but unfortunatley there have been a few which go suddenly - a bit of a shock when it happens I would imagine!
The easy way to eliminate this problem is to go for the Alloy version.
The more expensive version that Eliseparts sell fits all variants including the air con equipped cars.
Some fail within a year!
Most of the time they will just weep a little and no big drama- but unfortunatley there have been a few which go suddenly - a bit of a shock when it happens I would imagine!
The easy way to eliminate this problem is to go for the Alloy version.
The more expensive version that Eliseparts sell fits all variants including the air con equipped cars.
After being in a car when the radiator has suddenly failed, I would say change them now. It wasnt the most pleasant experience, not only being completely blinded by coolant on the windscreen while doing 50 odd mph on a country road, but also being showered in boiling coolant as it came over the windscreen into the cabin!
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