Puma owners- check your radiator.

**POD** · 15th May 2014, 11:33 AM

I have just had to replace the radiator in my 2008 Puma 130 due to the core being rubbed through by the edge of the radiator shroud. Might be worth checking for this if you own a Puma defender.
If you remove the top shroud, look half-way down the radiator on the left-hand (passenger) side, there is a cut-away section in the side of the shroud where there is a mounting clip for the thermostat housing on the back of the shroud.
The edge of the shroud had rubbed clean through at least one tube of the radiator core here, and made pretty good progress into at least 3 others.
attachment.php
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment...1&d=1400120404

There is a return on the edge of the shroud that turns back in toward the core; this return is long enough to sit against the core rather than the flange of the shroud sitting against the tank. In this picture, you can see the rub marks on the edge of the shroud where it has been rubbing on the radiator tubes:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment...1&d=1400120604

A new radiator cost me a shade over $300 delivered. It is the same radiator listed for the later td5 models.

I got to work with a spokeshave and took several mm off the offending part of the shroud all the way up both sides, especially at the edges of the cut-out section where the main problem is. The flange of the shroud now sits against the tank, with the return edge no longer able to touch the core.

Might be well worth nipping this in the bud if you own a PUMA model, I was alerted to the problem by a slight, dry red stain on the radiator core that I spotted when changing the fan belt, that returned after being washed off with a pressure washer.

**Drover** · 15th May 2014, 04:02 PM

Hey Pod,
Thanks for the heads up.
How many K's has your PUMA done ?

**POD** · 15th May 2014, 06:00 PM

Originally Posted by Drover

Hey Pod,
Thanks for the heads up.
How many K's has your PUMA done ?

Mine's done 160,000km, a fair bit of that on outback roads as the original owner had a research arrangement in the Kimberley area. Probably been shaken a bit more than a lot of other late-model Defenders.

**MD5** · 16th May 2014, 03:41 AM

Thanks for the useful advice! I made a check and see a little wear in the radiator core. Tomorrow I will try to enlarge the gap between radiator and shroud to avoid any possible rubbing.

**dullbird** · 17th May 2014, 07:56 AM

Great stuff POD very good find and I'm sure could potentially prevent a few disasters when driving remote

Thanks for sharing

**Jacko44** · 17th May 2014, 04:38 PM

Mine was rubbing, cut out a small strip with a hot scalpel.

**MD5** · 22nd May 2014, 03:48 AM

Is the radiator replacement a difficult task ? Can be done at home or some special tools are required ?

To flush the cooling liquid, it's ok to disconnect the line from the fuel cooler located in the bottom of the vehicle ?

To fill the cooling circuit, it's ok to just fill the expansion tank or some air bleeding must be done ?

Thanking in advance for any advice.

**POD** · 22nd May 2014, 07:37 AM

Replacing the radiator is simple enough but fairly time consuming, some of the hoses are difficult to get at plus the intercooler has to come out with the radiator. My coolant was changed fairly recently so I didn't completely drain the system, rather captured what came out, filtered it through a cloth to remove debris and put it back in. The correct procedure for draining is to drain it from the fuel cooler and (if memory serves) the EGR cooler. Refilling is via the reservoir, there's a bleed screw next to the heater tap.

**MD5** · 22nd May 2014, 02:17 PM

Thanks for the useful information.

The bleed screw on the heater matrix is the one in the red circle ?

**POD** · 22nd May 2014, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by MD5

Thanks for the useful information.

The bleed screw on the heater matrix is the one in the red circle ?

That's correct. The screw has a slot up the side of the thread so does not need to be removed, just backed out a few turns.
Make sure you have the heater tap open (i.e. heater on 'hot') when flushing and filling.

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