Manual Radiator In Auto Disco?

[steelo]

I've just looked & realised that I have a manual radiator in my auto Disco 1 (have only had it a few mths), I had my rad cleaned (tubes & all) but the radiator shop didn't mention this, I thought they would've. Anyway it has a small cooler of only of only 1 bend in the pipe inside cooler fins beneath the radiator.
I was wondering if you could fit an after-market trans cooler (say from SupaCheap) between 1 of the 2 electric fans & the grill?????
Thanks :confused:

[Disckombi]

Sounds like you have the correct radiator - unlike most cars, with the Discos and Rangies the auto cooler is separate from the radiator, mounted forward of it. Fitting a bigger cooler isn't a bad idea and a relatively common mod is to fit the P38 cooler which is about 3 times the size of the original - you'll find several threads covering this

Ian

[steelo]

It has the metal pipes still just hanging there, where it should connect just under the top water hose going towards the big round tube with fins in-between electric fans & grill. This is disconnected & blue rubber/plastic hoses come from the transmission tubes to a small cooler (as said earlier) in the bottom airflow gap in stock bumper.
Would the V8 trans cooler, brand name Davies Craig Hydra-Cool V8 Universal do the job as it's only $139? Am thinking in front of one of the electric fans would be good as when the fans are on they would draw air through it, I have a fan switch on the dash so can turn them on at will. :confused:
Obviously I would have to remove the big tube 1st LOL

[Disckombi]

OK - guess I'm too used to looking at the diesels - just had a look at the RAVE manual and looks like you have a V8, where the radiator does have a transmission cooler built in on the LH side and the external cooler in series with it. Assuming it works I've attcahed a picture showing the pipes and cooler.
So if there are no connections you have a manual radiator so getting either the correct radiator and cooler or a decent sized external cooler is a very good idea

[steelo]

Thanks for the pic/diagram I haven't been able to find one anywhere, my Haynes manual doesn't have one. :(
I think I'll take that hedgehog (found that name doing search) thing out & use the mounting holes to attach a bracket or some-such to mount an after market one, http://media.supercheapauto.com.au/sca/images/125648.jpg

[Disckombi]

I found that pic by googling Discovery V8 transmission cooler and looking at images plenty more there). Regards aftermarket coolers I guess its a question of getting something big enough, they are usually intended to supplement the in-radiator cooler and not stand alone. That said the diesel disco autos run the external cooler alone, but people do have issues and fit bigger coolers like the P38 one (did on mine after an over temp warning on Stockton beach and no temp issues since)

Ian

[steelo]

Anything has to be better than what it has now (or doesn't), I can always run 2 in tandem if that V8 one doesn't do it. Easier to get than the P38 one up here & probably cheaper, thanks for the help/info. :D

[steelo]

Can't seem to delete this particular post (text/words) so deleted & wrote this :confused:

[steelo]

I bought the heavy duty 30 plate tranny cooler (PWR brand) but does anyone happen to know the flow, in which pipe? out from tranny & in to tranny. Thanks :D

[Disckombi]

Just uploaded another pic that labels the lines - the upper connection on the G/B is the flow to the cooler and the lower is the return from the cooler

Hope that helps

Ian

[steelo]

Thanks heaps for that, already done it but & luckily I guessed right LOL. Hot from the top (heat rises), cool into the sump to be drawn back up through the system, was my guess & thanks to you & your pic's I'm not worried anymore. :thumbsup:

[steelo]

On a short trip to Gladstone towing our pop-top van we had overheating probs again, manageable on the trip there but on the way home in the heat of the day no such luck. Had to stop at a small but nice place called Bororen, & when there I noticed the pitch/flow of the fan was different than the pic in the manual. the fan that's on there is blowing (or trying) air back into the radiator (forwards) instead of sucking it through the radiator.
This is wrong isn't it???
Spent the night here & am waiting for a mobile mech to come & have a look & maybe try & source another fan from somewhere :eek:
My local LR guy put a new viscous clutch in it a couple of months ago, also local radiator place took rad out & flushed & cleaned core but both didn't pick this up & I just trusted them ( We only bought it in Jan).