I've holed my radiator in Def TD5 - Help please!

[Ben_R]

Hi there, I've managed to pull the fan blade into my radiator on Sunday and it ****es fluid out very quickly now, it will drive at highway speed for about 12-15kms before losing most of the fluid and starting to overheat.

I need some quick advice (I need it back on the road for work!),

Should I:

- Take it to Dealer, 600m from home and say fix it.

- Take the punt that its knackered and not repairable. Buy a new radiator as a spare part and fit it at home tonight or tomorrow.


I'm confident with mechanics and have the space, gear and manuals, BUT- is it way too much hassle to do myself? (i.e. I'm scared of what the dealer will charge)

Any idea on costs involved?

Thanks in advance.

Ben '00 TD5 130 CC

[Phoenix]

I'd give the radiator place a call, but if fluid is leaking out from the center somewhere I would have thought that it's stuffed.

[Ben_R]

Yep, there is a definate imprint of the fan blade on the bottom of it, like a cresent moon, not too deep but a very defined shape.

Ben '00 TD5 CC 130

[Tusker]

What a bummer. How did it happen?

I wouldn't drive it too far. The TD5 heads are supposed to be non-servicable. Don't cook it, the $$ will be horrendous.

The temp gauge works off the ECU. Where the sensors are for input to the ECU I have no idea. But if they're conventional, up near the top hose somewhere, you'll get false readings. No fluid at the sensor, no input to the ECU/Gauge, no indication its boiling = cooked head. I learnt this lesson on my old Tdi.

FWIW, I'd try and change the radiator myself.

Regards
Max P

[Omaroo]

Ben - did the fn blade stop quicky - i.e. did it make a mess of one confined area - or did it do a broad sweep and take out a substantial number of channels? Can you see where it's leaking from? Sometimes it's a little hard if it's at the back and not the front of the radiator because the fan sure makes it diffucult to see properly - especially if the shroud is in place.

If it only did damage to one or two channels then it's an easy-enough fix to fold and solder the damaged channel and by-pass it. Pressure test and you're away.

I recently had a larg-ish hole in my other 4WD's radiator and a radiator place in Tumut NSW repaired it for me (emergency) and refilled with the appropriate coolant for around the $170 mark.

[PhilipA]

The usual remedy for this is to pull the rad out, find the tube leaking, cut it with side cutters, and fold the ends over until no leaks. To ensure a better seal, maybe fill the ends of the core with epoxy ribbon.
Then drive to the radiator place and say" recore this one for me please"
This would be BY FAR the cheapest way, maybe $400 instead of $800.
Its up to you .
regards Philip A

[ak]

At my last service I was told my raditor was starting two leak and would need to be replaced in the next six months. I was also told it was an all alloy unit and had to be replaced with the same and the cost was $1,000. and I don't think that included labour. Has any one had their raditor replaced and what was the cost?
Discovery TD5.

[stevo]

give it a go remove it your self they are not to bad to do, I have done the
tempory repair outlined above with the pliers problem is now most radiators are alloy so solder does not work.

[George130]

There are two radiators for the TD5. The Defender's like mine are $800 from Land Rover(This is the cheap one according to my Dealer). Labor is extra! Replacing the core through a radiator shop is worth $560.
The repairs commented by others will work for small damage. Also don't forget the bottom is used by the fuel cooler. The top is the normal radiator. Thats why there is so many pipes to and from the radiator and multiple thermostats in them.

[Omaroo]

Four Wheel Drives ( http://www.landrovers.com.au ) have them for the 110 TD5 listed at $650.00