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View Full Version : P38 Radiator what options?



Remy
5th December 2008, 07:39 PM
What options are there for the replacement of a P38 radiator?

Is there only one type or did they make a better one (more cores and bigger) that still fits? Anyone got any idea of price?

Mine works OK but yet to test under load but temp does climb when car is moving very slow on a hot day - otherwise stays constantly in this position (Temp about a mm above half way).

I am going to flush and swap coolant first and see what i can see blocked cores.

Radiator bloke told me that if it starts getting hot that with the plastic tanks they cannot get a replacement tank and thus probably better just to replace the whole radiator.

Cheers,
Remy

81stubee
5th December 2008, 09:49 PM
From what I understand the only difference was the top hose location (left or right).

I'm definately interested in this as I believe it to be a major weak point with these cars.

Stu

rofosixone
6th December 2008, 01:16 AM
i dont consider radiator the weakness unless blocked with rust , i found a design fault in the non activation of the twin fans in frount of the radiator not comeing on at all ,air or no air (only came on once when top of radiator burst at 230,oookm).i drive also a vt holden and when i swich the air on ,fans work as well at the same time automaticaly ,in p38a when air is swiched on ,fans dont move .what i have done is crimped the 2 yellow wires together which go to the pressure switch part no btr9223 the lower one at frount pass side behind under frount bumper bar (done nothing else )so when air is on ,twin fans are on .found doing city deliverys temp stays constant half way stop start driveing no mather what ,were before between 1/2 and 3/4 more importantly before starter motor would play up in the heat sometimes ,since fans work starter has not been giveing me problems in stop start city driveing were i might use starter up to 50 times in a day doing my job .also oil level constant level now fans cool all the time ,its still warm in engine bay but nothing like before, at least i can touch the fuse box and not burn my finger on the yellow sq relay if i touch that as well . just try that before spending around 700 hundred dollars or so on a new radiator ,worked for me cheers .

senrta
6th December 2008, 09:32 PM
Running a good radiator flush treatment and re-filling with a good properly mixed coolant fixed the problems on my 99 RR. I'll definately be looking at re-wiring the thermo fans as I've also noticed not coming on that often.

p38arover
6th December 2008, 10:28 PM
I'd suspect a blocked core.

This was mine:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

The radiator currently fitted may be Chinese! The coolant label on the top of the radiator is spelled "Coolent"! :D

Like rofosixone's car, my electric fans rarely switch on. I suspect a faulty trinary switch.

Remy
6th December 2008, 10:43 PM
Got any pictures? any complications with this for the longer term? everything i have read on rangerover.net points out that the system is designed not to use the fans unless needed but i find it hard to believe that they have never been needed (as i have never seen mine on). Aslo lots about pressure of the gas being the activator. What if the gas is low? I have just fitted the kit to supply correct voltage (thanks Scouse) and seems to be working. i will take it for a run towing a trailer tomorrow.
Cheers,
Remy


i dont consider radiator the weakness unless blocked with rust , i found a design fault in the non activation of the twin fans in frount of the radiator not comeing on at all ,air or no air (only came on once when top of radiator burst at 230,oookm).i drive also a vt holden and when i swich the air on ,fans work as well at the same time automaticaly ,in p38a when air is swiched on ,fans dont move .what i have done is crimped the 2 yellow wires together which go to the pressure switch part no btr9223 the lower one at frount pass side behind under frount bumper bar (done nothing else )so when air is on ,twin fans are on .found doing city deliverys temp stays constant half way stop start driveing no mather what ,were before between 1/2 and 3/4 more importantly before starter motor would play up in the heat sometimes ,since fans work starter has not been giveing me problems in stop start city driveing were i might use starter up to 50 times in a day doing my job .also oil level constant level now fans cool all the time ,its still warm in engine bay but nothing like before, at least i can touch the fuse box and not burn my finger on the yellow sq relay if i touch that as well . just try that before spending around 700 hundred dollars or so on a new radiator ,worked for me cheers .

Remy
6th December 2008, 10:46 PM
Where is this switch. I am a bit confused. rangerover.net suggest on the thermostat. Rave suggests on the drier/finisher.


Like rofosixone's car, my electric fans rarely switch on. I suspect a faulty trinary switch.

Remy
6th December 2008, 10:49 PM
Re: Electric cooling fans not operating-

Postby Garvin on Mon Aug 25, 2008 4:07 am
If the main engine cooling (viscous drive) fan is working correctly then the condensor fans will rarely activate as the air flow through the radiator and will be sufficient to cool both the engine and the air con condensor in only but the hottest ambient temperatures. The condensor fans will only operate when the air con is on and the engine should be capable of maintaining 'its cool' without the air con operational. Now the condensor fans can mask a poorly functioning engine cooling system (poor fan, water pump etc) when the air con is on as the engine radiator will start to overheat and this will adversely affect the operation of the condensor causing the aircon to swich on the condensor fans to help cool the condensor. This will have the knock-on effect of helping the air flow through the engine radiator and thus cooling the engine. If the engine is overheating then it is not the fault of the condensor fans ........... but, of course, that doesn't mean they are necessarily working :wink:

rofosixone
7th December 2008, 05:33 PM
yes by rights viscos fan behind radiator should be ok but were not in england were in australia its hotter here ,but i noticed off road and when i sometimes take the rangie to work instead of vt i notice in stop start traffic in sydney it gets so hot.as said vt fan comes on at 104 than stops at 94 and if air con switched on fan comes on all time ,in rangie nothing ,in mine as yours always 1/2 way but it sometimes rises in sydney stop start to 3/4 .my radiator flows fast when flushed and has no rust (did buy new at 230,000km ),but talked to auto electrician and said british do it different way to holden .so as said (and told )crimped the yellow wires just before the lower air switch btr9223 ( not the one up higher were drier is ) behind frount bumper pass side and doing that makes the fans come on when you switch air con on ,if you turn off air con ,fans stop working .if you pull out the plug that goes to btr9223 switch you get a book sign on your lcd air con screen in the cabin so i just leave plug in only crimping (joining the wires together with crimp ).and now as i wrote above there are benifits to this simple thing and nothing is affected computor wise ,i tried to put pic but can not but if you send me a email can send anyone a pic (know how to do it that way )were i have and what i have done to make it easy visually ,and as said before does work or else wouldnt have done it cheers, ralph .

Remy
7th December 2008, 06:48 PM
OK i have emailed you for the pics - thanks!

Radiator flushed and cleaned, core doesn't seem blocked from my limited viewing angle and fluid was relatively clean, green and not much dirt came out. Temp gauge still sits a mm or 2 above half. I guess this is just where it sits on mine. Towed the trailer for about 50km @ 110km/h, loaded, family as well, and A/C on full. Temp gauge stayed in the same spot (excellent). As for the fans jumped them at the relay and they work fine. But didn't come on at any stage - left the car running for about 20min stationary (temp stayed in the same spot). I know freon is a bit low as the A/C guy said it was when he informed me i needed a new compressor as the clutch kept disengaging (new wiring harness has fixed that). I will top the gas and if that doesn't allow the fans to start working crimp as per Ralph's suggestion.
Thanks all Remy

Remy
7th December 2008, 07:03 PM
Ralph's Pic

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachments/p38a-range-rover/12168d1228640551-p38-radiator-what-options-image018.jpg

Scouse
8th December 2008, 09:51 AM
Temp gauge still sits a mm or 2 above half. I guess this is just where it sits on mine. Mines exactly the same. Always 1mm above 1/2.

PS: I'll get the radiator info for you later today.

ScottW
10th December 2008, 02:02 PM
My 98 is the same too, just a smidgen above half way, even in the 30+ heat on the weekend with the air-con going. I feel a little more at ease now.

szo
11th December 2008, 05:47 PM
I don't know if it is true but I have been told that the temp gauge has a doodad (sp) in the wiring that stops it from showing gradual temp increases. It will sit at half until the red light goes on then move straight to the top:eek:

Aparently it is designed like this so that the dealers don't get bothered by worried owners when the gauge moves up a bit on hot days.......

I've had this happen to me when my radiator return line broke on a highway run, I watched it jump from middle to top when the light caught my eye. Then it went back to half even though I'd lost a hell of a lot of rad fluid before there was any warning, so it had to have been running hot for a while.

rofosixone
11th December 2008, 10:22 PM
well in mine when useing in sydney traffic stop start in 35c hot days i can tell you doesent stay still at 1/2, more 3/4 (up n down )untill i conected the frount fans than stayed constantish 1/2ish only then . also driveing at night temp shows 1/4 as well .at oran park 4x4 track last year was again moveing up down between as above ,not standing still .on 21/12 /08 haveing lroc kids day all day drive at oran park 4x4 track will be interesting to see with twin fans working this time in low range what it will do ,i think will be big difference to last time i know will run colder ,can not wait for that//// let yous know my findings .ps remember twin fans when conected and running at the frount cool not only auto gearbox/air condensor radiator but motor as well good safe guard.

Scouse
11th December 2008, 10:51 PM
well in mine when useing in sydney traffic stop start in 35c hot days i can tell you doesent stay still at 1/2, more 3/4 (up n down )untill i conected the frount fans than stayed constantish 1/2ish only then . also driveing at night temp shows 1/4 as well .at oran park 4x4 track last year was again moveing up down between as above ,not standing still .I think you have a cooling system problem or 2.

Going up to 3/4 in traffic is not a good sign & neither is sitting on 1/4 at night.

rofosixone
11th December 2008, 11:16 PM
may be i have a sensitive temp gauge that works and doesent sit on 1/2 hot or cold or may be have a rust free new ,(not 12 year old ) temp sender (amr1425-b) 300tdi/v8efi list $3540 to suit 96 /4L v8 ,payed less of coarse i recently brought from rovacraft at mascot that is sensitive to changes .i think the latttttttttterrrrrr cheers ,ralph.

Scouse
12th December 2008, 07:09 AM
No worries but I've been around these cars since they were new & I feel your temp readings aren't quite right.
Just my thoughts.

rofosixone
21st December 2008, 10:33 PM
been to oran park 4wd track today (kids day) here are my findings .last year temp was between 1/2 and 3/4 .today now found temp was running between 1/4 and 1/2,and driveing to oran park from liverpool way temp was 1/4 .conclusion as in what did i do to make my 4L v8 p38a run cooler than last year with out changeing radiator , 1 //////running the twin fans when swiching on air con useing the above crimp metheod /2 ///// running z9 oil filter (bigger and 10 dollars cheaper than std short one )3 useing penright dextron 2 for transfer 2L and auto gearbox 5L (graeme cooper automotive sugestion ,they found runs cooler and doesent use ,and so have i in both my cars i noticed it too and motor has 5.5L of xld oil with z9 .reg flush radiator water every 20,000km and add nulon rad concentrate (see ronalds pic above his rad full of rust ,i dont have that problem) .and just in case you come back to me on temp sender being different ,no its the same but newish . try this scott and tell me do u notice it running cooler too without buying new radiator ,might save you a slipped linner or cracked block in future ,cheers ralph.ps noticed you have fog lights on your profileish pic above , isent that obstruction to the air flow ???????

wayneg
3rd November 2010, 03:46 PM
Have just been doing a pre trip once over on the car and noticed the electric fans never seem to come on. Did a search and found this thread which clarifies this is normal. I would however like to by pass the switch outlined in this thread but am not quite clear on which wires to crimp. There is a Picture but its not clear with no text.
Anyone done this and think it worth while?
Can someone write out an idiots guide with pics if poss as I don`t want to take a chance and fry anything. Cant understand how one wire going to the switch can do anything by shorting out the two wires attached to the switch. Looking at my switch it has two wires going to and attached to the switch, one yellow and one black. Maybe its just a poor picture

Junosi
4th November 2010, 12:07 PM
I'll make a new thread outlining the 'bypass' wiring.

996TURBO
4th November 2010, 06:27 PM
I'll make a new thread outlining the 'bypass' wiring.
Thanks that's what i was waiting for.:)

rofosixone
6th November 2010, 03:18 AM
yes that is a small pic ,way neg / that method was done by auto electrican crimping that yellow and black single wire together going to that switch .when you do that it makes the switch /circuit live ( does not shorting it out as you said ) so when you turn air con knob in the cabin on , it automatically turns twin fans on as your geting cold air in your face .
my way (really , harry my auto electrican ) is simple and cheap compared to high tec version or way of jonosi"s way above ,which is still ok but more work involved but still does same thing .
if you want more pics / details on how i made my frount twin p38a fans work , have a look in the ( photobucket ) web page and type ( p38a ) in search box than look in ( most viewed ) page and can look on my home page under ( rofosixone ) pics ,heaps there of how too and you might even see pic"s of people"s p38a"s you might know all ready , under ( expo lroc ),enjoy .

Gullible
11th November 2010, 08:32 AM
All useful hints and tips above.

I am also wondering about Remy's original question.

Are there any custom or aftermarket options available for to replace a P38 radiator?

Junosi
11th November 2010, 08:50 AM
Are there any custom or aftermarket options available for to replace a P38 radiator?

Yep - 'Aussie Desert Coolers' can make you a custom all aluminium one if you like for around $750 when I enquired in April.

See this thread http://www.aulro.com/afvb/p38a-range-rover/102962-radiator-choices.html

PS In hindsight I'd buy the local one from Graeme every time