300 TDI Defender "Radiator"

[ellard]

Hi there all

Just a quick question for the forum - I had a Land Rover Mechanic call it today for a chat. While he was there I was in the process of pulling out the radiator of my 130.

I am having it cleaned etc on Monday - I havent had the defender for all that long and was initally shocked in how small they are (when compared to Land Cruisers, even our Holden 6 ute has a bigger radiator)

He mentioned when they are removing the side tanks for cleaning the tubes - ask them to weld up the bypass hole - as there not needed in our hot Australian climate.

Has anyone heard of this before, what he said make logic sense but just asking a few other defender owners have they done it as well.......

All the best

Wayne

[rick130]

I think there's a small hole in the divider plate, but it'd be there for bleed purposes......I think.
I wonder what the chances are of trapping air in the lower half of the rad if that is closed ?

[Bundalene]

Yes, he is correct - this internal hole should be permanantly sealed when ever a S1 Disco / Defender radiator is sent in for a clean / flush.

Erich

[ellard]

Yes, he is correct - this internal hole should be permanantly sealed when ever a S1 Disco / Defender radiator is sent in for a clean / flush.

Erich

Thanks - what he said made perfect sense, just asking others thoughts..

Wayne

[ellard]

Hi there

Sorry for the double up on posts - but this would make a huge difference with the cooling circuit when clossed.

The hole looks to be at least a 20 cent hole size, if the radiator ever partial blocked majority of the water would totally bypass the cooling circuit.............

I have been told that new radiators supplied in Australia - are perminately blocked (from new)

What is the purpose of it in the first place...........

Wayne

[DirtyDawg]

"I have been told that new radiators supplied in Australia - are perminately blocked (from new)

What is the purpose of it in the first place..........."



Purpose: to prevent anyone thinking pommy engineering had become reliable:D

[rick130]

Hi there

<snip>
The hole looks to be at least a 20 cent hole size, if the radiator ever partial blocked majority of the water would totally bypass the cooling circuit.............

<snip>
Wayne

:eek: a bit bigger than a bleed then......

[blue juice]

Place a 4 core in it and you will pull a trailer around in the bush all day.
Happy with mine !
red devil in beenleigh qld

[4wd4fun]

Place a 4 core in it and you will pull a trailer around in the bush all day.
Happy with mine !
red devil in beenleigh qld

What price would you expect to pay and who is the best to get a four core from in Brisbane :):)
Cheers Allan

[isuzu110]

I had mine recored at red devil at the gabba 12 months ago. can't recall the price

[ellard]

Hi there all

The radiator is done - will put back in tonight when I get home from work.

I hope it improves the cooling efficiency, or will look into a 4 core.

All the best

Wayne

[JamesH]

Sorry, but what's a 4-core exactly? is it an upgraded core?

[rick130]

Sorry, but what's a 4-core exactly? is it an upgraded core?

Actually a 4 row or 4 tubes vs the OE 3 row/tube core, so is thicker and in theory has a greater heat rejection capacity.

[PAT303]

Fitting a seperate engine oil cooler would be another way to dump heat. Pat

[ellard]

Hi there all

Well fitted the radiator last night - and so far what a big difference.....

I have installed and after market temperature sensor in the alloy housing, where the plastic bung used to be on the front of the engine. I would suspect this would be the hottest point where the water goes to the top of the radiator.

Did a little driving around this morning, as its already 42 before 10am. The temperature gauge didnt deviate from half, and the temperature gauge sat on around the 82-85' (I am impressed in 42" and air-cond running)

I am heading to Whyalla tomorrow and there for-casting 46" - only time will tell. Before closing what sort of temperature should I be expecting, whats the running temperature of a 300 tdi engine.........

All the best

Wayne

[PAT303]

Thermostate opens at 88 and mine sits on 90-92 in your average goldfields 45 degree day!!!!!.I am looking at venting the bonnet above the thermo housing as getting the hot air out is just as important as letting the cool air in. Pat

[Bushie]

Thermostate opens at 88 and mine sits on 90-92 in your average goldfields 45 degree day!!!!!.I am looking at venting the bonnet above the thermo housing as getting the hot air out is just as important as letting the cool air in. Pat


What,

you have a sealed defender bonnet - no factory gaps ?? :D:D:D


Martyn

[blue juice]

What price would you expect to pay and who is the best to get a four core from in Brisbane :):)
Cheers Allan

$695 for a 4 core I think the are normaly $850

after 3 months of use it is well worth the money even uphill with the trailer loaded.
Ring around for the best price on a 4 core its the only way to haggle the price down say so and so will do it for this price and ask if they can better it.

Cheers blue

[rick130]

What,

you have a sealed defender bonnet - no factory gaps ?? :D:D:D


Martyn


http://www.aulro.com/afvb/technical-chatter/37970-fors-against-bonnet-scoops.html#post537589

[ellard]

Hi there

Well after a run trip over to Whyalla yesterday - its a totally differenct car "should have done it a long time ago"

The temperature yesterday in Whyalla (according the weather 47.8") and the defender temperature guage didnt move from half.........sitting on 120, with aircond woking a treat.

I did notice a slight movement while travelling through the hills, the temperature on the after market guage sat on 96 (half on the factory dash guage) but again I was pushing it on an extreeme day.....this is where the 4 core radiators would help.

I will get a 4 core radiator before next summer - as I do alot of towing.

Thanks again for everyones input..

All the best

Wayne

PS - from 48 yesterday, now its 26 "wheres that jumper"

[rick130]

Hi there

<snip>
I did notice a slight movement while travelling through the hills, the temperature on the after market guage sat on 96 (half on the factory dash guage) but again I was pushing it on an extreeme day.....
<snip>


I saw a tad over 100* yesterday coming up over the range here and it was 39.5* ambient, EGT just under 700*.

[ellard]

Hi there


I saw a tad over 100* yesterday coming up over the range here and it was 39.5*

This still seems a little high ("100 on a 39.5" day) - when I said extreem temperatures, the past three weeks in SA we havent had a day under 40" with the highest temp on Saturday of 48"............

Wayne

[rick130]

That was just for a point of reference.

Stock rad, system flushed, rad out and power flushed by rad shop two years ago, new viscous coupling two years/50,000km ago, OAT coolant, 300Tdi with the fuel pump turned up to exceed 720* on a long climb, weighs approx 2650kg in config I'm running around ATM, achieves that temp on a 2.5km climb gaining 200m over the Liverpool Range.
It gets to almost that temp in winter on the same climbs.

[roverrescue]

My 130 towing up the Mcleod range which is maybe 1km at 9% will just nudge 100* too.
-new viscous coupling made little difference
-i counted the cores in the new rad I put in 12/12 ago seems it has 4.

will take an old rad into a shop ands see what they can do in the existing space otherwise i may go full size rad with bigger intercooler in front.

S