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Thread: 16year old radiator

  1. #1
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    16year old radiator

    I have just removed the original radiator in my 2002 D2 TD5.
    I pulledit apart and here are the Attachment 145182IMG_1212.jpgAttachment 145189pics
    First it is obvious that there is still a separate section in the radiator for the fuel cooler.There is a seal on the RH tank and a ridge on the end that mates with the seal. This radiator has the second outlet blocked but also a restrictor at the fuel cooler and only a small hole in the bottom stub.
    On this radiator all of the lowest tubes appear blocked up so the fuel cooler would have been getting not much coolant.
    The lowest 5-6 tubes appear to be blocked but most of the rest are 100% clear, with some with part blockage say 10-20%.
    The radiator was leaking a little from the RH lower end.
    There was a tube thingo in the LH tank which I think was part of the original top radiator hose where the bleed screw is. That is it next to the core in the second picture.
    All in all pretty good after 16 years. It was original as it had a 2002 date and "storm" on a sticker.
    Regards Philip A

  2. #2
    Roverlord off road spares is offline AT REST
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    Goes to show that even being fastidious with demineralised water and correct coolant mixtures that they unfortunately still gunk up . What hope has a man got?


  3. #3
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    Another thought is that there is little to be gained by backflushing as you will not get any flushing of the bottom channels of the radiator.
    BTW Mario, thanks for the great service with the GM radiator.
    Regards Philip A

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by PhilipA View Post
    .....
    All in all pretty good after 16 years. It was original as it had a 2002 date and "storm" on a sticker.
    Regards Philip A

    Did you have any heating issues at all?

    I remember back to my RRC days. '79 model. I was on a drive out to Uluru, and when I got there out of the blue the RRC's temp gauge needled shot up to the start of the red zone.
    I had to nurse the car home(no problem) but at this stage I had the RR for about 5 years, and knew most of it's issues and abilities.
    After much head scratching and testing and replacing of minor parts(eg. temp sender) couldn't get the RR to show less than needle at the start of the red zone.
    Rad was checked, but as it turns out not very carefully, but this became the new normal for me. Even tho it appeared to run hot, all hoses still had a lot of squeeze in them, so obviously not over pressurised, and never lost coolant.
    I ran it for 2 years like that, just accepting of this 'new normal'.
    The one day I was doing something(maybe oil filter) and accidentally rubbed my hand on the bottom of the rad fins, and they all flaked off. About the bottom third of the rad was held together only with atmospheric pressure. Any touch and it'd flake to dust!

    New rad was bought fitted and the old 'new normal' supposedly hot running was a thing of the past again. That would have been about mid 90's, so about 16-ish years old by then too.
    I used to run a rust inhibitor in the RRC on advice from a person I knew, but had no idea on what any previous owner used in it's first 10 years(before i got it) did.

    Anyhow, after 16 years, those so called 'more durable copper' radiators don't seem to be as 'durable' as many folks seem to think they really are.
    I have plans to swap out my (probably) past it's use by dated 300 Tdi rad, for an aluminium one I've had for a while now(but lack all the other bits I want to change at the same time).
    Arthur.

    '99 D1 300Tdi Auto
    '03 D2 Td5 Auto

  5. #5
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    It raises a good point,,
    how do you tell when a modern alloy/plastic rad needs attention?(please dont say look at the guage--)
    are the fins first to go? weeps around the tank joins? do the outlets get brittle?
    "How long since you've visited The Good Oil?"

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  6. #6
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    I have to say that the exterior of the radiator and the interior are really in perfect condition. There is no flaking at all.

    If you could get new gaskets then with a clean of the bottom 4-5 passages it could go back together.

    This contrasts with my 91 RRC. When I bought it in 2002 the radiator fell apart under warranty.
    The dealer paid for a new core which was a NATRAD 3 core rather than the original 4 core. I kicked up a fuss and eventually called NATRAD and talked to an engineer who told me that the core was actually about 30% more efficient than the OEM core.
    I had it rodded 10 years later after using distilled water and Nulon green at 50/50 and it was clear then. The NATRAD fins were still OK.
    I had no overheating problems at all, but I doubt that the fuel cooler was getting much coolant so it may have affected fuel temperature. I can see why they have the barrier inside the RH tank as with the thermostat open otherwise it would probably suck coolant from the fuel cooler opening not blow it.
    I guess that my reasoning was that 16 years was a very good life for a radiator and I want it to be reliable. IMHO the most common failure is that they start to leak at the seals barring things like overpressure from a head gasket failure where they bulge. I cannot comment on corrosion etc inside but this could be a problem with incompatible coolant , dirty water or just plain neglect. I have seen some photos on here of rusty water from the block which appalls me.
    Regards Philip A

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