Thread: 300TDi radiator

I'm going to try and get a price on tuesday for a recore on my 300 tdi rad.
I'd guess $450 for a recore.
will post back when I get a quote.

I think without a doubt replace it, maybe double the price but not likely to come back and bite you. after all if that is the original radiator then at least 15 yrs old.

Originally Posted by jboot51

I'm going to try and get a price on tuesday for a recore on my 300 tdi rad.
I'd guess $450 for a recore.
will post back when I get a quote.

$500 for a Redback HD (thicker) recore and the bleed hole in the divider plate soldered/blocked.

Quoted two weeks ago.

Originally Posted by rick130

$500 for a Redback HD (thicker) recore and the bleed hole in the divider plate soldered/blocked.

Quoted two weeks ago.

I've asked this before, but have forgotten the answer, what is the purpose of blocking/soldering the bleed hole in the divider plate?
A few years back when I had my rad. recored (H/D thicker core) I asked my local Rad. rebuilder to block the hole as described above, I thought he was going to bite my head off. He said if I wanted that done I should take it to someone who doesn't care about ****ing up the cooling system and promptly handed me back my old radiator, he wouldn't explain why but said he would not be party to **** workmanship. As I have known this bloke for many years and had done some tuning work for him I accepted his advice and I got the H/D recore for the cost Price of a standard core, any comments on this modification and why Land Rover put the hole there in the first place, Regards Frank.

Tank, Im pretty sure its there to help with the bleeding of air in the system when doing changes etc....problem is its so big that the coolant uses it as the path of least resistance (especially when the rad is less than perfect) and therefore doesnt pass through all the rad and get cooled properly.

I could be wrong though

Originally Posted by uninformed

Tank, Im pretty sure its there to help with the bleeding of air in the system when doing changes etc....problem is its so big that the coolant uses it as the path of least resistance (especially when the rad is less than perfect) and therefore doesnt pass through all the rad and get cooled properly.

I could be wrong though

This, or at least that's my take too.

I've asked a few people why so large and no one can answer why ?

The bleed is for the same reasons we have bleeds from the top tank, (drivers side) and the t/stat housing.
If any air does get into the circuit it will self bleed

My bloke will replace the 12+mm hole with a 1/8" hole, should be more than adequate to do its job with a clean system.

Originally Posted by rick130

This, or at least that's my take too.

I've asked a few people why so large and no one can answer why ?

The bleed is for the same reasons we have bleeds from the top tank, (drivers side) and the t/stat housing.
If any air does get into the circuit it will self bleed

My bloke will replace the 12+mm hole with a 1/8" hole, should be more than adequate to do its job with a clean system.

Rick and uninformed, not having a shot at you, but as there is no specific reason for modifying the inside of the radiator then, is there a benefit to cooling. As my local radiator expert vehemently rubbished this modification and was willing to blow a $450 job to get his point across, then unless someone can come up with facts showing it to be beneficial then I will stick to stock, do you know whether the V8 radiator has the same hole, thanks, Regards Frank.

Frank, did he say why ?

It's a common mod to block it off here and in SA (as in Seth Efrica), and everyone that's done it reckons the car doesn't get as hot as quickly when working hard after the mod.
As I mentioned, my bloke says he uses a 1/8"-3mm hole and that's adequate IHO.

For the life of me I can't work out why it's so large a hole, and water, like any fluid follows the path of least resistance, so how much coolant by-passes the core and just goes straight through the bleed hole ?

The race cars i used to run used dual flow, cross flow radiators and as far as I'm aware didn't have an internal bleed in the divider plate at all, only an external bleed.