Radiator, repair or replace?

**wbute** · 17-06-2012, 03:27 PM

Tony Reakes did my rad and heater core years ago. Still going strong. I went for a 5 row as I have AC. It was overkill though. Have trouble getting it to run hot enough now.
It depends on how well maintained your cooling system was as to how rooted your rad is as well I suppose.

**hqgts** · 17-06-2012, 04:52 PM

Have you tried a higher temperature thermostat?

Also there isa product on the market called liquid intelligence..... The cleaner is supposed to be great forcleaning cores... As for he coolant its guaranteed not to boil... Its not cheap though...

http://liquidintelligence115.com.au/

**wbute** · 17-06-2012, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by hqgts

Have you tried a higher temperature thermostat?

Also there isa product on the market called liquid intelligence..... The cleaner is supposed to be great forcleaning cores... As for he coolant its guaranteed not to boil... Its not cheap though...

http://liquidintelligence115.com.au/

Yeah, tried two different temp ones, it either runs up higher on the gauge than I like or runs right at the bottom. Old ute needs a couple of days in the shed to do some jobs, like re-fitting the hotter thermostat.

--- Updated ---

Originally Posted by buck

The radiator is in good condition, always had coolant and has never run over quater on the temp guage on 38 deg days, but just noticed a couple of drip on the ground the other day probably the freezing weather we are having down here at the moment, i think i wll try to get it repaired as it looks like the solder on the top bit of the tank, we have an excellent radiator bloke down here called phoenix.
All the core parts and fins look excellent and no sign of corrosion anywhere. Just thought i would asked as obviously the alloy ones are pretty cheap, but as the old saying goes you get what you pay for!

Get it repaired I reckon.

**buck** · 22-06-2012, 08:25 AM

Well i picked up the radiator yesturday, both tanks off, cleaned core, re-soldered, painted and pressure tested, could not believe how cheap it was $100.
The bloke said never ever throw out an original 3 core, they are so far superior to anything made now, he said it will out last any new one now.
very happy with that, and it will give me somthing to do this weekend so i picked up all the new hoses and nulon 4 year just to make it a proper job.

**Taily** · 22-06-2012, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by buck

Well i picked up the radiator yesturday, both tanks off, cleaned core, re-soldered, painted and pressure tested, could not believe how cheap it was $100.
The bloke said never ever through out an original 3 core, they are so far superior to anything made now, he said it will out last any new one now.
very happy with that, and it will give me somthing to do this weekend so i picked up all the new hoses and nulon 4 year just to make it a proper job.

That's good to hear. I had my original fine 3-core radiator opened up and rodded about 10 years ago while I was in the NT after I asked for a re-core. Bloke in Alice wouldn't do it, said much the same thing and that I'd be wasting my $$$.

Regards,

Dave

**83 WB_Ute** · 22-06-2012, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by buck

Well i picked up the radiator yesturday, both tanks off, cleaned core, re-soldered, painted and pressure tested, could not believe how cheap it was $100.
The bloke said never ever throw out an original 3 core, they are so far superior to anything made now, he said it will out last any new one now.
very happy with that, and it will give me somthing to do this weekend so i picked up all the new hoses and nulon 4 year just to make it a proper job.

I have a WB 3 core V8 radiator here that came from a WB one tonner, it is basically rooted.. lol Some of the fins are completely flat and I have no idea on the condition of the insides.. haha

So should I scrap it or get it reco'd for when I put the V8 in my ute???

**buck** · 22-06-2012, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by 83 WB_Ute

I have a WB 3 core V8 radiator here that came from a WB one tonner, it is basically rooted.. lol Some of the fins are completely flat and I have no idea on the condition of the insides.. haha

So should I scrap it or get it reco'd for when I put the V8 in my ute???

Depends how bad it is, if there is corrosion all through it and the fins are buggered, i wouldnt bother.
also depends if you have a good radiator bloke in town aswell, as Taily said take it in and they will tell you straight away if its ok to repair, if not sell it for scrap.

**83 WB_Ute** · 22-06-2012, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by buck

Depends how bad it is, if there is corrosion all through it and the fins are buggered, i wouldnt bother.
also depends if you have a good radiator bloke in town aswell, as Taily said take it in and they will tell you straight away if its ok to repair, if not sell it for scrap.

Yeah, its not in that good of condition.. It looks like the bottom of the radiator has hit the harmonic balancer at some stage.. So I definatley don't think it will be able to be repaired..

**buck** · 17-06-2012, 04:57 PM

Originally Posted by wbute

Tony Reakes did my rad and heater core years ago. Still going strong. I went for a 5 row as I have AC. It was overkill though. Have trouble getting it to run hot enough now.
It depends on how well maintained your cooling system was as to how rooted your rad is as well I suppose.

The radiator is in good condition, always had coolant and has never run over quater on the temp guage on 38 deg days, but just noticed a couple of drip on the ground the other day probably the freezing weather we are having down here at the moment, i think i wll try to get it repaired as it looks like the solder on the top bit of the tank, we have an excellent radiator bloke down here called phoenix.
All the core parts and fins look excellent and no sign of corrosion anywhere. Just thought i would asked as obviously the alloy ones are pretty cheap, but as the old saying goes you get what you pay for!