Alloy Radiator Refurb.

[Adam43]

So the engine is back in and she runs (MGB 1950cc). Hurrah.

However in the process the alloy radiator has been damaged and it leaks from the middle of the core. I'm not even sure how I did it. It doesn't look like it was done when changing the fan, maybe when transporting? Whatever, part of the core is damaged:

This is an old pic, but it is leaking from the top right of the "R".

These are a little pricey, so in these cost sensitive times I wondered if it was possible to get this repaired/recored. Even if I get a new one quickly, it might be worth repairing this for space as they are £400 quid a pop.

Anyone got any recommendations of places to go, tips, or just suggestions of new ones.

[tristancliffe]

A company in Norwich called Express Radiators has recored radiators for us in the past. They sometimes even have cores that look a little bit more period, so it's not as obvious.

I don't know where you are in the world, but perhaps good to give them a call? 01603 414488

[Tim Falce]

When my brand new alloy rad got a stone through it on it's first outing the company that made it cut into the tanks, side in my rad, and welded the offending cores off. I suppose you could try Northampton Auto Rads for a re core or repair.

[Adam43]

Thanks for those pieces of advice.

I certainly like the sound of the your solution falcemob. Did Northampton Auto Rads do that for you?
It has always ran quite cold (~70degC) so a loss of a couple of cores won't hurt too much.

[tristancliffe]

70-80°C is about right for power

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by AdamAshmore

Thanks for those pieces of advice.

I certainly like the sound of the your solution falcemob. Did Northampton Auto Rads do that for you?
It has always ran quite cold (~70degC) so a loss of a couple of cores won't hurt too much.

Mine was done by Pace Products at Haverhill. I'm not sure if they'll refurbish however.

[terence]

That looks remarkably like one of the rads we used to do at CMS,that being the case,it would have come from Pace anyway

[Al Weyman]

USA Imports (don't laugh) are a dealer for American Company Northern Radiators excellent range of alloy rads, to date I have bought two, the first was under £200 as it was a stock common size the 2nd was a bit dearer and post credit crunch as it was a special Big Block plus sized rad to fit in my earlier camaro chassis but i still had change from £300, give them a ring and speak with Neil, they may have a stock size to suit and as a lot smaller will be cheaper. Either that or get some epoxy resin out :-)

[GORDON STREETER]

Actually Al , I repaired my Transit rad with epoxy resin after a stone went through it going to Knockhill one year. I never bothered to fit a new rad and its still OK after 10 years !!!!!

[JamesH]

Vote for northern rads here - always seem to be the cheapest I can find.,

But in this case, I would use Chemical Metal to fill the hole. I damaged the alloy cores of a Polo rad on the locost first trip out with the new rad (went up on to the bank at Lyden after the elbow, then fell in to the gap where the ambulance parks on to a tyre wall - I have pictures!). That was some time ago and the rads is still going strong (and its gets pretty hot too).

James

[Al Weyman]

I was'nt joking, I repaired one on one of my cars and it held up!

[Adam43]

Got to worth a go!

The Northern rads look pretty good. I wonder if the exchange rate has hurt the price...

[Al Weyman]

It will obviously but it is up to nearly $1.50 again so has been a lot worse and i am sure they are keen to export.

[bdwoody]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Actually Al , I repaired my Transit rad with epoxy resin after a stone went through it going to Knockhill one year. I never bothered to fit a new rad and its still OK after 10 years !!!!!

along the same lines i put a ratchet through one of the cores on my audi tow car while changing the cam belt and had to epoxy it , and it has lasted 4 years with no trouble so you could give that a go.

also some thing i saw at autosport show this year that looked very good was a low melting point aluminium weld/solder stick that you apply with a butane blow lamp.it don't get hot enough to melt the parent metal until the filler wire is applied ? not sure how but i did see it work on 2 pieces of 1.5mm ally.not sure of the company name or product but some one on here may remember seeing it ...

[Tim Falce]

I think it's called alluweld, I have some of it here but have never tried it. It does work though but like everything like this it needs a lot of practice to get it right.

[bdwoody]

thats the stuff tim .it did look quite good ,but like you say practice makes perfect with it i supose...

[Tim Falce]

You have to have everything very clean and the right type of flame or you just end up with blobs of ally rolling around everywhere.

[GORDON STREETER]

But look at it this way its buggered anyway so you might as well give it a go !
As for the plastic metal stuff I have successfully repaired a few corroded alloy heads in the past. As long as its not in contact with the combustion side it works pretty well.

[bdwoody]

spose its better than eggs and sand....lol.

[GTRMagic]

http://www.pwr.com.au/

They airfreight across the world And with the South Pacific Peso worth about nothing... it might surprise as to the price!

[JamesH]

Just realised that the Northern Radiators mentioned above may not be the one I was talking about.

http://www.radiatorsonline.co.uk/

Also do aluminium repair, based in Leeds.

Secondly, I just remembered that I repaired a Bedford CF radiator with straightforward plumbing solder and a heat gun/blowlamp. That might be a possibility. Although I am not sure whether that would work on ali.
James

[Al Weyman]

No they are not the same these are the ones. http://www.usaimports.co.uk/FBO_Page...nd_cooling.htm as I said via USA Imports of the UK.

[minifox]

give alan docking engineering a call. they can normally re core or repair it.

[R59]

Originally Posted by minifox

give alan docking engineering a call. they can normally re core or repair it.

And charge you the equivalent to third world debt to do it too!

I have used Kempston Radiators in Bedford in the past.

[Adam43]

Well a bit of JB Weld later and it worked! The attached shows the blob repair. The area was cleaned up well beforehand, more than enough JB Weld used and the radiator was left inside to 'set' for about one week (which is probably more than needed). Not only that, but for some reason the car is running at a lower temperature than before.

Now I wonder if it will repair the gearbox that has just broken.