 | Home > Technical > 300Tdi radiator..... time to replace? |
 
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829  |
Thanks Retro. I must admit I really didn't think there would be such a thing in Inverness. I hadn't even heard of the company that Precision have taken over.
I'll get myself down there and speak to them after the break. Cheers Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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31st Dec 2017 8:14pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829 |
Following the above, I'm heading down to the radiator recon guys tomorrow to see what they say - price and timescale.
To allow me to compare this with a replacement, how do I know when I'm looking at a 'genuine' radiator at one of the suppliers, rather than a poorer aftermarket one? Who made the original ones? Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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11th Jan 2018 8:08pm |
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| AJC Member Since: 30 Nov 2015 Location: Lancashire Posts: 1333 
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100% replace asap for me. I've put a rad on both my previous 300tdi D1's, easy job and well worth it IMO
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26th Jan 2018 2:37pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829 |
Thanks guys, haven't done it yet, as it's just been short runs in and out of town over the last wee while, and it's still been pretty cold up here.
But... I did go to the recore guy. He can't give me an accurate price until it's actually in his hands and they can do detailed measurements and a quote. The plan would be: I get it to him Monday morning, he gets me a quote by that afternoon, if I accept the price, the radiator is ready to be collected by Friday at latest. He's guessing in the £200-£300 mark. I could live with that, so it's just a case of looking into the diary and seeing a good week in the next month or so. If the quote is too high when he gets a look at it, then it's no real loss - I could get a new rad ordered and on a 'next day' delivery it would still be here by the Friday. A slight complication is that I thought I'd refurb the heater box and fit an upgraded heater matrix at the same time, while the system was drained down anyway. That's a 'back order' job, and probably still about 3 weeks away. The engine services guy did mention two types of radiator fin construction. The ones on my current rad fit in a 'zig zag' way, in between the cooling channels - I forget what he called it. The replacement core they fit has parallel fins and overlap the cooling channels - which seems a much better system to me - less likely to get damaged and forced back into the rad, and then block airflow. Obviously he's selling the recore option and reckons it'll be a much better radiator when I get it back, but I think it makes sense to me. I'll get and post pics when I do the job. Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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26th Jan 2018 2:56pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829 |
..and just to add to all of the above. Finally got round to removing the radiator yesterday.
Interesting times. I'll definitely need to backflush the system - there seemed to be a lot of crap in there, despite the water pump having been replaced not that long ago, and the coolant hoses. I was expecting the water to come out to bear at least a passing resemblance to the blue anti-freeze I put in about 4 or 5 months ago - not a bit of it. WOuld it be worth trying to shift the drain plug on the engine to assist the draining/cleaning, or just let the garden hose flow through it?? Here's a pic of the back of the radiator - it's just as bad, if not worse than the front. I think I've dodged a bullet by noticing this when I did.  Click image to enlarge Down to the recore guys tomorrow, see what price they quote. Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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11th Feb 2018 4:16pm |
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| AJC Member Since: 30 Nov 2015 Location: Lancashire Posts: 1333
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Sod paying £200 for a re core. Buy new
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11th Feb 2018 6:50pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829 |
It could definitely come to that. I'm happy to investigate the recore - but it will need to be at a price that makes sense.
The prices above were a very rough idea, as he said he couldn't price it properly until he had it in front of him, and was able to take proper measurements. Cost would be based on the amount of manufactured core he needs to use. On the other hand, he was pretty definite that the core he'd fit would be much better than the original - like someone said above, bigger capacity and more robust. We'll see! I'll post up what the results are. Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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11th Feb 2018 7:27pm |
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| Low-Range Member Since: 30 Sep 2016 Location: BC Posts: 41 
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My re-core price was hundreds of dollars more than new because of the price of copper. |
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27th Feb 2018 6:54pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829 |
well, in the end, it was more than that. £240 + VAT .
However there was an extra cooling layer built into the new core - 4 sets of cooling channels as opposed to 3; and it was work for a local business. A nice looking job too. So I'm happy. You pays your money, makes your choice. Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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27th Feb 2018 7:17pm |
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| Procta Member Since: 04 Dec 2016 Location: Sunderland Posts: 4937
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What is the best rad to put in the 300? mine has seen better days, as soon as the 306 is back in action, I am going to spend a few quid on a decent one. Is there a difference in the military spec ones? Defender TD5 90 ---/--- Peugeot 306 HDI hatch back
Success is 90% Inspiration and 4 minutes Preparation # you can make it! |
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23rd Jun 2018 1:40am |
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| Alex1976 Member Since: 24 Jan 2013 Location: Buckingham Posts: 596 
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I have had an full ally radiator that I bought on eBay 3 years ago now and it is still in great condition and doing a fine job. It seems to keep the engine nice and cool and possibly runs cooler than the plastic tank rad I had before. It was only a cheap one and cost me about £130 but can’t fault it.
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23rd Jun 2018 9:55am |
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