Radiator replacement done!

[Bret]

Some of you might remember a few days ago I had a little accident out in the Duff garage and took out my radiator being careless.

Well I looked at a couple of used ones locally but didn’t feel right putting in old stuff. So when a friend told me that a local shop had a new one (never installed) I just jumped on it.

Here are some pics of the new & old Radiators.

Old rad
New Radiator next to an Accordion!
New rad installed

I also replaced the two hoses and the splashguard. Did a short test drive and everything looks great.

Now if I can only get a new engine to go along with the new radiator and all the other new stuff I’ve put under the hood.

Now its Beer thirty!

[ 02-04-2004: Message edited by: Bret ]</p>

 

[Pete Haburt]

Bret;
Should run nice & cool now. I didn't see your earlier post about the mishap, but we've all done something like this at one time or another.
I had the plastic cover fall off the air pump filter assy. once after not tightening enough and it wound up in the fan blades while driving. I could not imagine what the noise was. Looked like a nice round sprinkler system. Bardahls stop leak got me home, but a new radiator was the long term fix. I had to shake out all the loose solder bits from the new radiator before installing. It's been 4 years or so and still runs cool as can be even in high 90's temps. Never quite gets to the N on the gauge, on a 76 B. Mostly runs about 1/2 way to N.
Pete H.

 

[bluecoat]

Bret,

I am going to redo my cooling system on my 80B before this summer, do you or anyone know of any "extra row" radiators made for the hotter climates?

I have emailed several on-line radiator companies but no luck yet.

Thanks

 

[Dave Russell]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by bluecoat:
Bret,
do you or anyone know of any "extra row" radiators made for the hotter climates?
Thanks<hr></blockquote>
Most of your local "good" radiator shops will recore your radiator with a more efficient or larger core, if you don't mind spending a bit. Check them out.
D

 

[Dave Russell]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Bret:

I don’t know of any but you can do what many of us do and run with a cooler thermostat.
<hr></blockquote>

A cooler thermostat will not prevent ultimate overheating. It will only increase the time that it takes to get to the high temperature. If the problem is just short term overheating the thermostat may help. For low speed & idling, a better fan may help & a larger radiator will help. For high speed overheating, if the system is in good shape, a larger or more efficient radiator is needed. The stock parts with a better fan "should" do the job if everything is in good condition. The temp gage is not always accurate & can cause unnecessary worry.
D

 

[Bret]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Dave Russell:

<<SNIP>> The temp gage is not always accurate & can cause unnecessary worry.
D<hr></blockquote>

Great point.

Funny story: I sold an old 67 Barracuda to a friend who lived in Las Vegas. And about a day or two after the sale he called me to complain about it boiling over. I said it seemed fine when I last serviced it. I asked what the stock gauge was read reading when it overheated. He told me it was in the uppermost quadrant of the gauge just before the red line. I said that should have been fine because it was the stock dummy gauge and that was well within operating temperature for the car. There was dead silence on the other end of the line for a second or two before he said – “well if that’s so – why did the coolant boil over when I popped the radiator cap?”

What can ya say my friend didn’t know anything about cars. But the point is, there wasn’t anything wrong with the cooling system on my old Barracuda and the stock “idiot” gauges shouldn’t be trusted. I would think that if I lived in a “severely hot climate” such as “West Texas” (or Las Vegas) I’d pop for a “real” temperature gauge to be safe.

 

[Bret]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by bluecoat:
Bret,

I am going to redo my cooling system on my 80B before this summer, do you or anyone know of any "extra row" radiators made for the hotter climates?
<<SNIP>>
<hr></blockquote>

I don’t know of any but you can do what many of us do and run with a cooler thermostat.

It gets a little hot here in Southern California so I decided to run a 165degree thermostat (Moss P/N#434-189). The standard thermostat is rated at 180 and there’s even a cold weather version rated at 190. All are available through Moss distributors and I’d bet that Victoria British has them too.

But if you really want a larger radiator I suggest taking some measurements of the one you got and take a walk through one of your local pick-your-parts Salvage yards . It will more than likely involve some modifications to mount it and some hodgepodging of the hoses to make it work, but you should find something you can use. I seem to recall seeing a couple of MGBs at the last San Diego British Day with radiators from other makes. One was out of a Toyota, but I can’t recall the exact model.

Personally, I’d try the thermostat first and then go from there.

Good luck!

[ 02-10-2004: Message edited by: Bret ]</p>