radiator refurb

[johnomac]

How do i know if i need one? also how much should it cost?

[Rottbott]

Strictly speaking this should be under the engine section, and I suppose you know you need one if the temperature gauge is reading higher than it should (around the 1/4 mark, raising temporarily to a bit under 1/2 when sitting still in traffic) or the car is outright overheating. From memory you're looking at around £250 but someone might have newer information there.

[Guinney1971]

one thing I found, before I got Flopsy's rad refurbed, was that if I felt the rad hoses when the engine was running, the one on the driver's side was red hot, and the one on the passenger side, was tepid. :?

Its worth trying, but take care not to get your hand caught up in the cooling fans when your reaching about for the hoses!! Luckilly, I never got tangled up and my fingers are still intact

Since having the rad refurbed, touch wood, Flopsy hasnt overheated at all in normal driving, although as a precaution I do have the otterstat jumped in the summer so that the fans run constantly (especially for my crawl into work in Derby). The only overheating I've had was on the M1 last year when I was on my way to have a new clutch fitted. A coolant hose burst at 70 (ish) mph and the cooling system emptied itself in about 17 seconds Thankfully, the RAC came to the rescue very quickly, took us on a flatbed to Southend (from Northampton), where Tourettes and Andy changed the clutch, fitted a replacement hose and kept us entertained all afternoon

I have a Volvo water pump, and have found that in traffic, I have to keep the revs up to keep the temperature below 220 degrees. I didnt have this problem so much when the fans were set to run constantly. I was told ages ago that the Volvo pumps spin slower the a 'normal' DeLorean one, which is why the temperature creeps up when she's idling. Having had head gaskets go on my car (on 2 seperate occassions), I'm pretty paranoid about the temperature my car runs at, so do anything I can to make sure she doesnt get too hot.

Hope this helps

[NickT]

I have the volvo water pump (unipart) Claire and mine doesn't overheat even when idling for ages or blasting down the motorway.

Comparing my old and new the impellers were the same size/ shape and the pulley conversion diemeter was the same as the old fixed one.

Are you sure your engine timing isn't too far advanced or the fuel mixture too lean?

Good idea about the fan override switch though I will add this to my car as a just in case.

NickT.

[Guinney1971]

Hi Nick,

Flopsy is all timed up and mixture set up ok - Dan and Rich made sure everything was ok for me as I did have my concerns about how the car was running (remember the backfiring and flames last year?)

I think it was Martin who told me that the Volvo pumps run slower several years ago and therefore you need to rev the car to keep the temperature down . I'm not sure if my pump is a Unipart one though, as I bought it off someone else so it didnt come in a box. I do find though, if the temperature starts heading towards 220 when I'm sitting in a queue of traffic, if I rev the engine the temperature comes down quite quickly.

I've had new head gaskets, water pump, bleed kit, otterstat, thermostat, several hoses replaced and my rad refurbed, so cant really think what could be causing the symptoms Flopsy has (and has had for years).

Anyway, pain or no pain, I'm gonna be playing with my cars this weekend and firing up the barbeque! Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!!

[NickT]

I think the switch is the way to go for now

I'll add one before the summer gets hot (, here's hoping!)

NickT.