Radiator replacement

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adyw

adyw

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plymouth
A bit of advice please, so after hunting a coolant leak I eventually have tracked it down to the bottom corners of the radiator so its got to go.

I 've changed radiators before in other cars but not one with the built in oil cooler.

My question is. when I disconnect the two pipes on the oil cooler, obviously I will get coolant out the cooler itself. But how do i refill it once the new one is in.

Do I have to bleed the system if so how, or do i just top up the oil as it self fills, or ?

I would put hose clamps on the oils , but they seam very solid and don't want to squash them. but this does not sort out the air trapped in the cooler.

any advice would be great.

Also recommendations on a 200tdi radiator, before I take the plunge on my current preferred choice.
 
Just take a guess on the amount of oil you have lost, and replace it in the normal way via the engine oil filler cap.
Run the engine for two minutes and check the level later is correct. Mole grips or similar on the flex part of the pipe works but it its will be mostly the radiator content.
 
adyw said:
A bit of advice please, so after hunting a coolant leak I eventually have tracked it down to the bottom corners of the radiator so its got to go.

I 've changed radiators before in other cars but not one with the built in oil cooler.

My question is. when I disconnect the two pipes on the oil cooler, obviously I will get coolant out the cooler itself. But how do i refill it once the new one is in.

Do I have to bleed the system if so how, or do i just top up the oil as it self fills, or ?

I would put hose clamps on the oils , but they seam very solid and don't want to squash them. but this does not sort out the air trapped in the cooler.

any advice would be great.

Also recommendations on a 200tdi radiator, before I take the plunge on my current preferred choice.
Click to expand...
As soon as you loosen the the oil cooler hoses move them from the cooler and hold them up to stop oil loss, no need to worry about air locks in the oil cooler circuit as it will self bleed.
Be aware some of the pipes have o rings on them, but not all, the adapators will most likely need removing to fit to the new radiator.
The all metal rads are the ones to get, but I am sure the alloy/plastic ones are okay now.

Coolant needs to be refilled in the correct way to avoid air locks.
 
If available, buy an original OEM brass radiator. Although 3x the cost they'll last. It your existing unit has an original brass core, can you not get this re-cored?
 
Have found with 200 parking nose up and filling through the plug on the radiator is best [ get a metal plug if all you have is standard plastic.] Run engine until coolant at rad plug free of bubbles. Pressure tank should be about half full. If Disco 200 you may have plug on thermostat housing as well.
 
Fitted a plastic Bearmach rad in the 200tdi and it fit well and is very efficient compared to the old one. Been in there about 4 years.
 
The thread for the plug on the radiator is the same as the bleed valve on the radiators in your house. I replaced it with one of those, which makes it very simple to bleed the system with the engine running. Same goes for the bleed screw at the high point in the system on a tdi.
 
the threads on those oil cooler pipes is a fine thread - easy to cross thread and then bugger them up completely when you apply the spanner to it

then the top oil cooler hose can be a bastard to get the thread to start and that for me was a hit and miss affair
 
FlyingPete said:
The thread for the plug on the radiator is the same as the bleed valve on the radiators in your house. I replaced it with one of those, which makes it very simple to bleed the system with the engine running. Same goes for the bleed screw at the high point in the system on a tdi.
Click to expand...
That's a great idea
 
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