P38A Radiator Woes

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Salisbury Nick

Salisbury Nick

Well-Known Member
Posts
790
Location
Dorchester
Hi all,

Yet again I find myself turning to the good offices of this forum for help. My trusted, (trusted to break down at every given opportunity), RR P38 2.5D Auto has got a split radiator again. I know why. It's my own fault. Took it green laning over Salisbury Plain before Christmas - got the rad covered in special Salisbury mud which sets hard, then got stuck in a traffic jam before I could properly clean it and over heated.

Warning here for off- roaders that think the Plain is an easy day out - it is really - but the mud is a bugger and kills cars unless you take very good care of them afterwards. (Note to self - heed own warning in future!)

So I found this aluminium version on the Bay of E! (scroll down - its a very long link!)

It says covers model version to MY '99. Mine is registered in 2000 - but I'm pretty sure it was built in 99. I can find no reference in RAVE to a model change affecting the cooling system for the 2.5D at that time - so the question is - should a rad designed to fit up MY99 fit mine even if mine was built later in 99 or even 2000?

Anyone got any experience of these radiators?

Cheers
Nick

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/35198776...D%3D|ampid:PL_CLK|clp:2047675&epid=2314583240
 
Hi Nick, I have no affiliation to either of these firms but can highly recommend getting a Nissens radiator from Arksglobal. The one for my 2001 2.5 DT (part no. 64309) was £108, and delivered in a couple of days.
 
I think all the diesel rads fit, just the cooler ports at the bottom are not used on the later diesels as they have the cooler mounted separately behind the left hand front bumper.
 
Salisbury Nick said:
Thanks, much appreciated. Nick
Click to expand...
The plastic Nissen radiators also split. I have a custom made copper one in the LHD P38, in the other I plan to fit a GEMS V8 RAD which involves a little mod to the pipework and can only be done with the viscous and cowl removed. The V8 RAD is less likely to split as it doesn't have the same temperature difference across the top or the raised ridge for the bleed pipe.
 
Salisbury Nick said:
Hi all,

Yet again I find myself turning to the good offices of this forum for help. My trusted, (trusted to break down at every given opportunity), RR P38 2.5D Auto has got a split radiator again. I know why. It's my own fault. Took it green laning over Salisbury Plain before Christmas - got the rad covered in special Salisbury mud which sets hard, then got stuck in a traffic jam before I could properly clean it and over heated.

Warning here for off- roaders that think the Plain is an easy day out - it is really - but the mud is a bugger and kills cars unless you take very good care of them afterwards. (Note to self - heed own warning in future!)

So I found this aluminium version on the Bay of E! (scroll down - its a very long link!)

It says covers model version to MY '99. Mine is registered in 2000 - but I'm pretty sure it was built in 99. I can find no reference in RAVE to a model change affecting the cooling system for the 2.5D at that time - so the question is - should a rad designed to fit up MY99 fit mine even if mine was built later in 99 or even 2000?

Anyone got any experience of these radiators?

Cheers
Nick

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/351987760994?_trkparms=amclksrc=ITM&aid=1110006&algo=HOMESPLICE.SIM&ao=1&asc=247415&meid=fd942450d58342bb8e15b1d23f29f429&pid=101195&rk=3&rkt=12&sd=352759755208&itm=351987760994&pmt=1&noa=0&pg=2047675&algv=SimplAMLv11WebTrimmedV3MskuWithLambda85KnnRecallV1V4V6ItemNrtInQueryAndCassiniVisualRankerAndBertRecallAndDynamicRecsysV2b&_trksid=p2047675.c101195.m1851&amdata=cksum:351987760994fd942450d58342bb8e15b1d23f29f429|enc:AQAHAAABUNXyzFqVVJ78aQVsgu30hWP%2FpFuTN4L6%2FYpgt0A2DyQQ%2F6a4RgtHNDv4ihWIkox%2F3OgJ7Tbe6siEL%2FcIaE%2Bmaxb0obf9kiZr1sHxNsR7VMbcmUThN5l4scxVV%2BwVCAiqgB0ztj%2B5xOMwrNdk1BJLXHo1bp%2BuPHr9H%2BRuKy05FkSKDMfDfSI6tujrysCJfmwjdbO8fNXCuG0%2FQKuo7p5pHYYs9WbuhqVqX6moJYNG%2Bgmnwhyz4Fkn427haMg9MRrhrjltYEx9UgXRRFgTs1%2Ffzx%2F6GvA61T44JX36TcMPQtjvX2JE1TzaGPnrhZWkfy8YcOWugmPU9b8NuYslyQZEUjswW62hHTp2Be4GZxilOYxGk%2B7gKBLULGvYATFxUmc4HZtB%2Btboj1ZsxplDDzO8nWomdryd2fj6dvkLgLCgx8CUWT%2FXNjAlld5Onl%2BnNSP4YA%3D%3D|ampid:pL_CLK|clp:2047675&epid=2314583240
Click to expand...
I've got one similar, got it from direnza UK. They are all made in the same factory. Untidy welding, and the baffle in the top of the rad didn't seal properly. After a few emails and a bad review, I was refunded. It has held and does it's job. I just felt the fancy box (real fancy) didn't justify the extra cost and I had to replace the seal in the drain plug as the oring would spill out when tightened :(
Buyer beware dude...
 
Datatek said:
The plastic Nissen radiators also split. I have a custom made copper one in the LHD P38, in the other I plan to fit a GEMS V8 RAD which involves a little mod to the pipework and can only be done with the viscous and cowl removed. The V8 RAD is less likely to split as it doesn't have the same temperature difference across the top or the raised ridge for the bleed pipe.
Click to expand...
Interesting. I happen to have the viscous removed and the cowl. Which pipes need modifying? Is that a diesel you are putting it into?
 
Mark Piercy said:
I've got one similar, got it from direnza UK. They are all made in the same factory. Untidy welding, and the baffle in the top of the rad didn't seal properly. After a few emails and a bad review, I was refunded. It has held and does it's job. I just felt the fancy box (real fancy) didn't justify the extra cost and I had to replace the seal in the drain plug as the oring would spill out when tightened :(
Buyer beware dude...
Click to expand...
Nothing is ever as good as it seems is it.
 
Salisbury Nick said:
Interesting. I happen to have the viscous removed and the cowl. Which pipes need modifying? Is that a diesel you are putting it into?
Click to expand...
Looking from the front of the car, just the left hand hose has to be changed to go into the bottom entry on the RAD, quite simple but cannot be done easily with the viscous and cowl in pace. It will give about 30% better cooling.
 
Salisbury Nick said:
Interesting. I happen to have the viscous removed and the cowl. Which pipes need modifying? Is that a diesel you are putting it into?
Click to expand...

I'd be cautious putting a more expensive rad in. The issue is the mud preventing cooling rather than a failure of the rad. Maybe add a pressure release valve before the rad and put something in front if the rad and underneath to try and stop mud blocking it up? Viscous fan pushes from rear but I think you removed yours.
 
Grrrrrr said:
I'd be cautious putting a more expensive rad in. The issue is the mud preventing cooling rather than a failure of the rad. Maybe add a pressure release valve before the rad and put something in front if the rad and underneath to try and stop mud blocking it up? Viscous fan pushes from rear but I think you removed yours.
Click to expand...
The expansion tank cap provides pressure relief. The viscous fan sucks through the RAD, it doesn't push from the rear.
 
Salisbury Nick said:
Well, thanks for the above. @Grrrrrr is right, but i’m struggling with cooling anyway, even when not gunged with mud, so I bought it, and i’m just about to try and fit it. wish me luck.
Click to expand...

Always interested to hear how people get on with a new product. I've found the Nissens one very reliable but I do think it is a bit borderline compared to the original. The temperature guage does move when I am towing 3 tons up steep hills and I don't remember the original doing that.
 
Grrrrrr said:
Always interested to hear how people get on with a new product. I've found the Nissens one very reliable but I do think it is a bit borderline compared to the original. The temperature guage does move when I am towing 3 tons up steep hills and I don't remember the original doing that.
Click to expand...
Viscous on it's way out? I have no problem towing a P38 on a trailer behind my P38 with a Nissens RAD using just the aircon fans for cooling.
 
Datatek said:
Viscous on it's way out? I have no problem towing a P38 on a trailer behind my P38 with a Nissens RAD using just the aircon fans for cooling.
Click to expand...

Seems fine. It doesn't overheat so I guess the needle moves a little before the viscous gets up to full speed. It does work hard with a full load on the back. The v8 is better from that perspective.
 
Remember the temp gauge isn't. It's a nominal gauge that shows cold, warmer, normal or dead.
When my viscous fan was good, normal driving temp was 92, idle was 95-96. When the fan started to fail, i could see the driving temp creep up over a period of days. I swapped it when driving temp was 94-95 and it went back to 92. I didn't make any other change or ways the rad etc at that time
The temp gauge in the dash status on 'normal' waaaay past 100, i don't recall the figure but by that time a V8 is likely cooked
 
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