MrGorsky

MrGorsky

Well-Known Member
Full Member
Morning All,

The return flow nipple that goes from the top of the radiator back to the header tank has just snapped off.

Is this repairable or am I going to have to fork out for a new radiator?

If I can repair it, can anyone recommend the best way?

If I can't repair it, is there anything I can do as a short term bodge until I can replace the rad?

It's our only car, and we need it!

It's a V8 4.6 1998MY by the way.
 
If you can find a slim copper tube that fits tight inside the plastic tube to reforce the joint and a **** load of that quick steel putty stuff you could get away with a semi permanent boge

Would fiberglass work?
 
gfromleeds said:
If you can find a slim copper tube that fits tight inside the plastic tube to reforce the joint and a **** load of that quick steel putty stuff you could get away with a semi permanent boge

Would fiberglass work?
Click to expand...

Better with Epoxy putty fibreglass is messy.
 
Last edited:
Cheers all,

I have some of that Quick Steel stuff, I'll have a go with that.

The copper tube idea is great, but where would I buy something of that diameter? A model shop?
 
gorksy ,hi , I have a fully refurbed radiator spare if you want it , and I will send your screwdriver back with it too ,, the rad is off my car = 4.6 v8 thor engine vogue 200 model I bought a brand new one for mine last year and also had a spare then so sent 2 used ones off for refurb and paint so there you go , p.m. your address and I will post it to you Tuesday , its been tested and as you remember it was my engine that was fecked not any of the ancilliary parts so in this case its YOUR good fortune !!!!! way to go mate ,,will await your pm, cheers and kind regards mozz, what goes around comes around
 
mozz smith said:
gorksy ,hi , I have a fully refurbed radiator spare if you want it , and I will send your screwdriver back with it too ,, the rad is off my car = 4.6 v8 thor engine vogue 200 model I bought a brand new one for mine last year and also had a spare then so sent 2 used ones off for refurb and paint so there you go , p.m. your address and I will post it to you Tuesday , its been tested and as you remember it was my engine that was fecked not any of the ancilliary parts so in this case its YOUR good fortune !!!!! way to go mate ,,will await your pm, cheers and kind regards mozz, what goes around comes around
Click to expand...

Star man :D
 
MrGorsky said:
Cheers all,

I have some of that Quick Steel stuff, I'll have a go with that.

The copper tube idea is great, but where would I buy something of that diameter? A model shop?
Click to expand...

Have to check but I think you wouldn't be far off with a piece of copper brake pipe
 
Mozz, thank you for your kind kind offer! Before we get to posting though, mine is a GEMS 4.6, will it fit?

gfromleeds said:
Have to check but I think you wouldn't be far off with a piece of copper brake pipe
Click to expand...

I've done it. Drilled out the hole to 8mm, and used a short length of 8mm copper pipe I had over from when I fitted LPG to my car.

Epoxy'd it in, and it's holding firm at the moment!

Also, I've got a slight weep of oil from around my (not 6 months old) oil filter. It's on pretty tight, done up with a strap wrench, but it's still leaking a bit. Do they leak from there often?
 
hi gorsky , I don't think it will fit , I think the top hose is on the opposite end but will check for you , show me a photo of top of your rad and will compare to mine ,, the same thing " the bleed pipe " happened to me as well and did what you did drilled it out and put copper pipe in and glued it but after a few weeks because of high temperature from rad it came away again so scrapped it and changed rad .. anyway your welcome to have it for free plus I will post it for free cos that's the type of person I am ,as I say ive got 2 of them sat in garage ..the other thing regarding oil filter is that you may have trapped the rubber seal !!!!! when tightening it up , so buy a new one "there only cheap" and make sure you clean and check theres no debris on the face of where it fits before tightening up ok mate let me know over rad ,cheers for now mozz !!!!!!!:):):)
 
Mozz,

It's a bit dark now, but I'll send you a pic tomorrow.

Thanks again for the offer, if it will fit, I insist on paying the postage. That's the very least I can do.

I'll PM you my address now.
 
The GEMS and the THOR rads are different, that's a pity.

Anyhoo, my copper bodge will hopefully work for a bit.

If I'm going to buy a new radiator, wasn't there a problem with some not having a baffle fitted so it just let the water run across the top and didn't actually cool anything?

How do I avoid buying one of those, do I have to go to Land Rover and get the real thing?
 
My return pipe had been previously snapped off and bodged when I bought mine a few years ago now. It lasted for a few years before it eventually exploded fairly spectacularly.

It had been bodged with some sort of copper radiator fitting and epoxy.

I got a new radiator from Island 4x4 in the end which has been fine, despite my ongoing hg problems.
 
My drill out and copper pipe repair lasted about 2 miles!

All done now though. Fitted an eBay one this afternoon.

Been on a fast test run up the M3 and it all seems fine. Just need to get my stereo back from Clarion now and we'll be in good shape.
 
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