RADIATOR LEAKING

[marco2002]

Hi Everyone
Looks like my radiator has had it. It was leaking at the bottom right hand side last week put some k-seal in as a quick fix and it seemed to have worked. Checked it this morning and its leaking at the bottom right again. I was wondering if the d9 110's & 90's have the same rad and also do saloons and estates have same rads? The local breakers have a d9 estate on a 2000 plate which is the same year as mine don't seem to have any saloons every time i go there looking for something specific i can never find it - sods law! At least if someone can tell me what to look out for and then i will know before hand as its a 40 mile round trip. Bit short of cash this week so 2nd hand is the only option unless i can get the boss at work to give me a cash advance as i do use the motor for work. Any advice appreciated
Thanks

[teamster1975]

The conrad fitting on the bottom rad hose is a very weak point; over time they rust to pieces.
Your choice is to buy a new bottom hose (£65 from stealer) or visit a scrappy and cut off a good conrad fitting from a top rad hose and join it to the bottom one with a link pipe & some jubilee clips like so:

[marco2002]

Thanks for that bit of advice about the conrad fitting. I'll grab one from the scrappy. Any idea if the radiators on the hdi 90 & 110 are the same? The 110 has the intercooler wheras the 90 doesn't?

[steve_earwig]

Looks like they're the same except for hot countries or for an automatic.

[marco2002]

Thanks Steve

You were right they are all the same found an 2.0 hdi estate today in the scrapyard today and got another radiator and bottom hose for £25. Also get £5 back for the old rad so even better! The radiator has same measurements and the part no stamped on it matches my one also had aircon like mine so spot on.

Its in pretty good nick the car i got it from had 99k on the clock so its a lot less than mine. If it lasts a couple of years i'll be happy. I was surprised how easy the rad was to get out and i thought after what teamster was saying about the conrad fitting on the bottom hose rusting and breaking apart that i might as well have the the whole lot saves fiddling about and i can keep my old bottom hose as a spare also grabbed a few odds and sods like some fan relays. In the 6yrs i've had this car i've never heard the fan once and the temp guage never goes above 90 degrees c. I'm going to have a look at the fan relays and check out the connections while i'm doing the rad later on today. Just got home and the weathers changed heavy rain if only i'd done this yesterday. Anyway thanks for your help just have to get the new rad fitted and bleed the system.

[teamster1975]

Right result there Marco!

[marco2002]

Had a look on ebay and some of the ones on there were £35-40 bit dear for a 2nd hand part. The bloke at the scrapyard was trying to sell me a rad they'd took off a 406 for £35 plus vat and it had a years guarantee on it. As funds are a bit tight and payday is not until monday i went with the cheapo option! The one i've got looks fairly new its made by valeo andit doesn't have any dents in the fins. Gave some of the muck on the back of it a clean off with a soft brush. Flushed it through with a hose pipe both ways and there wasn't much rust in it so should be a good one. Just about to go to the doctors as my son's not too good today and when i come back i'll be fitting the new rad.

[jasper5]

Excellent result there marco

When you fill the rad.....if yours has a plastic screw on top of the rad....undo this screw before you fill it and let water flood out of it first....it will help with bleeding.

I hope your son is alright.

[marco2002]

Hi Jasper
Just finished doing the radiator earlier on. When i bled the system i did just what you said with the valve at the top of the rad also did the same with the valve on the thermostat housing and the other one on the hoses for the heater. The heater is nice and hot and temp guage is just sitting under 90 degrees so no airlocks. gave the car a good boot down the road. all seems ok. The only thing that went wrong was one of the 10mm bolts snapped on the slam panel i'll have to drill it out and put a small nut and bolt through it another day. It was getting dark when i finished up. The one on the other end is nice and tight anyway all sound. I could have done with one of those spring loaded things they use in the garage on the accelerator pedal to keep the revs at 1800. Just used a block of wood wedged in. I watched the mechanic doing it before when they did the cambelt and waterpump. I have to say it wasn't a bad job really. I'm going to have a look at the fan relays another day.

[jasper5]

Great stuff marco, nice job

[marco2002]

The old radiators bottom hose was rusted solid. I didn't bother trying to get it off just cut the hose with a hacksaw. I want my £5 surcharge back lol. I'm glad i got the rad and the bottom hose and just replaced the whole lot its a lot quicker.

[teamster1975]

I'm glad i got the rad and the bottom hose and just replaced the whole lot its a lot quicker.

It's a knuckle skinner getting the other end of the hose onto the engine union, bloody pig of a job that was!

[marco2002]

I had to take the big rubber hose off the top of the intercooler off to get a bit more clearance to get that bottom hose off. I think i'll get a spare bottom hose and top hose next time i go the the scrapyard. Good idea to keep a couple of spares.