Bugger it looks like my radiator is dead, there is steam coming out of the side of the core. Does anybody know if I can use some rad weld? I have heard that it can cause problems by blocking the cooling jackets on some cars. It is a polo rad that I am using and when sitting on my drive my car does seem to be getting very hot even with the fan on.

Any advice welcomed pls guys. I was thinking about putting a mk2 escort one on, but this will mean that I will have to weld new mounts on and dont really want to be doing so, if the polo one is good enough I'd rather just get a new polo one if need be...

Ta

I love the stuff and it's in all my cars, well obviously not the VW's... but it sure does work and lubricates the old water pumps. Mustard and egg white do much the same thing but don't last as long. Sounds though something is amiss with the cooling system as leaks usually appear when there is just too much pressure building up. Make some mounts out of ally sheet and rivet it on.

I tried that block weld also, hmm not to convinced with that one or exactly it where was going, off to hide in the oil? My neighbors Volvo had a big blow out, changed the head gasket but it was still using water so I tried the stuff feeling there was a crack in the block. Worked for a week or so then steam again poured out the exhaust but by that time it had been sold so no prob. So I wouldn't recommend block weld.


[Edited on 21/2/08 by Mr Whippy]

Rad weld is ok, but its really only a temp repair, looks like a new rad for you

polo rads ar cheap as chips on ebay have a look on there £10 up to £40 buy it now just get a new one for that money rad weld will cost you £5

[Edited on 21/2/08 by westcost1]

to be honest rad weld is my first choice, that is if it is ok to use

Well andrew if you want to make sure and not pull out of the first race of the season due to overheating. i'm afraid its a new rad

I would advise you to get a new one. We put the cooling system under a lot of strain and allparts of it ned to be in good shape to ensure it keeps the car at the right temperature. I've suffered various cooling issues over the past few seasons and nothing is more frustrating than retiring because of overheating (or spinning because escaping water has got onto the rear tyres - it happened to me at Paddock Hill Bend at Brands a few years ago). At the end of the day a new rad is an insurance policy - £45 for a new radiator or not finishing a £150 race with all the associated costs of getting to the meeting, not to mention the time.

Rad weld is soluble oil and lumps, okay it stops the leak and lubricates the water pump, it aslso coats eveything with a thin film of oil which reduces the overall effectiveness of the cooling system by around 10% as water is no-longer in contact with the metal its trying to cool.

Maybe okay in a road car but racing.... not really especially if the colling is marginal, best avoid.

ordeer a new one, you will get in 2 working days...i did. cheap aswell.

http://www.car-radiators.org.uk/

We have polo rads on the shelf here -
£40 inc vat and carriage, comes with optional blank for fan switch, same unit as used in Westfields etc
Let me know if you want to go that route
regards
Andy

can you supply the cable tie like things for fastening my fan directly to the rad?

like on here...

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/products/EnlargedImage.asp?url=http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/r esources/images/zoom/PCTCF300.jpg&cls=MSPORT&%20pcode=PCTCF300&title=Quick+Mounts+%28Pacet+Fans%29

Hi Carl replied to your U2U Re the rad.

Cheers Matt