I do realise there are quite a few threads on this but I thought I would start my own as none of them really answered my questions...

Cherry's head gasket was blown (was - now fixed by TheMiniMan ) so my radiator was pretty much full of crap.

Matt68 was nice enough to change my thermostat over to a lower temp opening one as she was running about 3/4s of the way between Cold and Hot. He said that the cores seem to run pretty clear when he dumped the fluid and put in the new corrosion inhibitor. She seemed to love the new thermostat for the next few days except now she is back up to 3/4s on the temp gauge.

She's never overheated but I really don't want to take my chances with the hot weather we get up here in beautiful sunny QLD.

So my question is: Should I just have my rad cleaned out by a radiator company or should I buy a new one and whack it in so I know it's done?

Any thoughts on what type of radiator I should get if I do decide to buy a new one? Cherry is a 76 Clubman with a stock 998.

Thanks guys!

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Get your radiator rod cleaned at a rad shop. The standard aussie 3 core (16fins/inch) is heads and shoulders above those crappy pommy (12fins/inch) radiators.

Don't bother stuffing around and buying another radiator. Some of them are ok but I would just fix the one you have. My car in cool weather can run as low at 55°C and even in 30°C heat still only sits on about 73°C and 85°C in traffic.

The rad will need to be pulled out to do your timing chain anyway

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"In two years time your car will be like a lady's clothes, out of date, my car will still be in fashion when I am dead" - Sir Alec speaking to Pininfarina

Get your radiator cleaned out.

Should have said, don't go to one of the big chain shops, they'll just rip you off from some of the quotes I've heard about. Just go to a little place. There is a place in Toowoomba that is like that, cheap and do excellent work

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"In two years time your car will be like a lady's clothes, out of date, my car will still be in fashion when I am dead" - Sir Alec speaking to Pininfarina

Anyone know any businesses in Brissy that are reasonably priced and do good work?

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TheMiniMan i think he would look after you if hes done your head gasket before and he knows minis.



TUCK3R

id also suggest a filter sock at the top end hose to keep your radiator cleaner for longer just a little material filter that catchs all the large gunk

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Enjoy Chris

Yes, my rad bloke looks after me pretty well,,, but we`d have to have your car here by about wednsday , rip out your rad & give it to them to clean it for us to have it back for the weekend to stick it back in after the timing chain job

& we can fit a tensioned type timing chain assy while we`re there if you like

pretty tricky hey?

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

do you have a heater in your car? does it work? it may also be blocked so just by pass it as it will just be putting more crap in your cooling system and blocking stuff up. Also there is a drain plug on the back of the block on the drivers side ...remove that and see if the coolant flows out, if not im betting that the water galleries are restricted or blocked with crap on that side of the motor which is not good.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDMkVq1jRGU

you always give me bad news Scott

I have heater knobs in my car but they dont work (and one doesnt even move )

Thank you for the help, as always you are a legend!

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give the motor a really good flush with water while the rad is out. Matt'll know what to do...

with the thermostat out, I clamp a high pressure hose nozzle thingy into the radiator hoses, alternate between the top & bottom until clean water comes out of both

I believe a primary cause of overheating issues particularly in clubmans is that the fan sits too far away from the radiator, and the air cavitates between the rad and the fan stopping cool air from passing through

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

Olli had horrible 'radiator far too warm problems' and would hit 4/5s the way to HOT...

We had his radiator removed and rodded, but it was still 2/5th blocked as the concretion was solid...so he was recored...

Have not hit past 1/2 now......mind you, the heater isn't quite as effective as it was...

K

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1969 Morris 1100 S Automatic

ahhhh......the interior smell of an old British car....

I'd run some radiator cleaner through the car for a day or two, THEN get the rad cleaned. I recently did this, and the water stayed perfectly clear for ages.

Might as well loosen up all the crap before you go putting a nice fresh radiator in...

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Cheap, Fast, Reliable. Choose two.

that is a good idea actually. having said that, look at the cost of a cleaned/re cored rad versus a new one. i did this for NAV a few years ago when i had the motor built and i figured i'd spend the bit extra for the new one. I do prefer to use new parts if the cost isn't much different

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