V6 98 - Second hand or aftermarket Radiator

[wildrobot]

Hello the top of my radiator blew today (fortunately not far from home)

I've checked the Lush projects parts numbers and it seems the radiators fit all three auto models with the after market radiators fitting both manual and autos

Would people recommend getting a secondhand or aftermarket replacement? I'm not sure of the quality of the aftermarket radiators but some come with a two year warranty. There's also only a £20 price difference on ebay

Cheers

[Gasy]

As long as you got a low coolant alarm
That's the main thing
Don't get second hand one
Cheap will be fine with a lca

[wildrobot]

Great thanks for the info,

A bongo garage in Bristol told me not to get a lca but just top up regularly!

[Propnut]

£87.87 at euro car parts using promo code holiday57 this weekend. You will need to choose the vehicle as a Ford Freda 2.5 diesel. I had one from them recently, quality looks as good as the one it replaced. I also had a water pump from them for £28 using a previous 33% off promo code, when it arrived it was a blue print ADM part. They are a bit like DFS there's always a sale on.
I certainly wouldn't bother with a used rad for the sake of such a modest price difference.

[Bob]

ADS Used to fit low coolant alarms but they can't get their heads round the fact that the pink, long life, antifreeze coats the sensor screw.

This leads to a false alarm but is very easily sorted by cleaning said screw with a wire brush - 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Topping up every day won't warn of coolant loss when driving should a hose go.

[Bongolia]

Great thanks for the info,

A bongo garage in Bristol told me not to get a lca but just top up regularly!

Yup, we bought one from Euro crap parts for a petrol recently came in a Nissan box made by Tokyo Rad company so that one was OE spec. Dunno if they are all like that as ECP stuff varies a lot.
Shouldn't need to top up often and a LCA does mean that you dont really have to remember just fit and forget until it screeches at you.

[wildrobot]

So i've bought a new one from ebay for £56 and also a thermostat whilst i'm at it

The bit i'm worried about is getting the coolant in and making sure theres no air pockets, i've watched the video on youtube, but it seems like it'll be tricky doing it on my own

I'm going to get an lca at a later date as i'm spending a lot of dough on it at the mo

[Bob]

Do make certain its bled properly, this really is vital.

[Gasy]

There is cheaper versions of LCA and engine head temp alarms on the market
And these will save you a big ex spence of a blown cylinder head
I've bleed my bongo loads of times
But I would not do it with out a engine head alarm fitted
Just not worth the risk
Just get the head temp alarm it will help a lot with bleading

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/122176024462? ... EBIDX%3AIT

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170927068334? ... EBIDX%3AIT

[rita]

There is cheaper versions of LCA and engine head temp alarms on the market
And these will save you a big ex spence of a blown cylinder head
I've bleed my bongo loads of times
But I would not do it with out a engine head alarm fitted
Just not worth the risk
Just get the head temp alarm it will help a lot with bleading

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/122176024462? ... EBIDX%3AIT

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170927068334? ... EBIDX%3AIT

I agree with Gasy these alarms are Good Value for the money, but whatever LCA Alarm you fit Do Not entirely depend on them.They are not fit and forget alarms.

Good Luck.

[wildrobot]

Thanks chaps,

I'll get the £24.99 alarm you've linked, thanks very much for the advice

[wildrobot]

So i've fitted the new radiator, thermostat and alarm

I've been trying to flush the system to get the old green fluid out so i can put the red coolant in

So (i'm doing this on my own) i've been following the simple process from Bongo Buddy

Fill radiator
Fill Header tank
Start car
When warm open bleed tube to let out foamy coolant
listen for alarm to top up header tank when neccessary

the problem i'm having is the the bottom hose isn't getting warm, so just wondering is this something to do with my method or hopefully not an incorrectly installed thermostat (which seemed difficult to install incorrectly)

[Bongolia]

There is bleed process to follow when bleeding I belive its along the lines of the diesel one so I would excercise caution if you are not aware of that process until someone comes along to ckarify.
With regard to the flush This would be how I would do it. Remove stat. Disconnect rad top and bottom hose. Using a garden hose put this ito upper or lower rad hose and flush through the system that way. Once it runs clear reverse the process. WHEN YOU ARE HAPPY THAT YOU HAVE CLEAN FLUID COMING OUT (soddin cPs lock) reassemble adding the stat refill with coolant mix and bleed system following the advisdd method.

[Northern Bongolow]

dont know or vouch for your method but the bottom hose wont get hot until the stat has opened, 82 deg c. the temp will be hard to achieve until the system is capped etc, its dooable but it seems like russian roulette revving the engine to quite hot when you dont know the air is purged from the head.
there are 3 vids not just one on one way to bleed the bongo, having bled loads in the past found this the most reliable way to be sure its purged of air.

[Gasy]

Takes over half an hour on mine to get the stat to open and the bottom hose hot
When it gets upto the 80c mark I have to give it a few boy racer revs and hold it at 2000rpm for a few 30 seconds blasts to get it to open