Aluminum alloy radiator--what do you think about this one?

[Klaus Schlueter]

Hi all,
my Stag radiator is now appr. 14 years old since it got a new high efficiency net. Perfect cooling!! But during these years it had to be soldered 5 or 6 times by different companies due to leaks and I have spent some hundred € for the repair. I came back last winter from repair and it starts leaking again.
I am now looking for an aluminum alloy rad as I trust welding more than soldrering. And repair is saver.

--What do you think about this rad from China? (Don't mention the shipping cost)
--What does 2 row 56 mm core mean in this case?
--Has annyone experience with this rad?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WINNER-RACING-56MM-aluminum-alloy-radiator-Triumph-Stag-3-0-V8-MK2-MT-1972-1977-/140858307998?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Car+Make%3ATriumph|Model%3AStag&hash=item20cbcf359e

Hope I get some input.

Klaus

[mike@thenook]

Hi Klaus,

I think I would go for one from a recognised supplier and to be honest, the newly built replacment rads are excellent - I had a Wards 4 row rad which does an excellent job, it is well made and is over half the price of the ally one.
Cheers

[Klaus Schlueter]

Mike, I wouldn't have a problem with buying one from Wards or an uprated one from Tony Hart. But my experience says that they all start leaking after some years--hopefully yours doesn't! And: may be I am wrong. Would be good to get some more input from the Forum readers.

During my 20 years Stag ownership I have looked under hundreds of Stag bonnets and seen many , many radiators slightly leaking. So that's the reason for my tendency to the welded ally one.

Klaus

[Marco Polo]

Hi Klaus,
Locally, the Chinese ally radiators don't have a good reputation, I bought the EJ Ward rad, which has been excellent, a friend has got the Faversham rad which he says is also excellent and I know of a couple of cars which have the American Wizard Cooling Ally rads fitted, they should all be cheaper postage for you too!
regards,
Raoul

[jakesmig]

I bought an alloy one from China, you can have it for the cost of postage if you want.

I bought it during a minor rebuild several years ago, and it was 6 months or so after purchase that I installed and filled it, it leaked so much that about 6 months or so and 2 minutes after purchase it needed refilled again. Several bottles of K Seal fixed, it although it always had a tendency to steam.

I didn't attempt to return it because of the 6 months delay.

My car is currently undergoing a more serious rebuild during which a local artisan who makes superb radiators for our rally cars will build one to suit my needs, not out of alloy.

Personally I wouldn't touch a Chinese radiator again.

John

[stagmuffin]

him Klaus , the alloy rads look beautiful and I've no doubt they will last a long time ,but if they do fail get holed burst or leak at the cores it could be game over .these will be difficult to repair with welding as they tend to get lined internally and all these oxides would keep appearing in the weld pool I've tried this before to repair a alloy rad for someone the only way I could save it was to cut out the leaking core and butter weld it, pig of a job that's why I would go for the normal materials easier to control and repair . but that is my personal opinion and you may buy one and it could be fine for hundreds of years with the right inhibitor
Steve

[Klaus Schlueter]

Many thanks to all. I appreciate your serious answers because you didn't use phrases like" don't buy this Chinese rubbish....etc"

Raoul, I think this is the american version which was mentioned by you:

http://www.wizardcooling.com/product-p/99010-100.htm

Looks perfect. And they offer custom tailored changes i.e. additional threads etc.

Steve, I didn't really understand technically your experience with the ally rads "getting lined internally....". Is that a system immanent problem of all aluminium radiators? And if so how is the experience of the Stag drivers with the Wards aly rad?

[stagmuffin]

Steve, I didn't really understand technically your experience with the ally rads "getting lined internally....". Is that a system immanent problem of all aluminium radiators? And if so how is the experience of the Stag drivers with the Wards aly rad?

hi Klaus , what I meant with that statement was that in time with plenty of use the internal surfaces of the aluminium radiator will get a deposit build up which will act like a second skin to the inside of aluminium walls of the radiator, in normal use this will be fine but when you come to perform welding repairs then the problem will be encountered as inclusions and impurities rising in the molten pool and as the ally is very thin this is a nightmare scenario as this raises the temperature at which the ally will pool and then it all goes Pete tong (wrong) .that will apply to most ally radiatorss some will be better than others but this is why I will personally avoid them not because of any other reason when they are good they are very good but the old style method of construction and materials brass and steel etc. are much easier to repair .
Steve

[tractorjames]

I think Bryn Jones of allyfab does a radiator for the stag, possibly worth a call.

James

[Klaus Schlueter]

Many thanks.
Steve, thats clear now. Would be interesting to read other Stag drivers experience.

James, I will contact allyfab on their website.

Klaus

[jbuckl]

Buy some solder, flux & a blowlamp....save yourself lots more euros by fixing the leaks at home.

The aluminium alloy rads are for racers / moderns.

Copper & Brass is best for a roadgoing stag.

[Klaus Schlueter]

[QUOTE]

Buy some solder, flux & a blowlamp....save yourself lots more euros by fixing the leaks at home.

If you read my post #1 again jbuckl that's exacly my problem. Even a company near Faversham wasn't able to fix it. And 5 companies in Germany tried it--and I tried it myself. The trouble is that the cracks are filled with coolant.... A repair with a new net could be the solution.

Klaus

[redstag]

[QUOTE=Klaus Schlueter;279851]

If you read my post #1 again jbuckl that's exacly my problem. Even a company near Faversham wasn't able to fix it. And 5 companies in Germany tried it--and I tried it myself. The trouble is that the cracks are filled with coolant.... A repair with a new net could be the solution.

Klaus

Exactly the same problem I am having. I have suffered with leaks from the soldered joints on the end tanks since a year after I had fitted the radiator. I have lost count of the number of times it has been resoldered by myself and a radiator company.
As we are going to France in two weeks I decided to fit a new radiator but it looks like this is going pear-shaped as well. Looks like I will be taking the blowtorch and solder with me!

Pete

[V Mad]

Klaus/Pete, it seems that you have been unlucky with your radiators. Over the years, and having owned several different stags the only systematic problem I came across was with the filler neck. The stopper can be so hard to remove that the torque cracks the soldered joint, but that is entirely avoidable.

I would try again with a recored rad from a reputable supplier, with a guarantee.

[jakesmig]

Pete,

We have used Q Bond "Ultra Strong Adhesive and filler Repair" to seal broken radiators in our rally cars when they have taken hits in stages. This is a 2 part product consisting of filler dust which you apply to whatever you are fixing and a liquid activator from which you apply a couple of drops to the filler. This stuff sets immediately, rock hard and durable.
One radiator repair where several cores had been punctured required the honeycomb to be taken out around the affected area, the cores were crimped, 'dusted and dropped' and the seal worked for the next 150 miles of abuse. They were still solid as a rock when the radiator was recored before the next rally.
The fix was undertaken at the side of the road between stages and took 12 minutes from bonnet up to driving off, which included getting the radiator out, repairing, refitting and filling. 4 cores needed attention, which meant 8 ends and that part took about 3 minutes. The alternative was retiring from the event and a tow back to base.

Perhaps worthwhile considering as an alternative.

Ebay item 390843188633, not particularly cheap but it has so many uses and a little goes a long way.

John.