New Radiator Needed - Is it a GM part?

[GeoffSmith]

... Even regarding the better EUR/USD-Ratio the complete ali-radiator from top-end is a bit pricy incl shipping, taxes, ...

Don't forget, the Federal Radiator is different than the UK/EUR version (to fit the US crash structure) anyway.

Dave: I just looked up the radiator and the parts book I have: V6 shows part number A100K0042F to be the same for both S.I.R. models as non-S.I.R. models.

Can you or anyone else confirm that the actual radiator is the same for all models and just the hoses are different to account for the different mounting of the radiator?

Thanks for any light you can shed on this topic.

That's the only number I can find in the various manuals I have.

[GeoffSmith]

The endcaps (Valeo) are obsolete

When i had my problems a couple of years ago, it was the endcap which was the problem - where the re-core had been done, the plastic had split due to stresses induced when it was removed/recrimped.

In fairness, mine is the only one I've ever heard of failing, so it isn't a major weak point.

The helpful guy i used (Arrow Radiators) spent ages trying to track down the parts, and failed - they were original to a Renault (he believed) but they couldn't be found now.

I ended up having end tanks made up in brass and the whole lot soldering together - as such, the radiator was a 'new' item, not just a recore.

To get a whole unit made up, it shouldn't cost a fortune locally - it may not look identical, but will do the job fine!

And Phil can source proper jobs as well.....

[GeoffSmith]

So, four years after being clobbered by a half brick and a load of random drips later, I found a big puddle on the garage floor after going up to see Nev's XJ13 so time for action:

Fearing the worst at what I found:

But no, it turns out it was the poxy bleed screw all along... that and the tapped hole not being plumb with the mating face, so there was room for leakage despite being screwed fully home. Filed square and Dowty seal and blue Hylomar to the rescue.

The hole in the metalwork doesn't exactly line up either so maybe vibration as well as thermal expansion caused the random nature.... One for the todo list.

After a few scares (hose dripping at the water pump), bleeding coolant slowly dripping down the rad and appearing on the floor overnight and water from the bonnet hinge area spilling on the floor when I let the jacks down.. she seems watertight so Brands Hatch is on.

Hopefully the oil leak is just because I pushed the oil pipe inadvertently.

Oh and if you ever get around to fitting Gordon's fans after 8 years (well I've been running one OEM for 4 years as Gordon's needed some fettling which I didn't have time for when I replaced the rad) don't try to be too clever like me and fit full 3mm grommets as they just distort the housing and the fan blades catch.

Finally, WTF is this? I found it in the bucket of old coolant and it's obviously been in the cooling system for some time!

[peteoddcar]

That is obviously the Gremlin's hat, he probably left it when he ( she?) made the bleed plug leak intermittently for years.

[GeoffSmith]

Final irony is that as I was throwing away the fan boxes, I came across the bag of stainless fasteners that Gordon had so thoughtfully provided!