glasgow Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Last year I changed the radiator (becuase the old one had a small leak. After recomendation from the BC I went for Radtec radiator. After a few months and 3K miles, the radiator started to leak... A) any one has experience with repairing aluminium radiators - does it worth?B) if I am to buy a new one, any "good quality" one please?Ahmed(K series, SV) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted October 11, 2014 Member Share Posted October 11, 2014 Was that new from Radtec?Have you asked them to fix or replace?Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glasgow Posted October 11, 2014 Author Share Posted October 11, 2014 Yes Jonathan, bought new from Radtec.... Never thought of asking them. It has been leaking for about 4 months and I mistakenly was thinking it is the mecalor clamp not tightening well... But today I had a good look and realised the leak is actually from the coolant tubes not the hose. Problem is now the radiator is over 1 year but will give them a phone on Monday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted October 11, 2014 Member Share Posted October 11, 2014 Usual advice: Don't delay. Your rights under the Sale of Goods Act aren't limited by their guarantee. (The law is a bit different in Scotland but AFAIK this is still true.) No threats, no accusations, just a request for them to fix or replace. Photograph the fault. Keep a contemporaneous record of all communications.Good luckJonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SM25T Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 Always go back to the supplier. Hopefully this is a simple fix if it is the spigot the hose connects to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ. Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 I had a tiny leak from my Radtec within the first year, and they repaired it free of charge.I then had the car off the road, so couldn't really test it until the following spring well out of the first year period. It still leaked, so I phoned them and they sent me a new radiator free of charge (not even postage) and didn't ask me to send the old one back.Ring them, I'm sure they will be helpful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Mears Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 I took my copper rad in to them as they are just down the road. Very helpful and showed me the Ali comparision to check fitment even though I had no plans of changing at that time. Charged me £60 to braze top and bottom of mine. I now have a plan to upgrade to Ali over the winter and they told me they have them in stock normally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian B Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 And check the member discounts area for details of the radtec discount Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 I had a leak from the plastic bung, where a thermostat would have been fitted, but is not required on a sigma engine. Radtech sent me a thermostat which fixed my problem free of charge, and my Rad was just over 1 year old. Contact Radtech they are splendid company to deal with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glasgow Posted October 12, 2014 Author Share Posted October 12, 2014 I will phone radtec tomorrow, but why the Seven radiators are not that reliable? I do understand some switches and accessories in kit cars/classic cars may not be heavy duties. But radiators should be the same quality as tintop radiators and lasts for long years-right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F355GTS Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 I had a couple of Radtecs and they both failed s did the previous Caterham item, it seems mine suffered due to a lack of cross bracing on the Radiator and the small twisting forces in situ caused the joints between rails and tside tanks to fail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glasgow Posted October 12, 2014 Author Share Posted October 12, 2014 This makes me wonder.... putting in mind the "compexity" of coolant replacement in K series, is there a point of just ignoring a small leak rather than repalcing the radiator every 1-2 years. Silly question I know but mine been leaking for about 4 months and this resulted in just a few millimeters drop in the coolant level in the tank that never needed topup. Is there a danger when keep driving the car with this small leak? Any effect of this "Hole" in the coolant circuit, could this hole lead to air-lock? Could the leak suddenly get worse and significantly affecting the coolant level? Any harmful effect of the coolant fluid touching the chassis tube? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SM25T Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Yes to all of the above. Not difficult to fill the k-series if you have the small hole in the internal plate of the thermostat and a bleed tee in the highest heater hose. Now you know about the leak ... get it fixed ... or put a bottle of something like K-Seal in the expansion tank to seal it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SM25T Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 To put it in medical speak ..... patient is bleeding internally. It is only a bit ..... it doesn't show on the outside ..... does it really need fixing ? Yes, of course .... get it fixed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mankee Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 You also need to check that the rad is mounted securely but squarely. If the bobbins are too soft or saggy or the rad is fixed non-uniformly, it will twist and this can cause them to leak. I ran a Caterham triple-pass for years on track with hard suspension and it never caused a problem until a mate modified it using a tyre wall. But my now spare triple-pass weeps at the end tanks for some reason. Not sure if I can be arsed to fix it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glasgow Posted October 13, 2014 Author Share Posted October 13, 2014 Ian, I don't mind fixing it if it is going to be fixed. But if I need to do it every every 18 months that's annoying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SM25T Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Sure Radtec will want to fix it properly. They sound a very reasonable company to deal with Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mav Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 have you looked at the cause of the leak on this and the previous item? do you have something making contact and rubbing the rad? My Radtec has been fitted since 2005 and shows no signs of leakage... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glasgow Posted October 13, 2014 Author Share Posted October 13, 2014 Nothing rubbing, Mav. interesting to know about the twist, Mankee.... The leak is at the coolant tube rail at the passenger side upper. Last time the leak was also at the coolant tube rail but at the driver side lower. would there be a twist effect here during tightening the bobbins??? any advice about "tightening them correctly", please Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mavic82 Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Radtec will sort, they are very helpful and whilst mine failed after two years it has lasted another 4 since then so far.by comparison I went through three triple pass caterham ones in 6 monthsthe problem is the mounting method, the chassis flex is not sufficiently isolated. I changed from exhaust bobbins to fuel pump bobbins which may help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ. Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 On my car, the radiator mounts do not provide a flat surface for the radiator to attach to.It is worth spending a little time packing out the mounts with washers so the radiator doesn't rock when gently pushed against the bobbins. Then when the nuts are tightened there shouldn't be any twisting force applied. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mavic82 Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Good point DJ I have done the same Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted October 13, 2014 Member Share Posted October 13, 2014 Which fuel pump bobbins, please?ThanksJonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mavic82 Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 They were just some I had lying around. I think they were Facet ones. But I guess and rubber bobbins smaller than the mini exhaust ones would work. If I recall correctly they are m6 threads instead of m8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted October 13, 2014 Member Share Posted October 13, 2014 Thanks.Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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