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Alloy Radiator - where / who please


peet

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Had to sorn my Westy today as I now have to sell bits and save for a new radiator.

The cheap one fitted has rotted out so I was thinking of upgrading to an alloy one.

Any reccomendations for a quality but budget supply please so I have an idea how much to save.

And yes I know it's old fashioned to save!

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rednop had one for about £260 quid i think - worth getting a good one :-)

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I'll have mine for sale shortly it's a allyfab one, made to my spec, it's couple of years old, but in good condition as don't do many road miles at all.

Only reason I'm changing it is because I'm having a new one made a different size with and oil cooler inline underneath it

Was going to keep as a spare but I would sell I'd want around £150 for it

Cheers

Mitch

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I'm pretty certain I used http://www.gsfcarparts.com/173vg0150 and is currently listed at £30.24, VW golf 86-92 1.0 - 1.3l. needed a thermo switch to match to operate the fan. It copes with 145bhp fair enough.

Needed to make up brackets and get hoses to suit but any new design rad may need this.

 

David

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Peer, are you sure you need an alloy one? I got a new polo radiator from ebay from something like 30 quid, no likely to be a big "saving situation" and worked well even on track, although I did have the cooler thermostat etc

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As above, most people use a Polo one - me included

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Thanks for the replies. This is only Pinto power so perhaps a standard will do especially for £30.

I do intend on at least one track day this year so will it be up to that? It had a print out of max 156bhp for it when built but it's now 5000 miles plus now and I am going to bike carbs so expecting less max bhp but more usefulness and better manners so nowt too excessive.

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Well a Polo one copes ok with my Duratec, and that's over 250 bhp!

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That'll be that sorted sooner rather than later. Thanks.

May as well get the carbs on too while it's in pieces!

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The cheap Polo 1.0litre rads will cope with your engine cooling, you can buy them on Ebay from about £25. You really need to change the fan as well to the lightweight axial fan that fixes direct onto the rad matrix, about £50 from CBS.   As they are cheap they are not long lasting, I tried one and it worked well for 2 years then stated to weep a bit on trackdays when it was really hot but never a problem on the road.   I eventually changed to the Radtec work of art, at a price of course ( It was Rednobs rad I bought).

 

If cashflow is a problem, then go for the cheap ones, they'll be ok for you.   When you do eventually buy a good all alloy rad, fitting will be a straightforward changeover as the mounting points line up the same.

Rally Design also supply all alloy rads a bit cheaper than the Radtecs.

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Think I got mine from Rally Design and it's handling 200 BHP no problem.

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Watching that one on ebay but will just get a cheap one for the year if it goes too high.

More important to keep it on the road than upgrade nice as the alloy ones are!

It's a case of few months saving or back on the road in a few weeks...

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The Polo/Golf radiator always coped just fine on my sprint car with 270bhp Duratec.  Also not a big issue to replace it if you have a 'little off'!  I've never really understood the need for hugely expensive after-market ally radiators. 

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My standard Polo rad struggled with the XE under certain conditions, but that was generally after sustained running in hot weather on the road, where you could get caught in heavy traffic mid blat. It was peace of mind on an expensive engine.

 

But for a more,standard engine, no there's less need.

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