Radiator re-core???

I went down this road once...

roadbox said:
Had anyone ever had their radiator re-cored? If yes, how has it held up over time?

John O.
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The radiator shop soldered in a generic core that was much thinner than the stock one that came out of it. The cooling capacity simply was not there. If you have this done, make sure you discuss the core size with the shop ahead of time. For me what I hoped would be a solution turned out to be a total waste of time and money.

Pete
 
I have spare radiator you can "borrow"

Changing radiators did not solve my problem. I have the old one I removed that Stines told me was to good to even rod out.
 
Smallish hijack

toddr124 said:
Changing radiators did not solve my problem.
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Hmmm.... makes me wonder... I pulled three used water pumps apart a few months ago... and on every one the impeller-to-housing clearance was way too high.... And someone (Bob Brown?) was reporting good results from adding a second, electrically operated booster pump...

Pulling the water pump is enough of a PITA that I wouldn't suggest someone do it just to see what's going on. But the next time someone has a car that perversely overheats after everything else has been fixed (good radiator, good bleeding, good stat and tank cap, recent and thorough flush, ignition timing and mixture right, front spoiler in place, black rooster sacrificed at midnight, ...) it might be worth pulling the water pump. Even a good radiator isn't going to to do any good if the water pump obstinately refuses to send the hot water to it.

Fixing the impeller clearance is easy - a sheet of fine-grit sandpaper on a smooth surface, to skim the housing clearance down a bit is all that's needed.
 
I had a bigger problem that caused the overheating

The radiator was fine but the head gasket was blown. The gasket seeped water on the back side of the engine only when the engine was hot. Took a long time for me to find.
 
I had radiator recored for my hillclimb/sprint prepared X1/9. Rad. builder was able to add a 3rd row of cores instead of the orginal 2-core unit all within the stock frame. Works well.
 
toddr124 said:
Changing radiators did not solve my problem. I have the old one I removed that Stines told me was to good to even rod out.
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If you changed it for another old radiator of similar age and condition, I'm not surprised. I've had radiators cleaned, rodded, pressure tested, flow tested, and it's just not the same thing as a new radiator. I chased and chased and chased cooling problems in the Scorpion, re-learned A LOT I'd forgotten in the process, but the bottom line is that a NEW radiator can not be beat.

John O.
 
I went NEW

roadbox said:
If you changed it for another old radiator of similar age and condition, I'm not surprised. I

John O.
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No I put a new one from Obert in the X1/9 trying to solve the problem.

I tried almost everything except the head gasket. The head gasket being replaced seems to have worked. The car drove a the perfect temperature all weekend (700 miles) with no loss of coolant.
 
roadbox said:
Ya, a leaking head gasket would trump an new radiator!!!!

Gotta tell you how glad I am to have you back on-line with your X!

John O.
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Not half as glad as I am. By the way, how is that cold you have coming? Will it be ready by noon on the 3rd of September? Join us at the lake and Dixiefest. Cough Cough.
 
Now is the time to mention VW radiator conversion

I haven't got our car running yet but I think a VW radiator conversion should be considered, There is a reason all modern cars use aluminum and plastic now. More efficient cooling lighter weight etc.
Took me about 4 hours to do mine. There are good photo threads to do the job around here.
 
Actually I think it's cost...

Copper is expensive compared to aluminum/plastic. Not sure but I think copper is a better heat conductor too. More stable as well.
 
Not sure but I think copper is a better heat conductor too
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Yes. 70% better for bulk material. Of course, if one requires greater wall thickness than the other that would have to be factored in as well.
 
karhawk said:
...but I think a VW radiator conversion should be considered...
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Not for me; too experimental IMO. I will have a custom copy of the stock rad built in aluminum before I complicate the Exxes plumbing more than I feel necessary ...that's more my way. I respect that people do the Scirroco rad for it's relative off-the-shelf availability, and that makes a lot of sense for longenvity and sourcing in the future.

John O.
 
gordon fogarty said:
I had radiator recored for my hillclimb/sprint prepared X1/9. Rad. builder was able to add a 3rd row of cores instead of the orginal 2-core unit all within the stock frame. Works well.
Click to expand...

I just got the quote back from my local rad shop. I had them price a re-core for 3 rows, and well, it takes A LOT to give me sticker shock: $740.00. Sounds a bit high, no???

John O.
 
I had Griffin custom build me an entire radiator...

roadbox said:
I just got the quote back from my local rad shop. I had them price a re-core for 3 rows, and well, it takes A LOT to give me sticker shock: $740.00. Sounds a bit high, no???

John O.
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For about that amount. I'd spend the $550 on the new Vicks unit before I had a local shop recore it. I wouldn't do business with Griffin again, but that's a whole nother story.

Pete
 
I can take mine to my local shop for a quote

but not until after labor day. Heading to Florida tomorrow for a golf/beach week. :music:

IAP I think just introduced a new aluminum X1/9 radiator????????
 
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