Bloody Subaru Radiators...

[ateday]

Not at all impressed with the Subaru style of radiator with plastic/metal combinations. Suppose they all use `em though.......obviously cheaper (and nastier).
First radiator died at about 200000 kms. `Twas repaired with new header tank (plastic) and again has failed at 330000 kms.
Any recommendations on a half decent, but affordable, all metal radiator or do I just budget for a repair job every 150/200000 kms?
Luckily, this time crack is smaller than last time and radiator drops to about half full fairly slowly and it is damn cold here in Adelaide so at least I can get to a repairer before disaster strikes.
Just fortunate it didn`t happen on the Googs week before last.

 

[Ratbag]

Gidday Ate

Back in the days of all metal, soldered, copper radiators, it was normal to have them repaired/re-cored about every 80,000 kms ... ...

 

[duncanm]

Any recommendations on a half decent, but affordable, all metal radiator or do I just budget for a repair job every 150/200000 kms?

The golpher all-alloy radiators (ebay and other places) seem to get a decent rap.

 

[idw]

Just put in a new one myself, but I only bought a standard aftermarket one $100 to my door. You can pick up an all alloy one for a fairly reasonable price; nachaluva did, not too long ago maybe he can you you in the right direction

 

[ateday]

Thanks guys.
RB Never had radiator probs on my older mid 20th century cars.
But then used straight H2O to fill `em. Flushed them every now and again.
Cast iron blocks and all that.
But then my memory is not all that great either........

 

[Ratbag]

^ my sympathies .

None of us like that unexpected repair bill.
We have a hole in the roof - actually, quite a lot of holes ... and just discovered that our gas central heater is non-compliant (it's an indoor unit ... ), and could possibly have given us carbon monoxide poisoning!

However, getting back to old solid metal radiators - Wolseley, 1100/s, Mini, 1800, Kimberley and LC all had one or more. Can't recall if the Colts were metal or composite, but two of them had re-cores in them .... Roo1 didn't after 240K kms and nearly 18 years. It was composite. Neither did the Camry (composite) after 180K and 19 years ...

 

[El_Freddo]

Radiators are a consumerable item these days. Aftermarket replacements are cheap enough to swap them out every 50k km if needed.

Don't trust plastic tanks? Then swap your radiator and heater core at the first sign of an issue or if you think the plastic is old enough to be getting brittle.

Cheers

Bennie

 

[Venom]

Don't bother replacing the plastic end tanks, they can never be refitted with even clamping accross the radiator and will fail un short order. Replace the whole thing and if you're getting a plastic/metal one make it a decent one.

 

[ateday]

Hi Venom,
What you say is correct.
The original was "repaired" with a new,clamped replacement tank.
Failed about halfway across the top on both sides.
Hi RB,
Thanks for your concerns but the cost doesn`t really worry me. I am fortunate enough to be able to easily cover such unexpected contingencies. What does concern me is that Subaru will knowingly enter into a life threatening situation by using a component, which if failing in the middle of nowhere, can render the vehicle useless and inoperable to the possible detriment of its occupants.
If a crack appears it usually does in a very short time with little or no warning, as in both my cases.
If they know it is a potential consumable then why not include replacement as standard with every 150000 km service as is done with 100000 km timing belts etc.
Hope you don`t die of CO poisoning........or any poisoning in fact.
Regards ateday

 

[Ratbag]

^ almost any coolant leak can be repaired with duct tape, just so long as you run the system without a radiator cap - i.e. no pressure in the cooling system at all. Just put the cap back on in the open position, then put a big bit of duct tape over it loosely to prevent losing the cap, but loose enough so that there is no pressure in the cooling system. Check coolant levels regularly - every 100 kms or so.

ALWAYS use a towel over the filler when removing it. Even the slightest pressure can cause the coolant to 'explode' in one's face. A friend ended up in Bundaberg hospital after removing the radiator cap on my Mini before I could stop him ...

 

[ateday]

Agree duct tape is a wonderful thing.
You would have to ensure that the surfaces were pretty dry and clean first to get adherence.
Would also help to have a bit of "liquid steel" or some such similar stuff handy.

 

[pezimm]

^ almost any coolant leak can be repaired with duct tape, just so long as you run the system without a radiator cap - i.e. no pressure in the cooling system at all.

Would love to see your duct tape handy work on this one, Ratbag...

Don't bother replacing the plastic end tanks, they can never be refitted with even clamping accross the radiator and will fail un short order. Replace the whole thing and if you're getting a plastic/metal one make it a decent one.

YES! As soon as you see leak from the radiator, turf it and get yourself a brand new one. OEM design if you want to save some money, or full aluminium if you're tired of the plastic tanks:

Cheers,
Pedro.

 

[duncanm]

Would love to see your duct tape handy work on this one, Ratbag...

I'd be interested in people's ideas on how to fix this one on the road.

- Soldering Iron(*) and melt the plastic?
- araldite? (not sure it would hold I guess if you roughed the edges up good it'll hold fluid enough for the 'no pressure' trick).
- ? any other glues likely to work?

(*) - nail, screwdriver, or piece of wire in the fire.

 

[Ratbag]

^ it can, Pedro. The secret is to run the cooling system with zero pressure.

Drove my Kimberley almost all the way from Brisbane to Adelaide with a 6" long gash in the top radiator hose. Bound it up with insulation tape (!) , and ran with no radiator cap. Worked fine, and used almost no coolant in about 1,200 miles.

 

[El_Freddo]

full aluminium if you're tired of the plastic tanks

So what's your heater core?

Mine's all brass copper, but I run a plastic end tank radiator as it was cheap and easy to sort out

Cheers

Bennie

 

[Liberty Valance]

Not at all impressed with the Subaru style of radiator with plastic/metal combinations.

The composite top tanks failed on my both XT's when they reached around 120,000.

Luckily we were close to home on both occasions. I put non-genuine radiators back into both of them. From memory I think the genuine hoses and coolant cost more than the actual radiator did.

If if still have the cars in another 8 years or at 200,000 kms I will to replace the radiators again as preventative maintenance.

 

[ateday]

LV,
think that is the way to go.
I did well then getting about 200 and 150 out of mine.
But they are a s..t idea.

 

[TheInterceptor]

I bought a full aluminium one off ebay as part of my major service at 180xxxkms 6ish months ago. $160 posted. Fully TIG welded, except for a small intermittant leak from what i can only conclude to be a slightly cracked plastic thermostat housing its mint (also a weak link along with plastic end tanks).
Highly recommend one. Its triple core compared to standard. Car runs at normal temp no matter what.
Car now has 208xxxkms and hope the rad stays good

 

[idw]

I'd be interested in people's ideas on how to fix this one on the road.

- Soldering Iron(*) and melt the plastic?
- araldite? (not sure it would hold I guess if you roughed the edges up good it'll hold fluid enough for the 'no pressure' trick).
- ? any other glues likely to work?

(*) - nail, screwdriver, or piece of wire in the fire.

glycol softens epoxy.

I'd shave some plastic off the rad somewhere, or use a zip tie as filler material and plastic weld with the butane soldering iron/torch i carry.