Radiator Replacement

[lankyjames]

Not sure what's going on with my radiator at the moment, keeps leaving water on the ground every now and then but header tank stays plenty full and the car reports normal temperature operation. Makes me feel a bit awkward and worrying for the life of the radiator...

Currently I have a Mk1 Metro Radiator:

Which can be had for £98.29+VAT!

Wondering if anyone has any of these laying around? I am going to give Alistair a call tomorrow and see if he has any stock too.

Failing that, Would it be wise to upgrade to a later Metro radiator:

Available for £30 free delivery on ebay.
Will this provide better cooling than the Mk1 due to the nature of the inlet /outlet (cross flow?).

Can anyone advise to what hoses I will need, I assume the bottom will be fine as it'll be in the correct place, but if my research is correct I need a couple 90degree hoses and a section of metal pipework not too dissimilar from this:


And I'll be needing to make some custom mounts for it too...

Talk on the mini forum is people using Golf radiators as they enter/ exit same side, however this would put the header tank feed at the bottom, does this make a difference in how a header tank should work?

Thanks in advance for any advice, much appreciated!

[apbellamy]

Personally, I would go with this MK 2 radiator (advertised as MK 1) and do the hoses as you have linked above. It iwll go straight on your current mounts and take your current fan and switch etc.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180817615965

I wouldn't recommend the really cheep ebay radiators as the cores are pretty poor construction - large fat tubes which don't restrict the flow of coolant very well.

[lankyjames]

Personally, I would go with this MK 2 radiator (advertised as MK 1) and do the hoses as you have linked above. It iwll go straight on your current mounts and take your current fan and switch etc.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180817615965

I wouldn't recommend the really cheep ebay radiators as the cores are pretty poor construction - large fat tubes which don't restrict the flow of coolant very well.

Thanks for your help,though I've just been out to measure the distance between mounts and come up with around 45cm centre to centre....

If this rad linked is 30" wide that makes it 75cm mounting points....I guess I could make a little strip that mounts on the old points but provides wider mounts for this rad?

[apbellamy]

MK 1 and Mk 2 metro rad's are the same bar the hose locations, should go straight in your current mounts.

[Geoff Butcher]

My Metro rad doesn't look like either of those. Both connections are on the nearside and both face back into the engine bay

[lankyjames]

MK 1 and Mk 2 metro rad's are the same bar the hose locations, should go straight in your current mounts.

Are you sure?
My radiator looks like this one: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160985773284

Which while is the same width at 30" the mounting points are mounted much more inboard. But there is no way I'll be paying £175 for a rad!

I think I have this:

Marked at 500cm core - making sense of my 45cm measurement for the bottom mountings.

And the alternative that you posted is similar to this:

Which looks like it will have around a 55cm mounting measurement, a figure matched by max midas comment in this threadregarding radiators, so would suit mk3's instead?

I appreciate the help, I am not trying to say your wrong, just if I can I'd like to buy one that is a direct replacement as my first option, second being buying something else and making it work - which is looking more and more likely!

[Stuart]

As the MK 1's pre-dated the Metro I think they started life with Allegro radiators.

[DavidL]

As the MK 1's pre-dated the Metro I think they started life with Allegro radiators.

That's as I remember it, but I also remember Harold saying I could build my Mark 2 with either a Metro or an Allegro radiator; I think the inlet and outlet positions were the main differences between the two.

Bear in mind that I was told this in 1985, so my recollection of this may not be entirely correct - or comprehensive...

[lankyjames]

As the MK 1's pre-dated the Metro I think they started life with Allegro radiators.

That's as I remember it, but I also remember Harold saying I could build my Mark 2 with either a Metro or an Allegro radiator; I think the inlet and outlet positions were the main differences between the two.

Bear in mind that I was told this in 1985, so my recollection of this may not be entirely correct - or comprehensive...

Well there are two other flat spots a bit wider apart on the front splitter, I'll measure them up but i imagine with a quick drill for grommet mountings that it would mount there.

Will report back tomorrow!

[DavidL]

I'll be waiting to see what you find, I've just recently discovered that my radiator is only held in place by the stiffness of the hoses - neither of the top mounts are connected to anything!