New batch of Turbo D radiators - interested?

[KevR]

As anyone with a Turbo D BX probably already knows, radiators and hoses are becoming hard to find. Reconditioning firms are reluctant to do the rads because of the plastic ends, which get brittle with age.

I'm in contact with a firm in China who already make uprated radiators for the GT (they make all sorts of rads and oil coolers and hoses), and I'm going to send them a pair of end caps/tanks so they can use them as patterns to produce some new rads for the TD as well, completely in aluminium. I'm also going to send them top, bottom and oil filter cooler hoses as patterns so they can make some of those in silicon.
No word on price yet but their Gti rads are around £190 shipped, so I expect they'll be somewhere near that. But if there's enough interest we might be able to get a discount on a group purchase.

So, anyone want to put their name down in principle for a new rad and/or a set of hoses....?

[Way2go]

I'm not sure if you're proposing this to remedy sluggish rads or leaking ones? However if it's for sluggish ones then "Barrs' Professional Flush" is excellent in improving the circulation in both the radiator and engine waterways. After running with this in for a while and flushing out fully, it will eliminate the red light incidences and save your headgaskets.

Sadly, BPF won't cure leaking rads and radweld/k-seal is not a recommended way to go either.

[Tim Leech]

Hoses yes! Rad no as I've got a new one fitted.

[KevR]

I'm not sure if you're proposing this to remedy sluggish rads or leaking ones? However if it's for sluggish ones then "Barrs' Professional Flush" is excellent in improving the circulation in both the radiator and engine waterways. After running with this in for a while and flushing out fully, it will eliminate the red light incidences and save your headgaskets.

Sadly, BPF won't cure leaking rads and radweld/k-seal is not a recommended way to go either.

Not sluggish rads so much as leaks and general disintegration with age (bit like me....).

I've got two TDs and keen to keep them going as long as possible so willing to invest a bit now!

[Philip Chidlow]

Rad and hoses yes

[KevR]

Anything else we could usefully ask them about...?

[Thread Bear]

I have a spare rad. Nonetheless if I was serious about keeping a turbo d I would probably buy one as it would either need to be used, or hold its value. This would be part of an investment plan to include mods needed on the car, like hard piping the entire LHM system, where possible, attempted to lub rear axle pivots and such. I think it possible to make a BX into a well used, long term classic and avoid the need to buy a more modern, inferior, car design - save for accident safety.

[KevR]

mods needed on the car, like hard piping the entire LHM system, where possible

I've vaguely thought about that in the past, but since the Octopussies on both mine have lasted 25 years/200,000 miles each with no problems, and they're still available for about 70 euros new, it seems like an awful lot of effort to go to. I'm replacing the Octopus on the white one, but only because it's up in the air and stripped down anyway - I'll be expecting the new one to outlast the car in all probability.

[Defender110]

mods needed on the car, like hard piping the entire LHM system, where possible

I've vaguely thought about that in the past, but since the Octopussies on both mine have lasted 25 years/200,000 miles each with no problems, and they're still available for about 70 euros new, it seems like an awful lot of effort to go to. I'm replacing the Octopus on the white one, but only because it's up in the air and stripped down anyway - I'll be expecting the new one to outlast the car in all probability.

agreed, I've never understood this obsession some have of replacing what has proven to be a very reliable part with an untried and untrusted method which will probably cause untold new reliability issues.

[barry badger]

i'm not sure the new ones are as good as the old ones. i fitted one to one of my tzds in 2007 and i've been trimming the ends because of splitting since it was 2 years old. it's leaking again now and desperately needs replacing.

[KevR]

i'm not sure the new ones are as good as the old ones. i fitted one to one of my tzds in 2007 and i've been trimming the ends because of splitting since it was 2 years old. it's leaking again now and desperately needs replacing.

That's not good news... Oh well, I'll keep the old one just in case! Got another spare as well...

[KevR]

Right, I've sent the rad tanks and the upper and lower hoses and the filter cooler hoses off on a slow boat to China. Will wait and see what he says when they turn up.