Search the Community

Kia Ora! My method of fixing up my failing cooling system. I went on a road trip over new years and my started motor crapped out. To have a look at the starter the headers have to be taken off. When I got them off i noticed that one of the welsh/frost/core plugs was leaking. Now I already new that the radiator was on its last legs/the core was rotting/tanks leaking and a heater hose needed replacing so I figured it was a good time for a cooling system overhaul. I went to a radiator shop for a quote and they said $275 for a new core with modified second hand tanks fitted. Not wanting second hand stuff and I new I could get cheaper, I was looking down the road of retro fitting an ally rad. I picked up a "half sized" civic alloy rad from Scarles for $130. Obviously, to make it fit will require some brackets made up and also some fan modifications. As well as the new rad, I've taken out the old welch plugs (no. 3 cylinder was the leaking one and I found no. 4 cylinders' was very close to castisrophically failing) and chucked the garden hose down there to flush all the crap out. Turned out I needed a pick and some wire to get rid of the rust and sludge from around the no. 4 cylinder. I don't think any anti-freeze had been used for quite some time. Anyway, the radiator install so far..... The old rad, notice the "soft" core on the lower left and right where it has started rotting. The new rad compared to the old. The alloy rad is a 3 core and here's hoping that a new alloy rad with an electric fan will be good enough to keep it cool. I made up some wicked CAD (the old cardboard-aided-design trick) templates to allow the rad to mounted in the factory location. I'm using 4mm think ally sheet and will get some L shaped supports welded on to stop any flex. Beacuse I'm using the smaller rad and its completely different the factory shroud wont be anygood so the old clutch fan is coming out. I have a spare 12" electric fan off my GT4 project that I shall be using. I will have to make up a switch for the fan and I don't really want a manual switch on the dash so I'm going to make an automatic switch using google knowledge to help me. I've found a wiring diagram to use and I've just bought a "Thermometer relay control module with probe" off Trademe. I just need to get a relay and fuse holder and I will be away laughing. I put an order through BnT today for all the welch plugs, gaskets and bit and bobs so hopefully should see the end result by the weekend.