radiator trouble while on the trail

[madtj]

hey guys 1st how it happend, then what i plan to do to fix it.

last week i went on an over nighter up to 5 rocks with a few mates me with my jeep a fairly worked shorty pajero and an old 47 cruiser ute, had fish drank some piss had a good time then next morning went for a bit of dune driving up the orange bowl, did a few tracks and had decided that i was on my last track when steam came belowing out of the radiator without temp gauge even riseing past say 103 degrees and plenty of water in overflow bottle upon inspection the top tank of the radiator had a 30 cm split accross the top of it so we keep water up to it and let it cool down before moving it down into some shade we sat and thought of wat we could do. So here is what we came up with, took a filleting knife a gas mate cooker and 2 zippy ties then procceded to plastic weld over the split in the raidiator 1st spliceing it to get better contact then covering over about 5 cm either end of the crack to mack sure it held tehn let it all cool right down over a beverage or 2 filled it up and we were on our way we managed to get it back to the main road in the middle of a hot day and down to byfield store which is about 45 mins. once there we aired up our tyres topped the radiator up again filled all our water cans up and full of confidence as it had hardly used any water we started out back to yepoon but alas only made it up the road maybe 5 km i then just ran it in neutral and got snatched back to yeppoon (30 kms or so) and got it flat topped back to where i live, turns out it is 54 kms and i had free towing for 50 klm so only cost my 25 buck.
SO now i have been to the shop and can get a replacement radiator for $400 or so or i can get a pwr full alloy for around $900 or should a be looking at a brass one also would much apreciate your ideas on this which ever way i go i will also be replacing clutch fan and thermostat and also adding a thermo fan thanks in advance for your replys afew photos aatached of me and the oter truck and of the radiator and our patch job

[bonza]

there were radiators being sold on ebay for $250 eac. replica of the oem type.

pwr full alloy? whats that, aluminium?

[madtj]

yer mate sorry alluminium

[bonza]

the oem radiators are crap and they will eventually burst. seems to happen after about 100,000 Ks. would imagine that the replica ones are crap as well.

someone here has bound to have used one and may chime in.

a lot has to do with how many rows of tubes and tube size. I think the stock ones are single row and the tubes a 32mm

an all aluminium radiator should be better than the stock unit providing the tubes are same size or bigger. having alloy header tanks allows for better cooling as well.

best are brass header tanks with a copper core

btw. a single row of 32mm will be more efficient than a double or triple row of 32mm

[txhog]

I broke my Patrol radiator in first week of owning it and it was on a simple dirt track. The radiator hangs lower that bull bar and collects everything, but have made a bash plate since.

I now carry this in emergency repair kit it very good, if you use it just leave radiator cap loose so it dosnt build up pressure but under pressure probably would still work, and get home safe.

http://www2.blackwoods.com.au/infoBA...4226&P=2027380

[tigermuzza]

thats where the metal putty comes in handy, the stuff sticks to anything. dont leave home without some

[Squall]

Originally Posted by tigermuzza

thats where the metal putty comes in handy, the stuff sticks to anything. dont leave home without some

Agree, its in my spare bag...