Attention all TD5 Disco owners - radiator problem

Whilst helping a pal put in his new radiator on a TD5 Disco, we encountered a problem which I felt should be shared with everyone, to avoid you having the same issue.

There is a plastic fan shroud which goes on the inside of the radiator next to the viscous fan:



and is fixed in place by two course-threaded LR original screws into the top of the plastic ends of the radiator:



The idea is that these course thread screws 'self-tap' themselves into the plastic - smashing you might think, easy peasy?

Well yes and then again a huge NO !!!! The issue I'm recounting only appears to relate to the right hand side screw and what we have found it can and does do, is to cut (with those very course threads) into a waterway and therefore create a leak.



We found this on my mate's new radiator and this morning, just to check if the screws are the same on my car, when very carefully putting my screw back in, it did the same on mine !!!! You can imagine what I thought - "Car not leaking before taking out this screw, car now leaking, how marvelous do I feel?"

So the purpose of this thread is:

1. To alert peeps to this issue (I will not be using the right hand screw ever again!!!)
2. And to ask for advice on what product could seal up this whole in the plastic part of my radiator.

We did a temp fix using Blue Hylomar and then putting the screw back which nearly but not quite fixed it. We tried drainpipe plastic weld but no go at all. Tried Superglue and awaiting results.

There is obviously a design flaw with the production of these rads and their fixing system.

Look at the pictures for a better idea of what I'm talking about.

Cheers (not really today)
Dave

You need something that is waterproof / oil proof and withstand high temp of approx
120 ° C and the associated pressure. Your best bet is to clean it out and fill with an epoxy resin like araldite or partly fill with a good quality high temp RTV mastic and then put araldite on top etc, but a critical component like a radiator you should consider a new one. Regards Jonathan

jonathanp said:

You need something that is waterproof / oil proof and withstand high temp of approx
120 ° C and the associated pressure. Your best bet is to clean it out and fill with an epoxy resin like araldite or partly fill with a good quality high temp RTV mastic and then put araldite on top etc, but a critical component like a radiator you should consider a new one. Regards Jonathan

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Hi Jonathan and thank you for your comments.

I understand where you are coming from when saying a replacement is best, but to be honest I cannot justify £120 for this tiny little leak - I need to find a home-grown solution.

I've got some Sikaflex 221 on the way so I think I'll try a combo of that and putting the screw back in, got to be worth a try.

Dave

PS Just checked and this Sikaflex is no-go for this job as it's temp limit is only 40°C and it doesn't support organique acids.

What about Loctite screw lock......its good for leaks too : Loctite 222 Screw Lock Threadlocker - Adhesives - Online Bearings

Well currently I've cleaned and dried the hole, filled it with Blue Hylo (good for 250°C) and put the screw back in. I'm going to leave it for a couple of days and let it settle. Then we'll see what I need to do next.

I repaired one like this not so long back. I uncrimped the tank then fitted a bolt from the inside . fitting 2 fibre washers 1 inside 1 outside then fitted a nut job done.

oggy said:

I repaired one like this not so long back. I uncrimped the tank then fitted a bolt from the inside . fitting 2 fibre washers 1 inside 1 outside then fitted a nut job done.

Click to expand...

Hi Oggy, that sounds very interesting, my only concern is that IF you uncrimp the end plastic secition and separate it from the finned section of the rad, don't you dusturb the water tightness of the rad?

Cheers
Dave

Not if its done right mate. The plastic end tank sits on a rubber gasket. gently decrimp the tabs . When you come to refitting the tank place it onto the gasket & press down on it with one hand then tap the tabs gently with a hammer to make the ends & sides straight again.
Now get a pair of mole grips & do the 2 ends first squeezing the tabs back down onto the tank.
Then do the sides the same way. They dont need much pressure to get it water tight again .

epoxy resin sounds feasible...

My mate did his with SuperGlue and it appears to be holding up to now.