NikTheGeek said:

Got new radiator today (with baffle, I checked before I fitted it) and already it's running cooler. The temp gauge is around 11 o'clock rather than 12 o'clock on a short run.

I never saw it go in to the red or anything, but I have been driving around for around a month with a rad with no baffle and air con fans that kick in!!

So, not being a mechanic, how would I check if it's caused any damage? Warped head? Cracked head? Would it be obvious?

thanks...

Nik

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wammers said:

It would be running like a bag of spanners. Take it that all is well.

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Parisien said:

Nik, can you explain with baffle/baffleless, difference etc?

P

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wammers said:

It would be running like a bag of spanners. Take it that all is well.

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NikTheGeek said:

'ere, see this thread:
http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f10/diesel-p38-radiator-baffle-not-236640.html

Complete with youtube video that shows you one way of testing. Another is to use a cheap usb endoscope off ebay for less than £15 - which is the only way if you don't want to take the rad out first!

To summarise, cheap Chinese rads don't seem to have a baffle in them to direct the water flow around the bottom of the rad - instead the water passes straight across the top with very little cooling taking place.

HTH

Nik

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Parisien said:

Thanks, so which maker of radiator would you recommend?

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NikTheGeek said:

Got new radiator today (with baffle, I checked before I fitted it) and already it's running cooler. The temp gauge is around 11 o'clock rather than 12 o'clock on a short run.

I never saw it go in to the red or anything, but I have been driving around for around a month with a rad with no baffle and air con fans that kick in!!

So, not being a mechanic, how would I check if it's caused any damage? Warped head? Cracked head? Would it be obvious?

thanks...

Nik

Click to expand...

Datatek said:

If it's diesel, you may not know the head is cracked until you put the engine under load such as hill climbing or towing. Having said that, you do not seem to have pushed you luck with it.

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