Radiator type?

[Nuffles]

I'm in need of a new radiator as most of the vanes of mine are missing, although it's not leaking thankfully. The current one seems to sit too low, or is too deep, to allow me to use a starting handle (and as a result, didn't come with one). Having recently had the starter motor fail on me on the way down to Cornwall for a week long camping holiday and having to find volunteers to bump start it every time I wanted to go anywhere wasn't fun and would have really been made much easier if I'd had a starting handle and been able to use it.

New starter motor fitted and starting is a lot quicker than it was before, mainly due to the much faster cranking speed from the new motor than the old one, but a starting handle would be nice if I'm ever in a situation with a flat battery and no one to help me bump start it. Now, unless there is something wrong with my radiator mounts, will this radiator allow me to pick up a starting handle and use it if I so wish?
http://morrisminorspares.co.uk/shop/pro ... 960e5a2139
This seems to be the only stockists of radiators I can find, as Bull Motif are out of stock and I can no longer find the business on eBay selling re-cored radiators for about 20 quid less. Are there any other companies selling rads for decent prices? How much will postage roughly be? I'm right down in Devon so nowhere near most places to make picking up feasible

I'll post pics of the old rad once it's out. It really is quite amazing how it's still cooling the engine adequately, although I do start having problems after long (hour plus) motorway hauls where the engine runs fine while being revved but stalls when idling (usually at roundabouts when coming off motorways). A little bit of choke usually keeps it running until I'm moving again but I guess this is down to inadequate cooling and will be solved with a new rad.

Thanks for any advice.

[Nuffles]

It's a 1968 1098cc btw

[bmcecosse]

Missing fins are common - there's lots of cooling capacity in a Minor rad!

[Nuffles]

I would estimate that I've lost a good 60% or so of the back of mine, let alone the front that I can't see. As I said, it's not leaking yet but I got paid quite a lot having worked more than usual over the summer so I want to get it done and sorted now while I have the extra money.

[mike.perry]

Are you sure that it is the radiator that is blocking the starting handle hole? The rad should be bolted into the cowl by two bolts on either side so that it almost rests on the bottom of the cowl which has a separate hole underneath for the starting handle.
If fitted correctly the bottom of the header tank should be level with the top of the front grill panel.
Check the engine mountings to make sure that the engine starting handle dog is still in line with the hole

[Nuffles]

I'll try and take some pictures today, but the dog is (from memory) in line with the hole, but there's a very definite edge of metal dropping half way down in line with the hole making it impossible to insert anything like starting handle shaped into the hole. I assumed this was the bottom of the radiator, but further inspection today shall produce answers.

In the mean time, does the radiator I linked definitely work in Moggies and give clearance for the starter handle? It's got free next day delivery so I can get it sorted in my free day tomorrow if I can get it ordered today.

Thank guys.

[bmcecosse]

Yes - it is a Minor radiator - but not convinced that's the 'best buy' around ! Seems quite expensive.

[Nuffles]

Yes, I did think it was quite expensive, but Bull Motif are out of stock and I'm not quite sure where else to look. Any suggestions?

EDIT:
This guy is selling them but for £125+£10 postage so would end up around the same price as ESM £107+VAT and I would rather buy from ESM tbh.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Morris-Minor-1000 ... arParts_SM

Or £108 including postage and one years warranty doesn't seem too bad
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Morris-Minor-Radi ... arParts_SM

[mike.perry]

The alternative is to have your rad re cored although there would not be much change from £100.
Just had a closer look at my cars. At the bottom of the rad. cowl there is a cutout for the starting handle and on the bottom of the rad there is a strip of metal to protect the rad from the handle. This could have been bent down, blocking the hole. The Series MM has a guide tube for the handle
Another possibility is that the side straps on the rad have been attatched in the wrong position so that the rad sits too low

[bmcecosse]

I'll cherish my two perfectly good spare radiators much more now - knowing the price for new ones! The one in the car has lost many fins - but still cools the engine just fine!

[Nuffles]

There's a radiator shop in the industrial estate in Exeter near where I live but they're asking £110+VAT for a new one, basically the same price as ESM. With this in mind I would rather go pick one up than trust a courier service so I'll go over there after work on Wednesday (opening times permitting) and get myself one. I can then keep the old one in the loft in the garage and get it recored when (if) I ever need a new one. The car is my daily driver so I can't really afford keeping it off the road while I get this one recored.

Sorry for the horrendous image quality, my SLR was far too large to get down inside the engine bay so my phone had to do. From inside:

And outside (the dog at the very back with the radiator obscuring it):

You can clearly see how the radiator is definitely in the way. Hopefully I can jack the new radiator up a little to reduce clearance issues.

This is the reason I want to get a new rad:

You can basically see pretty much straight through the rad between the cores - and from the top:

[MarkyB]

How about a picture of the top of the rad taken from the engine side but not a close up?

My rad has lost plenty of fins, not quite as many as yours but it still has no problems, even is stop start traffic jams.

Unless you are actually having problems with overheating I'd say "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies.

Bide your time, and keep your eyes open, and another radiator will turn up for a less eye watering price.

[bmcecosse]

My rad is worse than that! Looks like your rad is set too low in the car. It wouldn't be my top priority for spending £100+ .

[Nuffles]

The main problem at the moment is that in stop-start stuff in hot weather things get very hot and it often won't run at idle without a little bit of choke or throttle, and the same goes for coming off the motorway after a long haul. Slow down to a roundabout and it just cuts out, necessitating a bump start if I'm still going quick enough or a hasty turn of the key to get it going again before the traffic moves off. It starts progressively running better at idle as it cools down but I'm guessing it's not brilliant for it to get that hot. I'll have a look tomorrow at lifting the rad up in that case, if it's just a simple job of slacking off the bolts and sliding it up a little.

Thanks for the advice guys

Oh, and the other annoying thing is that the heater constantly chucks out hot air, even with the valve pushed closed and the lever in the lowest position. The only thing I can think that causes this is that the engine bay is so hot that it heats the air in the ducting as it travels up to the firewall. Obviously this isn't great in hot weather as my left knee is superheated even though my body is slightly cooled by having the window open to my right.

[bmcecosse]

Well - if you really feel the engine is overheating - may as well get on with it - you obviously won't be happy till it's done. It's not a sliding up job - if the holes in the side supports are in the wrong place - you will have to drill new ones.

[MarkyB]

It starts progressively running better at idle

This doesn't sound like under cooling at all.
The engine fan only does a fairly weak job of pulling air through the rad.

What colour are the plug tips?

The Minor I have driven that overheats in traffic gets undrivable, the petrol pump clicks away like crazy but can't get enough fuel to the carb and the car cuts out and really doesn't want to restart till things have cooled down.

Having to use choke or throttle suggests the mixture is too weak.

[mike.perry]

The heater slider should be at the bottom for off, the wire controlled taps are rubbish, use the old screw tap
The bottom section of the cowl should stop the rad from going down too far, check if the mounting bolt holes have been moved as the rad should not be able to sit lower than the cowl
You rad may well be silted up as well as bald

[Declan_Burns]

[quote="Nuffles"]...... even with the valve pushed closed and the lever in the lowest position.


The heater valve should be pulled to turn off the heater-not pushed. I agree with Mike Perry about the wire controlled valves being rubbish. I had a repro one that only lasted two years. I now have a NOS Mini valve which seems much better but time will tell. Ashley Hinton is the person to contact for heater valves.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MG-MIDGET-AUSTIN- ... arParts_SM
Regards
Declan

[Nuffles]

Just a little update on this one. Dad and I spent the morning fitting the new rad I got for my birfday (such practical parents ) and this is what the old one looks like:




Definitely glad it's done now. It's a wonder how it still held water as well as it did.

[mike.perry]

Can you fit a starting handle with the new rad?