Brumby Radiator Leak - replacement costs and such

[Pootcrum]

Hi All,

Happy New Year first off. Hope all's well with everyone.

Now onto the nitty gritty. In typical fashion for my old girl, the radiator is leaking just as summer is really kicking in. I can see where the leak is, and it is substantial enough for me to need to carry plenty of DI water around and refill on trips. It is on the join between the side tank and the radiator itself, on the cap side (if that makes sense, will try to post pics if necessary).

EDIT: and here it is....


Have pondered on the temporary fixes (such as Nulon Stop Leak), but have no experience there regarding whether or not it will actually work, and have read they are really only good for pinholes, not cracks which is what I think I have.

First question, has anyone got a ballpark figure on a radiator replacement at a mechanics?

I have found these guys on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/SUBARU-LEONE-BRU ... 4a9e446b5e

Second question(s), anyone dealt with them? They have a good rating, and I bet that price is a fraction of what a mechanic will charge for a new radiator. Was then thinking of doing the work myself. Surely there cant be that much to it other than some elbow grease?

Any other general tips/advice as I go down this road?

Cheers all.

[coupe]

You can get a leone twincore replacement off ebay for $245 plus post. its a good repacement and will give you a better cooling system for your car.
You can take out the radiator and get it rebrazed for a small price. which will give you a temp solution for your troubles or use a bottle of cargo " metalic seal up from repco or supercheap. this will fix up quite a large weep without blocking up everything else.

cheers Pete

[steptoe]

Silver Seal is the nrand name of a little carboard tube of stuff to poke in and forget about the leak. About six bucks from many car parts stores, chains, auto pros. I carry a tube in case in each car - many successes.

[steptoe]

Brumby radiators are shorter across front than MY sedan of same year I found in 84 models, by about 50mm. How this goes with hoses and mounting points I know not

[Backyard_Brumby]

I am currently searching for a new radiator for my brumby too...I have got some quotes from suppliers at work and I can get the stock one in for around $220 and all the ones I can find on ebay are around the $240 mark....I would be interested to see what repair costs would be for yours? Mine is suffering from a whole lot of dry rot and to be honest just looks like 50 leaks could put up on a long trip

[Pootcrum]

Cheers guys. I will poke my head into my local and try and find some SilverSeal then. If it fixes it for the moment then great, it will give me time to organise a new radiator. If not, well it was worth a try!

@Backyard Brumby: I have requested a quote from a nearby Natrad place for a new radiator and both hoses. Will let you know what they say. But I bet itll be ~$500 for a new radiator? Plus a days work? Might be pushing the $1G mark. But I am a pessimist...

[Pootcrum]

So when I left uni today, I topped up the radiator and found the leak was getting near to a constant flow rather than just drips. Rolled (almost literally) down to supercheap and picked up some of this stuff:



Didn't have the silverseal you mentioned steptoe.

Got home tonight and did it, and once I got over the mild panic when I saw I was tipping solid black lumps of stuff into my radiator, I let it run for 15 minutes and the leak appears to have stopped.

So for now I think I have bought some time whilst I source the cheapest new radiator I can find. Just thought I would post up that this stuff works, even on serious leaks, for future people.

[Tozzy]

I had the same on my 89 Brumby a couple of months back.

I got the local Natrad agent to repair. $380.00. Been real hot here in Perth lately and runs a little cooler since the clean and re-solder tanks.

[Nubaru]

dragged this up in the search function, but not the recent posted one.

[coxy]

Brumby and MY radiators have a big advantage they are copper and repairable unlike some of the later rubbish with plastic tanks that deteriorate and you have no option but replace the whole thing new.

yes in theory Alloy radiators with plastic tanks may cool better but they are fragile and not likely to be repairable when in country areas, Then you have to wait till a replacement turns up wheras with a Copper Rad it is likely in the bush you can get it repaired and be on your way in a few hours.

Old school does have advantages in this throwaway society.

[coxy]

You can source full alloy radiators of Ebay in Australia and a brumby one is $159.00 some members in WA I believe may have used the same brand in an L series EJ conversion so some feedback on quality may be available.

Most likely made in China for that price as something like PWR made in Queensland would be more like $600 ~ $1000 but for the money worth a punt I would think.

Just make sure if using Full Aluminium Radiators that all the rubber mountings are A1 and the radiator is fitted with absolutely so stress or it will crack.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/GREAT-QUALIT ... SwofxUbavX