Radiator Repair

[cmillsap]

(05-13-2015 21:25)JD33 Wrote:  

(05-13-2015 14:16)cmillsap Wrote:  

(05-13-2015 11:10)rrueckwald Wrote:  Nice job, Chuck. Did you get the tubes from BHTubes? If so, did you have an issue with the fit on the turbo and with the pyrometer size? I am thinking of doing the exhaust system this summer as a preemptive strike.

Hi Ron,

I did get the tubes from Roger at BHTubes. He also has the flex tube and clamps available. They're not cheap but good quality. Everything fit well with no problems. New Pyrometer from DD fitted right up. Be sure to get the proper Turbo V clamp for your turbo as there are many different ones. Finding the right clamp for my turbo took some time and effort.

Big improvement in the cooling capacity with the new radiator. Up Cajon pass at 55mph with coolant max temp at 195*f. Across the desert to AZ, the coolant ran at or just above the thermostats @ 185*f to 188*f. I'm happy not to have to crawl up the hills with the truckers anymore. With all the work I've put into this LXi, I'm beginning to see the benefits such at MPG up to 7.4.

Chuck

Chuck, why were you crawling up the hills before? Did you have an issue or were you just backing out of it to keep temps cooler?

Hi Jim,

It takes a pretty efficient cooling system to keep the S60 below 205*F while pushing a 50,000# behemoth up a 6% grade for 14 miles at 55 MPH while pulling a 5000# toad. A 15 year old OEM radiator loses a lot of heat transfer capacity over that period of time, even well maintained ones. Radiators with copper cores are especially susceptible to build up on the fins and deterioration especially if subjected to salt air. The copper fins on my old radiator were brittle enough to easily crack and break off. Add to that the build-up on the internal walls of the core tubes over time and the radiator had lost a lot of cooling capacity.

So, when on Eastern U.S roads, the cooling with the OEM radiator was plenty good for that environment but it’s a whole different story out here in the dry heat of the Southwest. If you don’t want to crawl up these long and steep Western grades along with the truckers at 35 to 40 MPH, you better have your cooling system in good order. Even then, close monitoring of your coolant temp is prudent. That's why I have a Silverleaf monitoring system.

Chuck