Rover 200 & 400 Owners Club

I've decided to put a separate cooler onto the front of a manual rad for the box.

I've seen these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/176376431876 ... media=COPY

Just not sure if they would be adequate. I wont be towing anything other than a small trailer once in a blue moon and they also sell larger 6 row ones but really don't know.

Any thoughts/advice would be much appreciated.

Jay2oh wrote: ↑Mon May 27, 2024 9:08 am Any thoughts/advice would be much appreciated.

This is the one Rover used to sell as an accessory for the Cabriolet 1.6 auto (Honda enigne):



The one you're considering looks to be about right, size-wise.

Yeah, think I'll give it a go. Thanks Johnny

Jay2oh wrote: ↑Mon May 27, 2024 9:08 am
Just not sure if they would be adequate. I wont be towing anything other than a small trailer once in a blue moon and they also sell larger 6 row ones but really don't know.

Maintenance Manual (in downloads) says for towing limit with the 1.6 is 500kg, if more, then up to 1,000 kg with fluid cooler fitted, so do you need more than 500 kg (1,100 lbs in old money)

C6Dave wrote: ↑Wed May 29, 2024 5:59 pm
Maintenance Manual (in downloads) says for towing limit with the 1.6 is 500kg, if more, then up to 1,000 kg with fluid cooler fitted, so do you need more than 500 kg (1,100 lbs in old money)

I think he's doing it because the car needs a new radiator and you can't buy the ones for the autos any more, which have an isolated feed through the right-hand tank so the gearbox gets the benefit of the engine cooling system. So he's going to fit a manual radiator and cool the gearbox oil completely separately. So it's not quite the same problem as "towing more than 500kg" as I expect the Rover kit was in addition to the radiator cooling (wired in series).

The cooler the OP is considering I'd say has more core than the one in the Rover kit. The core size is 250mm x 130mm x 20mm as per the link. So I reckon it's more than good enough for handling all the gearbox cooling needed, under or over 500kg of towing weight, or even if he's not towing at all.

Jay2oh wrote: ↑Wed May 29, 2024 3:53 pm Yeah, think I'll give it a go. Thanks Johnny

Can you let us know how you get on? Possibly with some photographs when it's done? And possibly in a new thread so everyone can see it and picks up on it? This problem is coming up more and more on the forum in recent months, so it would be great to actually see a solution in place and working, to put other auto owners minds' at ease (me included!)

Johnny 216GSi wrote: ↑Fri May 31, 2024 10:22 pm I think he's doing it because the car needs a new radiator and you can't buy the ones for the autos any more, which have an isolated feed through the right-hand tank so the gearbox gets the benefit of the engine cooling system. So he's going to fit a manual radiator and cool the gearbox oil completely separately. So it's not quite the same problem as "towing more than 500kg" as I expect the Rover kit was in addition to the radiator cooling (wired in series).

The cooler the OP is considering I'd say has more core than the one in the Rover kit. The core size is 250mm x 130mm x 20mm as per the link. So I reckon it's more than good enough for handling all the gearbox cooling needed, under or over 500kg of towing weight, or even if he's not towing at all.

Thanks, I'm picking up a 1.6 auto today, won't be towing anything, but the info is worth noting.

I’ve brought myself a little dual oil temperature gauge which I intend to fit to the oil feed/return pipes on my auto box.
Then when I fit a manual radiator and separate oil cooler for the automatic gearbox, which I’m hoping to do soon, I’ll be able to see how effective it is.
I’ll keep you posted , although my car jobs, is still second to the house jobs at the moment. Hoping the will change soon

Yeah just as a need to basis with the standard rad unavailable.

Thanks for pointing me to the downloads section, that's worth the member ship fee alone

I will take some pics when I eventually do it but after a bit more searching found that the rad not only cools the fluid but warms it up to operating temp so am a tad nervous to just poke n hope

Do you know what operating temp range is okay for the fluid Plodder ?

The only information I have found is off the internet which says about 90 degrees c.
This is the operating temperature of the engine which would be correct if the oil is being cooled/warmed by the coolant in the radiator.
I looked at this product but it is far more expensive than an additional oil cooler
https://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/s/oi ... -exchanger