Rover 200 & 400 Owners Club

Hi,

We've got a 1990 214GSi and I'm looking for advice/opinions about replacement radiators. The original Rover radiator gave up about 6 years ago, not leaking but the fins on the core were just disintegrating so it wasn't fully effective any more. I bought a replacement from a local motor factors in 2004, however when I was doing some work on the engine the other day, I noticed the replacement part is now also beginning to disintegrate, after a service life of just 6 years, which is less than half of the original Rover part.

Has anybody seen similar problems and is there a better quality radiator available? It seems the modern products use extremely thin copper sheet for the fins and it just oxidizes away. My other cars are all 1960s Rootes cars, and their radiators are 30+ years old and show no signs of deterioration. I've occasionally had leaks which can be fixed with soldering, but the fins are still in excellent condition.

Later this year, I'll need to replace the radiator on the 214 again.

Cheers,
Hugh

I had the same problem, i replaced mine with a recon radiator but after about 5 years the vanes had all but disintegrated, i think that a brand new rad is needed not a recon one.
There is a brand new rad on my coupe and the core and the vanes look more of a alloy colour and not painted black like the recon units.

Thanks for the advice. The unit I fitted was brand new, however I don't who made it. Do you happen to know the source of your radiator?

The Rover series were fitted with Valeo radiators, which you can still obtain. Expect to pay upwards of £45 for a pattern rad retail. The Valeo rads can reach £60 - £80. You do get what you pay for.

There are several on eBay at the moment, from £40 upwards for a pattern.

The rads on both my 216's are half the size they used to be....!

I've managed to get hold of one Valeo rad for £15 as stock clearance, but they're not common.

To be honest, 5-6yrs from a rad used all year round is about average. Salt and chippings cause a lot of damage day to day. I agree - pattern rads are poor quality. Meshing the grille helps a lot.

I'm not sure about valeo doing the rad but calsonic radiators of LLanelli made most of the radiators for the rovers and other manufactures, but i'm not sure if you can still buy them cos the factory is closed now.

Thanks for all the tips. I'll start looking around as I will need to replace the radiator in the next year.

Cheers,
Hugh

New rads use aluminium fins which turn to white powder, (cheaper than the older copper ones).

The way you wash the car also can have a big effect. If you use TFR on the rad then this can eat the fins very quickly.

When I get a new rad I repaint it as soon as I get it to provide it with a little more protection. The original paint is literally just a dusting to turn it black.

Following the inputs, I did look up the Valeo web catalogue and they supply the correct radiator for my car (Part Number 732758, Trade number RM1172, TH297). It states the material used is aluminium. The one I have presently on the car does appear to use copper as there seems to be some green corrosion.

Maybe we just have to live with the new radiators having a shorter life, but painting may extend the life somewhat. Presumably you use a spray can of matt black?

Cheers,
Hugh

TFR??

Traffic Film Remover....Used a lot by valeters and those 'car wash for a fiver' posses...at old warehouse sites..on Saturday mornings!

Detergent that is strongly alkaline. It will eat through grime, ally & steel in no time.

Good point, Dan. I forgot that one.

I had the radiator renewed in my SEI a year ago. I was told by the garage (an independant Rover specialists) that the new radiator was made out of an alloy so would never need replacing again.

Could try searching 'alloy car radiators' on google as a starter for research?