New subject: Cooling system

26 Jul 2016

      In a message dated 7/26/16 8 41 31, klckmac@msn.com writes:
...
Looking for advice on the newer aluminum radiators and stainless tube 
sets offered out there. I just took my OLD Hall brass one in for repairs and 
they want $650 for a re-do. I could get a new one for that price, but would 
like to know who has upgraded to a turn key kit like PIM offers or other 
dealer and if you would recommend any particular setup.
Ken,

Lots of people are proposing a $1500 fix to a $200 problem.   For sure, 
that would work, but is it necessary?   No.

The first thing you need to do is find another radiator shop.   The quote 
they gave you is absurd.   Likely they are proposing an entirely new core for 
your existing tanks, which amounts to buying a whole new radiator.   If 
your core is well and truly shot, then yes, you might as well just get a new 
radiator, but in that case I would just buy another one like you have now.

By way of contrast to the megabucks suggestions, consider this:

A few years ago, Wilkinson gave Lori an old Hall radiator for free.   He 
had removed it from a customer's car when that guy 'upgraded' to a megabuck 
Fluidyne radiator and sucker fan setup.   Steve actually offered me the choice 
of several old radiators, and I took the best-looking one, knowing it 
needed work.

I brought it to a radiator shop out in the country a half-hour from my 
house.   They pressure-tested it and found several leaks, from failures in the 
brazing around the drain petcock caused by overtightening, and from the 
junction of the core and one of the end tanks.

They fixed all the leaks, pressure-tested it, painted it and gave it back 
to me, looking as good as new and guaranteed to work.

For this, they charged me FORTY dollars.   Not $650, not anything close.   
That radiator, with Hall Meriah fans, keeps her car running at a rock-solid 
180 degrees in all conditions, including extended periods of idling in Las 
Vegas traffic with ambient temps nearing 100 degrees, and has been doing so 
now for years.

Yes, you could spend a ton of money on an all-new setup.   But as long as 
your existing core is good (and why wouldn't it be?), you should be able to 
get minor leaks repaired easily for a fraction of the cost of buying a new 
Hall replacement radiator, never mind the megabuck setup.

One tremendous advantage of a brass radiator (any brass radiator) is that 
it can normally be repaired easily if it suffers damage when you're on the 
road.   The aluminum radiators are glued together and normally not easily 
repaired--if they can be repaired at all.   So while Hall recently failed to 
warranty their product per Chuck's testimony, at least their product is 
infinitely repairable.

A Mangusta owner from England who was driving to the south of France 
earlier this month wound up going home on a tow truck because his radiator sprung 
a leak and it dribbled much of his coolant overboard.   He failed to notice 
the water temp increase, but the subsequent oil temp increase and Expensive 
Noises from the engine got his attention!

Had he been paying attention and thought about the problem a little bit, he 
could have easily had the car repaired and saved his vacation, since 
apparently the engine is actually unhurt and was simply rattling a bit due to the 
lifters not lifting as much due to the hot, thin oil.   As it is, since he's 
not mechanically savvy he took the safe option and had the car towed back 
to England.   But if he had an aluminum radiator, likely that would have been 
his only recourse.

Just FWIW....

Mike

   In a message dated 7/26/16 8 41 31, klckmac@msn.com writes:

     Looking for advice on the newer aluminum radiators and stainless
     tube sets offered out there. I just took my OLD Hall brass one in
     for repairs and they want $650 for a re-do. I could get a new one
     for that price, but would like to know who has upgraded to a turn
     key kit like PIM offers or other dealer and if you would recommend
     any particular setup.

   Ken,
   Lots of people are proposing a $1500 fix to a $200 problem.  For sure,
   that would work, but is it necessary?  No.
   The first thing you need to do is find another radiator shop.  The
   quote they gave you is absurd.  Likely they are proposing an entirely
   new core for your existing tanks, which amounts to buying a whole new
   radiator.  If your core is well and truly shot, then yes, you might as
   well just get a new radiator, but in that case I would just buy another
   one like you have now.
   By way of contrast to the megabucks suggestions, consider this:
   A few years ago, Wilkinson gave Lori an old Hall radiator for free.  He
   had removed it from a customer's car when that guy 'upgraded' to a
   megabuck Fluidyne radiator and sucker fan setup.  Steve actually
   offered me the choice of several old radiators, and I took the
   best-looking one, knowing it needed work.
   I brought it to a radiator shop out in the country a half-hour from my
   house.  They pressure-tested it and found several leaks, from failures
   in the brazing around the drain petcock caused by overtightening, and
   from the junction of the core and one of the end tanks.
   They fixed all the leaks, pressure-tested it, painted it and gave it
   back to me, looking as good as new and guaranteed to work.
   For this, they charged me FORTY dollars.  Not $650, not anything
   close.  That radiator, with Hall Meriah fans, keeps her car running at
   a rock-solid 180 degrees in all conditions, including extended periods
   of idling in Las Vegas traffic with ambient temps nearing 100 degrees,
   and has been doing so now for years.
   Yes, you could spend a ton of money on an all-new setup.  But as long
   as your existing core is good (and why wouldn't it be?), you should be
   able to get minor leaks repaired easily for a fraction of the cost of
   buying a new Hall replacement radiator, never mind the megabuck setup.
   One tremendous advantage of a brass radiator (any brass radiator) is
   that it can normally be repaired easily if it suffers damage when
   you're on the road.  The aluminum radiators are glued together and
   normally not easily repaired--if they can be repaired at all.  So while
   Hall recently failed to warranty their product per Chuck's testimony,
   at least their product is infinitely repairable.
   A Mangusta owner from England who was driving to the south of France
   earlier this month wound up going home on a tow truck because his
   radiator sprung a leak and it dribbled much of his coolant overboard.
   He failed to notice the water temp increase, but the subsequent oil
   temp increase and Expensive Noises from the engine got his attention!
   Had he been paying attention and thought about the problem a little
   bit, he could have easily had the car repaired and saved his vacation,
   since apparently the engine is actually unhurt and was simply rattling
   a bit due to the lifters not lifting as much due to the hot, thin oil.
   As it is, since he's not mechanically savvy he took the safe option and
   had the car towed back to England.  But if he had an aluminum radiator,
   likely that would have been his only recourse.
   Just FWIW....
   Mike

Re: [DeTomaso] Cooling system

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