Help and advice please, VR radiator and subframe

[rickdonald 10]

Hi, looking for a bit of knowledge and advice:

 

My radiator on my VR last week, I have managed to get a replacement, an Denso Marston OEM one from a breakers in Blackburn, but on closer inspection it looks like it may have a leak too.

 

I doubt I will be able to return it as it was a quick deal and I stupidly didn’t ask for a receipt or anything, but at the time he said it didn’t leak and was fine...oh well

 

Anyway, I was going to try and fit it this weekend so was checking it over last night; I tried to cover one end and blow down the other to see if it was sealed, but it was bubbling around at one end of the plastic. Where the top elbow is, there is the little L-bracket which attaches to the ‘slam panel’, I have managed to remove the L-bracket from its recess, and it looks like there is a small hole at the bottom. Do you think it is worth trying to seal it with a metal epoxy? Then put the bracket back in and seal it all up? I have used the epoxy stuff on my current radiator as a temporary fix and it seems great, the hole was in an awkward spot and was full of dirt and cr*p, but it seems to be holding brilliantly.

 

So I was thinking if I can clean this hole up easier, and access is a lot better, would it be worth while doing? Or realistically am I going to have to bite the bullet and get a new rad?

 

One more question too, I looked at my car to get an idea of the job replacing the radiator, had a go at seeing how tight the 4 17mm bolts are for the bumper underneath (very incidentally). But also noticed that one of the 13mm bolts which holds the sub frame temporarily (when the bumper is out) is missing.

 

I managed to get a new one, but when I screwed it in discovered why it was missing, feels like its all rusted in the thread, and the new bolt is just spinning, just wondering if anyone knows... if I get a longer bolt, and a nut for the other end, would I be able to get in once the bumper is off and tighten it up properly?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Rick

[boost monkey 0]

I'm not 100% sure which subframe you're talking about.

 

Do you mean the frame which holds the rear engine mount and gearbox mount on and also houses he steering rack, what I would call the subframe?

Or the frame which holds the front engine mount and attaches below the radiator into chassis rails, what I would call the front cross-member?

Or the frame which the radiator sits on and has the PAS cooler poking through, what I would call the radiator panel?

[rickdonald 10]

Sorry should of been abut more descriptive, it's the one that holds the front engine mount. You undo the 4 17mm bolts (2 either side), to remove the front bumper, then there are 2 bolts remaining which hold the front engine mount x-member. One of these bolts was missing and when I replaced it, it just seems to be spinning in the hole, I'm asking whether there is a captive nut or something on the other side of the "arm" it bolts to (not sure what to call it). I will haves look for a picture.

[dukest 0]

by the time you have the bumper off, if you support the engine it wont be much more work to undo the front mount so you can take off the front crossmember and rad support panel (which is what the small bolt threads into). whether there's enough metal to weld a new nut onto or not is a different question so if you want to fix it properly you should be prepared to look for another support panel if things are too bad.

[rickdonald 10]

thanks for the replies guys, I will have a good look with the bumper off tomorrow, as for the radiator the guy said he will give me a refund, so fingers crossed will take it after work. Hopefully my current fix will hold out abit longer, while I find another.