V6 Radiator

Stempy · Post by **Stempy** » 10 Apr 2010, 14:18

Advice required please chaps. I have had a very slow leak of coolant which I have until now been unable to trace. It's now apparent that the rad is leaking as the coolant loss is getting worse and is now showing as a damp patch on the core.

ECP list a Valeo rad at over 200 smackeroos which I thought was a bit steep, though likely half the price of a main dealer. Any words of wisdom as to a more resonable source, and also what sort of job is it to change on the spanner scale?

Post by **CitroJim** » 10 Apr 2010, 14:39

They occasionally come up on eBay, just after you've bought one at big cost usually. Scour the Internet for rad suppliers.

Sadly, the £200 (ish) is about the going rate, VAT and postage included.

They're dead easy to change. THE most easiest Xantia rad to do. One Spanner.

Simply undo the hoses, not forgetting the little one that goes to the gearbox oil cooler, and lift out, minding the, exhaust header clamp bolts, engine lifting eyes and other snag hazards along the way.

The pipe from the oil cooler is the trickiest due to location and depending if the pipe still has its original spring clip and the angel of its tangs. If it has still got the original, a Jubilee clip is a good improvement.

Sid_the_Squid · Post by **Sid_the_Squid** » 10 Apr 2010, 20:53

Are there not places which repair/recondition car radiators, never had the need myself, but recall seeing an add years ago in the local paper.. anyone else heard of such a thing?

Stempy · Post by **Stempy** » 10 Apr 2010, 22:01

There may well be but I need it fixed by next weekend as I'm to the homeland for a weeks holiday. Looks like I'm gonna have to pay up and get stuck in

lexi · Post by **lexi** » 10 Apr 2010, 22:04

Probably the price is to be expected with the cooler section and rarity of this item
It probably doesn't cross over to any other models either.

Simpler radiators with brass sections are the easiest to recore. Don't know if the core could be got for this one and re-done as they are usually ally and plastic headers.....it may be uneconomical anyway in comparison to a replacement.

I got a very nice deal on Ebay for an automatic rad with cooler section for my Honda. It was only 50 quid and I didn't expect much in quality. When it arrived it was the Honda original item with logo stamped in and exactly the same as my bust one.

f00lzz · Post by **f00lzz** » 10 Apr 2010, 22:33

Worth paying the money for a good quality radiator... my experience is that you get a 'damp patch' about two thirds down the rad to the right of centre as you face the engine. My V6 is on it's 2nd replacement (so on it's third rad). THIS time I'm only using de-ionised water and definately the correct amount of antifreeze.

Ian

addo · Post by **addo** » 10 Apr 2010, 22:36

Was it Chinese?

Branded fake automotive parts are nothing new, in what's coming from that country. We have one supplier who removes the units from the maker's packaging, so nobody can work out who's selling them in.

Alloy radiators are remade sometimes here; I laugh wryly when people find £200 steep as the Chinese ones are close to this figure on currency conversion.

PSA charge us over £215 for the little red Xantia/Peugeot throttle pot used with Hydractive and Activa suspension controls.

Stempy · Post by **Stempy** » 10 Apr 2010, 22:43

f00lzz wrote:Worth paying the money for a good quality radiator... my experience is that you get a 'damp patch' about two thirds down the rad to the right of centre as you face the engine. My V6 is on it's 2nd replacement (so on it's third rad). THIS time I'm only using de-ionised water and definately the correct amount of antifreeze.

Ian

That seems to be where mine is leaking from too. This will be it's third rad as it had a new one when I bought it. I guess a Valeo one would be the best bet then.

Post by **xantia_v6** » 11 Apr 2010, 09:07

I replaced mine in Feb 2008 with one of these, seems to be a good brand, still in good condition (£158 including VAT and delivery).

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 11 Apr 2010, 10:07

£68.74+VAT

Stempy · Post by **Stempy** » 11 Apr 2010, 15:16

Woah, looks like a bargain. Strangely they list a rad for a manual V6 which is twice the price

Has anyone used one these, it says it a copper core, I wonder if that would make any difference to longevity, probably improve it

I'll have a phone round the local factors tomorrow, but that's the cheapest by far that I've seen, just worries me a bit whether it's going to be the right thing when it turns up as I've had to send stuff back before and I'm on a bit of a tight schedule now.

I asked in Hal***** today and they don't even list one

Post by **CitroJim** » 11 Apr 2010, 20:01

xantia_v6 wrote:I replaced mine in Feb 2008 with one of these, seems to be a good brand, still in good condition (£158 including VAT and delivery).

Yep, that's where mine came from. I concur that it seems OK after a year and 10,000 miles...

Stempy · Post by **Stempy** » 13 Apr 2010, 20:17

oh cock as they say on that telly programme

I decided as I needed a quick result I'd go to the local GSF who quoted a price similar to the one at ukcarcooling online where Jim and v6 got theirs. I didn't really trust the place DickieG suggested as when I phoned them to check availability they quoted £100 more that the price on the web site.

Anyway, picked it up today, took out the old rad, compared it to the new one and guess what, the new one is wrong. Looks similar but doesn't have the autobox outlet. Should have guessed when I read Peugeot on the box.

The old one is in a right old state though, so I'm glad I didn't leave it any longer. I just hope I can sort it before next weeks hols.

mezuk04 · Post by **mezuk04** » 14 Apr 2010, 04:45

A new radiator years ago for my Xantia 1.9TD P-Reg was £100, I assume the V6's are special then to warrant the price.

Stempy · Post by **Stempy** » 14 Apr 2010, 08:50

Nothing that special apart from an extra outlet for the autobox cooler, I think it's just the rarity factor, like a lot of things with the V6. Citroen main dealer price is £486 so by that reckoning it's quite cheap