Re: [DML] Re: Aluminum core/Plastic tank radiators

[Martin Gutkowski - DMC Ltd <martin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Well, as a supplier sufficiently disconnected from North America, I can 
add a few pennies here...

I've swapped out a lot of rads now, and we are having ours rebuilt by a 
local specialist (the sort of thing that still goes on in England, and 
if they've been going a few years, they tend to be very good at what 
they do - he also makes out coolant bottles)

The only part of the original rads that are being re-used are the top 
and bottom plates. Everything else is replaced. The core is a brand new 
modern aluminium (get the spelling right, guys :-) core, and is an 
extended version of another Renault radiator, by coincidence, made to 
order. The side tanks are custom made, not adapted from something else.

I've had one triple-row refurbed and it was a pain in the backside to 
refit, but it sure as hell kept cool! Waiting to test the fans took at 
least 20 minutes on a not-particularly cold day!

Only today I replaced an otterstat on a car that has one of our 
replacement radiators, and that too sat on the first mark (stat opened) 
for what seemed like an age.

Now my own #1458 has a 100% original cooling system, even down to the 
hoses (yeah, I know!) except for the coolant bottle. It stood up to a 
700 mile trip to LeMans last summer in 40+ degree C heat without a hint 
of a problem. I agree with Dave. Original rads work a treat as long as 
they aren't blocked - the main reason for most of our swap-outs.

Martin
www.delorean.co.uk

PS and Dave, in case you're wondering, your old rads have indeed been 
recycled in just such a way :-)

Dave Swingle wrote:

>Since you can't answer I'll ask anyway ;-) - what's your recent 
>experience with the operational life of New-Old-Stock DMC radiators? 
>What's the warranty? I've installed both NOS and aftermarket ones, 
>I'll agree that the NOS ones fit a ton better, (some of the 
>aftermarket ones are amazingly out-of-square, to where I've had to re-
>drill the mounting holes!) but I'm not 100% convinced that they'll 
>last as long as a fresh aftermarket unit just due to the fact that 
>they already have 25 years of age on them. I've personally seen a 
>couple of the NOS ones that just didn't last very long. OTOH I have a 
>car in my shop now that has the original radiator in it, no problem, 
>although I've warned the owner that he ought to keep some money set 
>aside.
> 
>In my experience the failure point on the OEM DeLorean radiators is 
>the joint between the tank and the brass part, not the plastic 
>(unless you happen to snap the bleeder off) and not the radiator 
>itself.
>
>While I'm talking - I also don't believe that the aftermarket 
>radiators cool any better than the OEM radiators, if both are in good 
>condition. Compare them side by side and you'll see that the OEM 
>radiator has much denser, finer tubes, which == lots of capacity. The 
>downside is that, if not maintained, they will plug up. I think this 
>is why people who replace them with an aftermarket radiator think 
>they cool so much better - the are comparing it to something that was 
>all plugged up inside!
>
>BTW - just another data point - on my "other cars" (BMW) the original 
>aluminum/plastic radiator is considered by most to be a 6 year/70,000 
>mile maintenance item. The failure mode on those is that the plastic 
>neck for the radiator hose breaks off, generally without warning.
>
>Nice thing about DMC radiators, they leak a looong time before they 
>really let you down. 
>
>Dave Swingle
>  
>







To address comments privately to the moderating team, please address:
moderators@xxxxxxxxxxx

For more info on the list, tech articles, cars for sale see www.dmcnews.com

To search the archives or view files, log in at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews 
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    dmcnews-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/