160 Radiators

[PeterM]

Adding to the general debate on Caterham radiators; I have just replaced mine after only 30 months and 7,550 miles. Symptom; slight 'weep' from a top core tube-end where it meets the left hand header (as you look at the car). Possible cause; weld failure, one at each end of the top and bottom strengthening plates allowing movement of the core in relation to the headers when heated thereby stressing the resin sealant. Radiators are aluminum, made by Be Cool Radiators at Wellingborough and weld quality looks poor. 

Happy to report however that CC Ltd 'came good' (as they have always done for me) and replaced the radiator although it was well past the 12 month warranty. Weld quality looks better on the replacement.   

​Upper Strengthening Plate Weld Failure. Similar on bottom plate but diagonally opposite

 

 

[John Vine]

Glad to hear CC sorted this out for you, Peter,

For the record, I suffered a small leak on my R400D rad in August 2009 (at 16 months and 9692 miles):

This led to the engine bay getting covered in what looked like a pink rash:

At first, CC declined to do anything as the car was out of warranty. But after I bought a new rad, I sent them the old one for inspection.  To their credit (and mine!), they issued a "goodwill" refund.  I guess they sent the rad back to their supplier.

Could your failure have been due (in part, at least) to stress at the mounting bobbins?

JV 

 

[PeterM]

Hi John. Could be, and I did wonder about this as the welds are so poor that the OEM might consider the top and bottom plates are merely holding the fan in place and therefore did not require and weld right across the header. The bobbins on a 160  are quite long (are all 7's the same in this respect??) and the hoses have a long reach coming into and away from the rad so there is some flex there as the rad heats up.