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MG MGA - Radiator Product Experience / Recommendation

My 1962 MGA 1600 MkII has been experiencing classic hot running for sometime. In the early 1980's I had installed an aftermarket radiator from MM. Since then I've tried improving cooling using a long list of remedies. So far I think I've tried everything except replacing the distributor, and the radiator again.

I understand there was a period when the aftermarket radiators were fabricated with narrow channels that resulted in restricted, insufficient flow. Has anyone had experience with an aftermarket radiator in the last few years? If so, I'd be interested to learn about your experience and recommendation.

Steve
Steve K

Steve,
I had similar problems with my 1500. I finally resolved the problems by having my radiator shop build me a radiator with a five pass core. I have not had any more overheating.

Bobi
Bob Wrenn

I did the same as Steve. It improved the cooling, and cost less than buying a new reproduction radiator.
Ed Bell

Steve,
My radiator shop got a core from New England Radiator, something I believe is called a "V Core". I believe they are the only place in the US that make these. A bit expensive, but works great. Climbed "2 Mile Hill" east of Pittsburgh in 95 degree heat (several times) with no problems. Highly recommend it.
Cheers,
GTF
G T Foster

Bob, Ed, and GT,
Thanks for the info, recommendations, and leads. I still have the original radiator around, so I'll check to see if it can be refurbished with a new, high capacity core by a local shop. If not, maybe the 1980 MM radiator can be refitted.
Steve K

Another Mk II owner with persistent over heating.

Has anyone used this supplier:

http://www.customaluminumradiator.com/node/detail/31940

Or is this just another reseller ?

-Chuck
Chuck Mosher

Overheating is probably the most vexing question regarding MGA's and still not entirely resolved. I have owned a series of them for nearly 40 years and still have my (restored) 1600 roadster and coupe. There are all sorts of theories and, since the cooling is marginal, some may have some (short-term?) relevance. Nevertheless, what I do to overcome the problem is have my radiators rodded out every, say, four years. I suspect that a major factor is that not enough air comes through the core, supported by the fact that the factory removed most of the grille slats in competition when warm weather was expected and also that Mk 2's (and MGB's) effectively had an air dam in front of the grille to ensure that air did not by-pass the opening (I know this rather flies in the face of Mk2's overheating, but I suspect that this is just a radiator issue!). Despite the large-diameter trunking just behind the grille slats, very little air enters the cockpit unless the heater fan is on!
Barry Bahnisch

Having had 4 radiators in my MGA I can say that the 2 that had fewer vertical tubes and less fins kept the car cooler at speed than those with tighter cores. The ones with tight cores however ran cooler in city traffic. My conclusion is that the theory of air damming is correct and the higher the speed the worse the effect. At zero speed the fan is the thing drawing in air so the damming effect is not present.
My first Eureka moment was at MG Silverstone in 2001 when I lined up against a number of other MGA's and saw the difference to my own rad. Brown & Gammon where selling a radiator so I bought and fitted it on the spot. No other work was done at the time and the overheating issue just disappeared.

Neil
Neil Purves

New radiators or rodding out will overcome overheating for some time. The comments regarding types of core are interesting. Some years ago an Australian core maker recalled all (then) recently recored radiators and had the tube/fin cores (which they supplied) replaced with cellular (which was the factory type) free of charge. It was probably thought that reverting to the factory type core would overcome the problem. One of my cars was the subject of this recall/replacment programme but regrettably this made absolutely no change to the overheating problem!
Barry Bahnisch

Gerry - can you supply more details on the V-core you purchased? I'm thinking of doing a swap this spring, as high temps (240+ in Key West a couple of times) is my "only" remaining problem. You can reply directly via email if you wish.

- Ken
Ken Doris

I went aluminum. Price was just over $500 (USA). I'm happy with the choice. Recoring charges were in the same ball park and since no one had anything negative to say about aluminum I chose to go that route. I know it's not original but either is the color. I painted the top black and put a brass tag on top to help it look "original". One word of caution - any bolts (including the drain plug) must have plumbers silicone goop on the threads to prevent galvanic reaction. It's equivalent of having them welded into place. Don't ask me how I know. Also keep cardboard over the fins to protect them during install. A great tip I picked up on the internet.


Lmazoway

The best way to avoid overheating is to have the block boiled when the engine is being rebuilt, otherwise it's going to be full of crud from years of use and possibly no anti-freeze. This applies to cylinder heads too.

If you still have overheating issues, drive faster!

The final cure is to fit a supercharger, which will either blast much more air/fuel through the engine and increase the thermal efficiency and make it run cooler - or will cause the tired old thing to expire, in which case you can have it boiled out on the rebuild.....

Having tried / implemented all the fixes above, I now have a radiator blind and radiator muffs to get the engine up to operating temp on cold days. Without these it never gets above 50C. On hot days it sits at 70-75C all day long, driving hard or slow, cooling to 65C on the long downhill runs. And the gauge reads 100C in boiling water too.

When my original (recored) radiator developed a leak a few years ago, I bought a new Moss one. After three replacements in 15 months, I had my original recored with a standard core, and got my money back on the Moss unit. I resisted the 'high performance" core route because I already have temperature issues. I need less cooling, not more.

I also have a thermostat in the oil cooler, but am considering removing the oil cooler altogether.
dominic clancy

I'm a bit like Dominic but not quite running so cool. In common, I have an MGA radiator recored to original, or as close as possible now we are metric. My 1800 lump sits on or may be a needle width above 160 degrees in the summer. Just recently in the cold UK weather it struggles to get up to 150.

My ten pennyworth, based on advice from Bob West, is to keep the recoring as close as possible to the original. After all, the original layout was designed for the car.

Steve
Steve Gyles

The only over heating problem I ever had in my 7 different MGAs was the one with a 200HP RX7 engine. I always had the radiators recored with the original style cores when needed. Those Ron Davis Aluminum radiators sure are nice. A well made part is beautiful in its own right.
Though it did not over heat this day. The hole through the valance to the remounted oil cooler is what got this one to run cool.
So much for a Christmas spin that year!


R J Brown

This thread was discussed between 27/02/2010 and 06/03/2010

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