MySwag.org The Off-road Camper Trailer Forum
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: jetcrew on December 02, 2015, 05:38:10 PM
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so herer it is
Have an old VX 2002 commodore 250K we have owned it since 100K and its never missed a beat we run around in it , its worth nothing to sell so figure its great as an extra car for running around has 3rd party insurance and we pay 6mths rego at a time in case it goes kaput.
So yesterday the radiator split the plastic tank ..these only last 10yrs Im told so 12 yrs is about right .
my dad thinks
Just get a 2nd hand radiator throw it in and keep chugging along.. I get this but the hoses are swollen and the heat tap is looking worse for wear also plastic and also 12 yrs old
So i think
new radiator
new hoses all round for the cooling system
new heat tap
new thermostat
new coolant
and then I don't worry about it during the long hot QLD summer ..I know dads generation is diff and they made do and I respect that but its only $400 worth of gear and its done once done right his thinking is I spend $400 on it and then something else goes and then its worth nothing anyway.so why not spend as little as possible.
what would you do ?
jet ;D
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I'd spend the $400 and know it's going to be ok, rather then take the punt on the secondhand radiator being ok....how do you know it won't split in 6 months time?
Could something else go wrong with the vehicle and you wasted your money...yeah maybe, but then again it could go for another 10 years without issue aswell.
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I'd spend the $400 and know it's going to be ok, rather then take the punt on the secondhand radiator being ok....how do you know it won't split in 6 months time?
Could something else go wrong with the vehicle and you wasted your money...yeah maybe, but then again it could go for another 10 years without issue aswell.
X2
Quite a few years ago I spent $600 on an '85 Rangie & it went for another 8 years before I drowned it. I reckon it'd still be going if I hadn't done that!
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I'd spend the $400 and know it's going to be ok, rather then take the punt on the secondhand radiator being ok
x2
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Spend the 4hungy
Swannie
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I'd spend the $400 and know it's going to be ok, rather then take the punt on the secondhand radiator being ok....how do you know it won't split in 6 months time?
Could something else go wrong with the vehicle and you wasted your money...yeah maybe, but then again it could go for another 10 years without issue aswell.
X2... 10 to 20 years ago your old man would be correct, now days in our throw away society you really need to go new..
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Nah, just silicone it up, and chuck some Bars-Leaks and a coupla dozen eggs into it......she'll be right..... :cup: :cup: :cup:
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X2... 10 to 20 years ago your old man would be correct, now days in our throw away society you really need to go new..
Spend the $400 then you know it's right.
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If your going to pull the radiator out then as above do it right,
I would probably also change all the belts if there getting old
as easier to get to them with the radiator is out.
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Yep fix it all and it should be good for a while. As a thought check the water pump as well.
:cheers:
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Concur with everyone else, spend the 400 beer tickets on new rad and hoses etc; and give the cooling galleries a good flush out while you're at it. It's better to spend a bit now and do it right than cheap out on it and have the cooling system fail possible leading to head damage (uneconomical repair and scrapped car)
Is there anything else going wrong with the car that would cause concern in the near future?
Cheers, Paul
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Don't they come with an alloy radiator ?
If so, they don't repair them ...just replace with new one.
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Bananas, bananas will fix it
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Its going to be a long hot summer and the last thing you want is for the go buggy to drop its guts, with mum sitting in a line of traffic at the lights .. Spend the coin, parts are cheap, do it right and you might be able to make it tax deductable ;D ;D And your peace of mind and ears not being chewed off by a cranky missus will be a side benefit ..
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How about ground up restoration?
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Buy a new radiator and fit it. Why buy a 2nd hand one that is probably 12 years old?
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Theo, we also have an old VX and its a great runaround. Recently did exactly what your looking at. New radiator, hoses and heater tap and whilst your there throw in a new thermostat and radiator cap for only a few dollars more and for another 10 or so years of happy motoring.
Came across a similar scenario recently and as you said you will get diddly squat for it, so instead of running it to the ground I also fitted new rotors, pads, shocks and front caster bushes. Drives like w new car. You can pick all these up pretty cheap these days and very easy to fit :cheers:
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If was my decision it would be decided by how far from home does it roam.
If its only a spare car and breaks down 10km from home big deal.
If it breaks dowm 100km from home different story.
All my regular cars are well maintained.
Ive seen some very happy, extremely neglected old bangers who just dont stop.
Again all comes down to how critical to family use and how far from home.
You can spend $400 on cooling, then be up for hundreds on the next thing, then another, then after spending a grand you decide time to cut your loses.
Cars can be like dogs.
All they really need is an encouraging word and a pat on the head.
Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk
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I cant believe you admit to driving a VX commodore!
Tell the tight old bugger to spend the $400!
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I cant believe you admit to driving a VX commodore!
I forgot to mention it does a good skid too ;D even if it's on one leg :-*
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Spend the money.
Please post the video explaining how a "group of people on the interweb who I haven't met told me you are wrong"! Reckon that would be a great conversation :D
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Thanks for all the feedback :cup: :cup:
Its been an emotive issue , and all points raised are what i was thinking ..Like gunna spend 3-4 hrs pulling it out and putting it back with suspect parts just does not sit well with me, I dont have time to do it again in 2 weeks as I explained to dad.
I will pick up the parts tomorrow and then the decision is made ..no more arguments, he thinks I go overboard with things and I think he is a bit doddgy but like i said lots of respect for me old man he came from humble beginnings and has always helped me and my family out so I value his input but in this case I think I'll follow my own lead.
As some of you know I can be a bit OCD nothing like JK but still a bit ;D ;D ;D so i like jobs done right and whats more fun the fresh new parts and that good new part feeling you get after a service or after swapping out old for new.
Thanks again all ..case closed ...new all round ;D ;D ;D
Jet :D :D
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Spend the money.
Please post the video explaining how a "group of people on the interweb who I haven't met told me you are wrong"! Reckon that would be a great conversation :D
Thats gold ..but he cant even work out his mobile phone so he would ask me why i needed to change the internet and how much was that part. ;D ;D ;D ;D bet he wants all my old parts as spares LOL
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I forgot to mention it does a good skid too ;D even if it's on one leg :-*
Nothing that a CIG locker won't fix lol
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Nothing that a CIG locker won't fix lol
:-* :-* :-* lol the old CIG locker classic stuff, Firmly entrenched in Australian culture :cup:
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Its a commodore.....put the new radiator, thermostat, belts, hoses, rings, bearings, pistons, rods, valves, injectors, rear main seal, clutch, gear box, wheel bearings, diff and steering rack in it and you should be good to get almost another 12 years out of it ;D
If it was a Ford you would get away with Geoffs suggestion..... ;)
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Nah, just silicone it up, and chuck some Bars-Leaks and a coupla dozen eggs into it......she'll be right..... :cup: :cup: :cup:
but then the drive shaft will fall out next week;D
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We are all expecting a step by step Tech Video jet, with technical data like engine temps before and after, a swearing count and a breakdown on alcohol consumption during the process :D
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We are all expecting a step by step Tech Video jet, with technical data like engine temps before and after, a swearing count and a breakdown on alcohol consumption during the process :D
And we want litres per min.
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Fix it.
Nothing new now will last that long.
Youve got the verry last of repair able vechiles right there
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$400, you're getting ripped. Brand spanker and all new bling bling hoses for $106!!! Can't go wrong at that price.
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I had a Commodore when we had the real estate business.
When I sold it to a mate, it had 325,000klm on it and running sweet, so yours is just past the run-in period.
Just fix it.
And if ya really wanna feel good about it, my work van will rollover 700,000klm next year.
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FIL's weekday work banger is a VP that goes like a hairy goat with barbed wire on his b@lls. Goes so well he leaves the flash car in the shed. Whenever family visit and need a car he gets to drive his V8 Ute to work so he's even happier.
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$400!!! For under $50 you should be able repair it and make it fully hectic!
$10 for a bottle of chemiweld.
$5 on a pile of angle grinder cutting discs to cut the springs and make it super low.
Pull the hubcaps and spend $10 on rattle cans to paint the interceptors.
$25 cashie at the local mechanic for a CIG Locker.
Hit the back block industrial areas and spend the night doing MAD skids bro....
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Nah, just silicone it up, and chuck some Bars-Leaks and a coupla dozen eggs into it......she'll be right..... :cup: :cup: :cup:
Don't forget the pepper on the eggs :cup:
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Let him do what he wants then give him the number for RACQ
for any breakdown callouts & tows ????
Cheers
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If it's still got the original petrol cap throw the money into it? 😬
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Spend the $400. Cheap peace of mind in my opinion.
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Spend the $400-...dirty it up.....put it in...and then TELL him you put in a 2nd hand one....
Or is he still going to notice ?
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& make sure everything is put back together with 6B&S :angel:
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Do it once, do it right
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Dosn't seem that long ago I bought a VX wagon brand new . Only new car I've ever had .. And here you are justifying keeping one on the road. , lol ,
still though the VX is not in the EH or HR league .
cheers
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Spend the bucks - if it blows up you can still part it out - receipts will prove how old the parts are.
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Coincidentally, the young bloke next door's VZ split the radiator tank today.
What tool is used to remove the quick-connect fittings on the transmission lines?
How should the transmission lines be capped/plugged?
How much fluid will bleed from the lines?
Looks like I'll be giving him a hand.......
:cheers:
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Coincidentally, the young bloke next door's VZ split the radiator tank today.
What tool is used to remove the quick-connect fittings on the transmission lines?
How should the transmission lines be capped/plugged?
How much fluid will bleed from the lines?
Looks like I'll be giving him a hand.......
:cheers:
hmmm I did not think of this If you wait till after sat I will tell you mate ;D ;D
Jet ;D
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Is the radiator core still good?. If so why not just replace the split tank. Then replace hoses, thermostat etc if there stuffed.
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Coincidentally, the young bloke next door's VZ split the radiator tank today.
What tool is used to remove the quick-connect fittings on the transmission lines?
How should the transmission lines be capped/plugged?
How much fluid will bleed from the lines?
Looks like I'll be giving him a hand.......
:cheers:
My Vx series 1 is just a Screw fitting job. Probably loose around 1 litre. You can get the disconnects from Burson. Similar to a fuel line one
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My Vx series 1 is just a Screw fitting job. Probably loose around 1 litre. You can get the disconnects from Burson. Similar to a fuel line one
Thanks BD.
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Coincidentally, the young bloke next door's VZ split the radiator tank today.
What tool is used to remove the quick-connect fittings on the transmission lines?
How should the transmission lines be capped/plugged?
How much fluid will bleed from the lines?
Looks like I'll be giving him a hand.......
:cheers:
Commodore service tool http://www.overbuilt.com/products/car-crushers (http://www.overbuilt.com/products/car-crushers)
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Yep the lot including heater hoses (a chain's as strong as its weakest link and you're right about the plastic heater tap)and the water pump. Just a word of warning about the water pump. Buy the dearer Jap made one not Chinese and go and buy the genuine pump gasket which is not cheap (around $16 last time I looked) but you'll see why compared to the plain paper gasket which will likely leak on you. Oh and tension down all the valley cover bolts which are a bit of a prick for some unless you have all the right drives and sockets, etc.
Before you change anything remove the overflow bottle and empty and clean and replace filled up with the right coolant mix (50/50 and the overflow hose goes back on last thing) Remove the thermostat and drain and top up with demin water (4L bottles from you super) and with heater tap open run and drain rinse repeat until all clear. Then you change all the parts and fill with concentrate that's to be diluted with water. Check your manual for the cooling system quantity and that's where you put in exactly half that in concentrate and then the added water should make it 50/50 as per spec and you have to bleed the system via the bleed screw. You need to give the engine a good rev to get the heater circulating too and any discrepancy after running is topped up with water.
Don't be tempted to think more is best with coolant concentration here as with our ambient temperatures there's a wee thing called nucleate boiling if you're ignorantly tempted to use higher northern hemisphere concentrations. You're absolutely right that you cannot afford to cook modern engines with their close tolerances and high tech materials.
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hmmm I did not think of this If you wait till after sat I will tell you mate ;D ;D
Jet ;D
We did the young blokes today Theo. New radiator for $165, new radiator hoses and coolant concentrate for $80.
Disconnected the tranny lines at the radiator and plugged the lines with used (plugged) silicone cartride nozzles. Lost maybe 50ml of ATF from the cooler in the radiator.
Be aware, there is a litle metal/rubber sealing washer inside each tranny line connection at the radiator. Keep an eye out for them.
New hoses, flushed, and all went back together OK. No leaks. Looking good ATM.
:cheers:
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Suggested the water pump as the nephew and nieces went at 185 and 210k or have you already had a new one with your 250k car? The tip about the genuine pump gasket is via the BIL who's an ex diesel mech and he went thru 2 aftermarket gaskets(with Hylomar) leaking before being advised to get the genuine one with silicon beading and that fixed it.
He had the valley cover leak on one recently and had to replace the gasket and he advised me to check my bolt tensions as he found some quite loose so I checked my VU ute and sure enough they were very variable tensions. A stitch in time as they say.
Out of interest what mileages are some of you getting out of water pumps or like the BIL you change them with a rad leak?
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job done for now ..ended up with a 2nd hand radiator at the last minute, dads mate who is a wrecker had a 2000 model come in with rear end damage with a very new looking radiator, seems the owner recently experienced my dilemma and fitted new radiator hoses and heat tap etc..
Bad part was when they pulled it out they cut all the hoses >:D and snapped the barbs off the new heat tap by yanking the hoses.. not to worry bought new parts from repco and used the radiator, is prob as good as you will ever get for 2nd hand so I was happy with that,esp seeing it was free ;D ;D
Will keep an eye on her over the comming days and see how it goes.
Jet ;D