Rodded your rad lately?

This is just a precautionary suggestion for new zed owners who haven't had the 'pleasure' of their zed overheating yet.

With summer fast approaching, the forum will undoubtely be populated again with overheating stories like it is every year. Some will be close calls, others with be meltdowns requiring a full engine rebuild. A couple hours of your time and minimal investment now can keep your zed experience a positive one.

The zed's cooling system is 100% up to the task of keeping the engine cool IF it is in top shape, if you have just bought your zed or you haven't looked at your cooling system for a year or so, it will most likely need some TLC.

Preventative maintenance jobs most reasonably competent owners can do:
* Radiator flush and clean (often called 'rodding the radiator')
* Refill with your preferred inhibitor (I use Tectaloy Anti Freeze 600mm concentrate)
* Refill the radiator and bleed all air out of it. Regularly top it up and also check the overflow tank
* Check the rad cap is not 'rocking' on the radiator neck
* Check radiator hoses for wear, weeping etc
* Check the clutch fan is spinning fast enough
* Ensure the auxiliary fan is working
* Investigate coolant loss or higher than normal temperature levels IMMEDIATELY.

One last thing. Don't rely on the temp gauge to tell you your engine is overheating. By the time you see it move past it's '8:30' position on the dial, damage is already being done.

There is a tech article here on how to perform the above jobs. Some links on the article are dead, apologies. It is a really old article of mine (but still relevant)

 

Someone wrote a really good simple step by step process for flushing the radiator for me a while ago too (the bleed valves are pretty useless I found)

I don't know how to hotlink to articles in the tech section so here it is:

 

Rodding is a little more intensive than a normal flush and clean. Rodding involves removing an end tank and pushing a metal rod through each of the tubes to remove any built up gunk.

If you don't know the history of your radiator, it's worth the extra expense over a flush or power flush.

Edit: Given the price of Ebay Radiators, they are probably better value than rodding.

 

But once you have gone to that expense you might as well buy a new ally one off ebay.

 

Agreed Chrispy!

 

I've had mine rodded when the plastic top tank sprung a leak few months back.

Since the top tank needs to be replaced I thought why not, replaced both plastic end tanks and got the thing rodded too.

Made a good deal of difference, car now comes up to temp faster and ECUtalk reports the temp at a stable 80 degrees even after a good flogging. Highest I've seen is 85 even on the hottest days stuck in stop go traffic.

 

a good reminder.

Mines been fine over the last 2 summers but I'd rather give it another seeing too BEFORE I "need" to.

Added to the Christmas "to do" list

 

Yes I know. A slip of the keyboard

Flushing at the very least should be done but it is no way as efficient as rodding. If the rad has never been 'rodded' to the owners knowledge, it should be done as a mandatory thing just like 100K services etc.:zlove:

 

Actually today I was thinking of rodding my radiator since I was thinking how hot this summer would be. Hope it's not the repeat of temperatures like the start of the year..

So I think rodding is about $80 bucks? (correct me if Im wrong) I still have the original radiator in my 89 NA. Then I bumped into a forum post about ebay ASI radiators ($240 shipped) and a post about making up your own TT to NA radiator bottom end mount.

Seems more logical to me buying a new one as a sound insurance investment.

 

gotta say though, more hassle than it's worth. NAs do not run hot at all and if your cooling system is in good nick you should be fine even in hard track driving. changing the radiator is a expense that just isn't necessary if your standard one is in good nick. as long as it's not full of rust, just get it rodded.

norm for NAs is around 80 degrees. any cooler and it'd be considered cold. some TT guys might even say that's already too cold. a cold running engine is not better... you'd want a nice hot combustion to run at maximum efficiency. this might sound old school but the best combustion is one that's as hot as possible, just short of cooking the motor.

 

I never really thought about that. After some research seems like 80 degrees is as low as you would want to go, any lower can aparently risk high engine wear?

Learn something new everyday. maybe I will just get it rodded then and a round of power flushing.

Anyone know of a trusted, reasonable radiator shop in S.E. burbs of Vic?

 

ye got a mate working at a rad shop near berwick. PM me for details if you're still interested

 

on the topic, or radiators.

Had one power flushed and flow tested with solid results. All new hoses, even bypass hoses and such, new thermostat.

Zed still reads alot higher then it used to...

Old thermostat was farked, so hence the new one...

Really only came about lately, whats the chances a genuine nissan water pump if on its way out? Circulating less flow and resulting in higher temps?

I ask as ive never ever had a failed genuine nissan water pump in all the vehicles... is there a chance its on its last legs?

Im curious. The car is not getting driven atm, so its the new years service. Timing belts and water pumps.

 

They are listed to be replaced at the 200000km service from memory so that would suggest they do wear out.

 

More likely to be the thermostat. I've seen some OEM ones fail even though they aren't that old. Mine did that, would hardly open.

 

Yes i tend to agree the chances are high for this to happen, however i did test it. Brought the water temp up slowly in a pot on the stove and had the thermometer in it. Opens very smoothly at 79/80 degrees

Trust this over the AM branded ones.
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Peter Black, your point is taken, i shall be replacing this and hopefully will be the cause of the issue or at least a puzzle piece..

The cooling system on this zed has been consistent for the period we've owned it. Only in the last 1.5 months has it been running high - hence a reason why manda drives the other zed - that and to preserve the tires until the adjustable bits go on.

Thanks fellas

 

Umm, just a thought. What is your fan clutch like?

And the Water pump's performance would only degrade if the impeller blades are badly eroded or missing. It would have to be a REALLY old pump and the coolant would have to be full of grit for that to happen.

It should be changed when the 100K service is done IMO. There not that expensive anyway.

 

Even my TT with stock rad runs 85 deg even in traffic. 90 on an extreme day.

NOTE: MY air con doesn't work so that's not a factor. From what I read, running AC would bump up the temp a tad.

 

Large hole in radiator over-flow reservoir filler.

Found this morning while checking water level, on the radiator reservoir at the bottom of the filler neck, just before it disappears, there is a 1/2" hole that is molded in the neck that let's the water pour straight out. Any ideas on this. Should this have a pipe attached to it? Is it just to let out water if overfilled?

Any help appreciated.

 

It's purely an overflow