Removing a Morgan Radiator

1. Drain the radiator and reserve the coolant.

 2. Remove the fastener at the top of the rad where it attaches to the wing cross bar. A-B on the image

3. Loosen the clip and detach the overflow hose

4. Loosen the clip and detach the upper hose from the radiator.

5. Raise the car sufficiently off the ground so that the radiator will clear out below. If you have no lift available this will have to be done using jacks and jack stands. Make sure that the car is solidly secure!

6. Remove the clip and detach the bottom hose from the radiator.

7. Pull off the wires from the radiator fan switch

8. If you have a rad fan that is attached to the radiator, remove the fan motor connections at their first junction.

9.  Whilst securing the radiator in place (if necessary), remove the fasteners at the bottom. C

10.  Draw the radiator out the bottom carefully taking care not to damage the radiator fins.

Radiator Stop Leaks Products
by GoMoG

A radiator stop leak product is a item that’s poured into the car radiator in order stop leaks. It is not called a "repair" because it isn't. These products are made of various additives, ceramic powder, aluminum or steel filings, even pepper (!). They circulate through the entire cooling system and find small spaces or holes to fill. Stop leak products are found everywhere.  It has been around for decades and it is cheap and easy to use (after your cooling system is cool enough not to hurt you.) Pour it in and the product will clog up everything and stops Ieaks after a short running delay without any need for professional assistance or expensive tools. And these are the ONLY features that are good about it.

#warning

WARNING I Hopefully the emergency use of one of these products quickly plug that leak and get you home but they will also, too often, pliug the small contuits in your radiator core, your cabin heater matrix or the tiny coolant passages running through your engine as well...all of which can cause you far more misery than your radiator. In essence, Stop Leak dangerously degrades the vehicles they are used in, if it they are kept in too long.  The only REAL cure for a coolant leak is finding its cause and properly welding/fixing  or replacing the radiator.

 Though its usage can often be advised by the "junker" crowd, I recommend the usage of these products only in the case of an emergency to get you home or until you have the opportunity (or available resources) for a proper repair or rad replacement. IT IS NOT MORE THAN A TEMPORARY REPAIR and can cause collateral damage as indicated above. 

WARNING II Coolant system leaks are warning signs of a pending need for an important repair. For example, all water pumps inevitably fail. Some sooner than others. Because of that, many water pumps (I have seen such warning system with other water pumps, in cars and trucks) have a built-in engine feature to warn owners of imminent failure. For example, those of the famous Morgan Plus 8 (1968-2004) are designed to leak from a hole made for that purpose. It can be found at the bottom of the water pump at pump's bearing internal location. A leak indicates that the bearing is about to fail which will make the entire cooling system function fail completely. That other wise minor failure can quickly lead to MASSIVE damage if not soon noticed and addressed. Stop leak products, notably Bars Leak, will prevent that warning leakage. Additonally, Land Rover sarcificed coolant passage depth when they moved to the 3.9 and later blocks. By the GEMS engines, this lead to block cracking in cars with the engine..especially the 4.0s. Sady Stop leak has been recommended on more than one of the newer Morgan forums. Please beware. Your engine may depend on it. To confirm, merely look underneath their water pump or feel for this hole at the bottom of the pump. The same design feature can be found in BMW V8s though I do not track their engines as closely.

Anyone with a Plus 8 or Buick 215 can merely look underneath their water pump or feel for this hole at the bottom of the pump. The same design eature can be found in BMW V8s though I do not track their engines as closely.

The Rare Time The Stop Leak Risk Makes Sense

It should be used only in emergencies..to get you home.

All early and later Rover/LR Water pumps can be repaired with a Buick 215 kit made for the purpose or with a new water pump, 50-150£ depending on how good your sourcing is. Be very careful to make sure you have a match AND that Buick pumps are unsuitable for LRs though the kit is fine. If you do not have the skills, merely use a local machinist.

Radiator stop leak is messy. The liquid can spill on surfaces that it shouldn't, like the floor or seats in your car and some people  spill it on their clothes or on the floor of their garage–or even inside their cars! This might not seem like a big deal at first glance but spilled liquids are often more difficult to clean up than spills on hard surfaces such as floors and sidewalks.

IT IS NOT A PERMANENT FIX AND THE LONGER IT STAYS IN YOUR COOLING SYSTEM, THE GREATER THE RISK IN HAVING USED IT. If the warning hole in the pump is blocked or some of the core has been taken off line or prejudiced the greater risks are too high. It should be used as the last resort when you can’t find or fix the problem that’s causing your radiator fluid to leak out, but it will not permanently repair any damage done by leaking coolant if left untreated

As soon as the opportunity presents itself, whether the engine is being used or not, toss the coolant that any of these product a has been added to and flush the entire coolant system, preferably with a product added to the water to make this more effective. Then keep your fingers crossed  especially if you have a Plus 8 water pump.

WATCHPOINT WHEN INSTALLING YOUR  RADIATOR 

Take care when installing your radiator..especially an aluminum one. The rad is mean to principally rest on the rubber bobbins below. If held primarily by the  flange on the crossbar upside, then the weight of the rad and the vibration of the car will ventually shear the matching aluminum flange on the radiator.
Please remember that rubber is meant to flex and over tightening, top or bottom, negates this feature and makes the rad vulnerable.