new rad needed, any easy upgrades?

[russ_turner]

just found the reason for my cooling system messing around! im running a standard 16v rad at the moment and it's developed a fair leak, just wondered if there are any cheap upgrade options?

thanks for the help, russ

[takethefifth]

Not really much to upgrade if you are running a mostly standard engine.. I would just a get another one from GSF or similar. 

[Judderi]

If mine gives up i was thinking of trying one of these.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-ALUMINIUM-RADIATOR-VW-GOLF-MK1-2-GTi-and-more-VW_W0QQitemZ4586749016QQcategoryZ9889QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Fitting this aluminium radiator will improve engine cooling by approx 20% over the original radiator! It will not corrode like a standard copper radiator and will keep on looking new and shiny! - an obvious cosmetic advantage to any car!

[russ_turner]

so you can't use the diesel version? although i don't know if it's any bigger

[...joe]

the turbo diesel rads cover pretty much the whole front of the car. the only thing is allthough the 16v radiators look small they are double cored so probably work as well as anything else.....

[rubjonny]

apparrently the 8v ones work just as well if not better, but you need to change your top & bottom rad hoses as the 8v rad is a wee bit longer.  Good news too as they will prob be cheaper and defo easier to get hold of

Edit: and you'll need the 8v rad fan shroud too, if your 16v only has a single speed fan (2 wires to the fan plug) its a good oportunity to upgrade to a 2 speed jobber, what you need is the 2 speed fan, radiator temp sender and loom.  The loom goes into the 2 pin plug clipped to the side of the rad so dead easy, just unplug the old one and plug in the new one

[Mr Blue]

ive got one of those aluminium radiators ^^

look very shiney and have noticed my engine running alot cooler than befre. they aint that expensive! Get down to a radiator supplier!