aux radiator

[i love scooby snacks]

new or used but require this asap for 91 3b. will collect from herts or london otherwise immediate postage required.

please call 07970 475655

thanks

tony

[Lee]

A lot of guys here, including myself have disconnected the Aux rad by plugging the 2 hoses. The aux rad is not necessary in the UK and I ran my S2 without issue during last sumer which was an exceptionally hot one on only the main rad. The fan didn't seem to work harder and I spent much time in heavy traffic. Even on a tuned S2 a larger oil coller is probably a more sensible way to manage engine temperatures with a single rad setup. Just try it out by blocking the 2 hoses with some copper tube plugs and some hose clamps (jubilee clips) from your local plumbers merchants. It'll only cost you a few quid to get you out of a hole and the experiment would confirm that you don't need the aux rad, I certainly didn't need mine and I drive mine hard on street and track. You are not going to do any damage to your car by plugging these 2 hoses since both rads are connected in parallel.

Just a thought and its a hell of a lot cheaper than a dodgy recore or a replacement. Have you tried the breakers like www.audi.co.uk etc? If not then I am sure we can dig out a few breakers and spares dealers for you. VAGPARTS would probably do you the best price for a new one.

[i love scooby snacks]

Thanks for the advice. At the moment the two pipes are connected to each other (in a loop) rather than blocked, is this correct?

Although the car is not over heating it does rise slightly above the marker and as sometimes i get stuck for hours on the M25 I think it is safer to just change it. VAGparts want £185 but the car is booked in for other work on friday so rather get it all done together.

cheers though

tony

[S2 Ant]

Plug them instead of looping them, as the loop gives the water a way around being cooled thru the RAD.

[Stick Insect]

Tony,

There has been plenty of discussion about this subject. My thoughts are that if it is needed then Audi would include it.

If it isn't needed they could save money by not including it.

Scandinavian cars have heated seats as standard I believe. So, if this is needed only in hot countries why isn't it a hot climate option?

some say blank it off,
some say link it together

There will be a slight flow loss across the aux radiator. so the theory would be that it needs to be linked but with a restriction to alter flow.

I have no experience of running without but if some of the highly tuned people have no problems such as Lee etc. then I can't see there is a problem. Don't know what it would be like in the South of France in August tho'.

I have a spare unit but wonder what the cost of a decent of a decent re-core would be.

David

[martinjs]

I'm with lee on this one, i've had no probs at all, i'd say its best to plug them, mine actually runs cooler now, and i think mark h's does too and thats running BIG bhp
think 7a's aux rads are slightly smaller, the one spink was breaking was about 2/3's the size of mine.

try plugging it and see what you get.

martin

[APNess]

Yeah, one of the few improved things about driving my red shed home today was that the coolant temp was generally lower and more stable, even in stop start stall traffic. My aux rad is blocked off too.

The other thing is that the car averaged 29.something mpg on the way back as I disconnected the WGFV. Avg speed 70-80 (when it eventually got there) so if you ever want a cheap week of driving to work, and don't mind being blown away by milk floats, diconnect the WGFV for a pleasant boost to the wallet dept.

PJ

[Stick Insect]

Thanks for the info Martin, I didn't reaslise the 7A radiator was smaller.

If one was really sad you could get the bits from a plumber and make a link with a tap and try several positions!

My 7a runs cold anyway, the heater is not the scorcher it once was, it went cold after it's second service, I must get round to booking the third service, it's due any year now at 24K

David

[porkkis]

Plug the hoses!

David, I've heard the aux rad is originally for FIA homologation. If it doesn't exist, you can't add one for group N.

What I know it's useless in at least our conditions (max 30C at summer). And when you look at it, it really looks like a toy.

[panzerwagen]

Here in the States, the aux. radiator is needed

And when it gives up the ghost, the coolant temp rises to such a state that the car has to be turned off. Some owners here have gone to aftermarket coolers
that are more efficient and better built than the OEM Audi one, cheaper too.