Replacing radiator - what else should I change?

[PistonBroke]

After a bit of a struggle I've managed to pull the leaking main radiator out of my 95 ABY coupe to replace with a new OEM one. It looks like it was the original rad - the plastic tank had split. It was a bit awkward getting it out as I also have aircon and don't fancy having to take it out again for a while so I thought it would be a good idea to replace the thermostat whilst it's out and I've also read that the short water pipe that feeds the thermostat can be a problem.
I just wondered if any of you guys would suggest anything else I should be checking or replacing at the same time.

[BRY]

The other short hose that feeds the turbo.

[PistonBroke]

The other short hose that feeds the turbo.

Cheers Bry - that'll be the one immediately above the thermostat connecting the 'water manifold' to the metal pipe that disappears under the p/s pump. Would you use OEM hoses for these - any point in using silcone hoses?

[S2central.net]

When you are there - have a really good look at the oil pressure sender/switches on the block - below the water rail - if these are weeping change them now - impossible to do them with rad in place.

The factory stuff for those two link pipes is fine, but I may have some spare 'fat' links here in silicone. I can check if you wish.

[s2driveruk]

yeah those oil sensors and also you'll never get better access to the mtfs or the water rail temp switch for the after-run pump too. Nothin much else of any note down that side, unless the pcv system is knackered, then you will have good access to that. also worth checking the lines off the bomb and the hardlines for the slave cylinder too. a really good moment to bleed the fluid out to the slave as the nipple would be visible too

[Ross]

I guess there's 101 jobs you could do as well... the important ones have been mentioned already but I'd say it is worth cleaning out the breather system and repalcing the firetrap while your in there as well. Pulled mine out and it was bunged up with crud, probably blocking it off completely.

[PistonBroke]

Thanks for the replies guys, anyone happen to know the part number for the short hose for the turbo feed. I've ordered the one for the thermostat housing feed but the local stealer couldn't find the turbo one when I tried to describe it over the phone.

[PistonBroke]

I guess there's 101 jobs you could do as well... the important ones have been mentioned already but I'd say it is worth cleaning out the breather system and repalcing the firetrap while your in there as well. Pulled mine out and it was bunged up with crud, probably blocking it off completely.

Sorry to be an ingnoramous but where would I find the firetrap - what does it look like ?

[PistonBroke]

Thanks for the advice re the short hoses near the thermostat - it has probably saved me a load of hassle.
I ordered a new hose from the stealer for the one that connects to the thermostat housing ( the original didn't look too bad ) but when I asked them about the other one that connects the turbo water pipe to the water rail they said it only came with the long metal pipe it connects to and was about £80 - so I didn't get that one !!!
I decided I would take it off anyway to at least check it was OK and I'm glad I did as it more or less fell to bits when I tried to take it off - I'm sure it wouldn't have lasted much longer.
Question is, is there anything special about this hose, if you can't get an OEM one on it's own would it be OK to use a suitably sized straight piece of good quality water hose instead ?

[Dingo]

I've just done this job on mine, stealers couldnt fine that hose either, you can only buy it by the meter now and is common on many audi engines, just took the old one in and they matched it up, it is reinforced water pipe hose.

[S2central.net]

@PistonBroke - Pretty sure I have some sections of the proper material for that narrow link hose left over here - factory stuff - stored in a box for a couple years. Send me a PM if you want me to post a section to you.

[Ross]

Sorry to be an ingnoramous but where would I find the firetrap - what does it look like ?

Here's a pic of mine - beyond repair on left, and the one on the right i managed to remove without destroying it and clean it.

http://www.s2forum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=385606&postcount=94

I'm sure there is a diagram in an old thread somewhere i referenced, but basically if you find the PCV valve (black thing near the after-run pump slightly resembling a recirc valve) there is a short rubber pipe that connects it to a metal pipe that bends round the back of the block. Take out the PCV and rubber pipe, give them a bit of a clean too, and get a piece of stiff wire and make a small hook on the end. Carefully push it up the metal pipe and try to hook the firetrap and pull it out. Mine was pushed in about 2" and took me about 5 minutes of fiddling until i got a good grip on it with the hook and pulled it out.

[PistonBroke]

Thanks guys for all your replies - a great help.

Well, I fitted the new thermostat plus the OEM short hose into the thermostat housing and then sourced a hose locally for the other short bit between the water rail and turbo feed pipe.

My 12 yr old car mad son had been pestering me to take him and a couple of schoolmates in the S2 to a Greenpower 'race' gathering at Croft circuit.
(For anyone who doesn't know, this is a fantastic thing for the kids to do. Schools can get involved in designing and building their own electric 'cars' and there are several meetings at circuits around the country where they compete against each other in endurance type races with the qualifiers going on to a final at Goodwood. His school have two cars and he was one of the drivers. It's very like a 'proper' race event with driver changes, pitstops to change batteries (the cars run on 2 x 12v car batteries and they are only allowed two sets during the race) and race strategies etc etc. It lasts 4hrs and the winner is the one completing the most laps when the time is up. When you bear in mind that these cars are all put together from scratch in schools and run only on car batteries, I was amazed how well engineered many of them were and that the winning cars covered not far short of 100 miles !!)

Anway, as I was trying my best to get the car back on the road to take him to the race the following day I 'made do' with a short piece of standard water hose from a local garage for the turbo feed. It looked fine with thickish walls and reinforcement cords running through it - I was sure it would be fine.

Everything was going swimmingly, squeezed the new rad back in, connected all the pipes etc etc. I read up about bleeding the cooling system on the forum as hadn't done it before, and started to fill with water. I lifted up the header tank and it didn't take long at all before I had bubble free water coming out of the bleed screw (bolt) on the rad header tank and then the one in the heater hose. Started the engine and let it run for a bit to open up the thermostat and make sure all the air was out and then put the bleeding screws back in, refitted the header tank and put the cap on. Checked around for leaks - none to be seen. Fan bloody tastic - that was easy.

Aforementioned son was jumping up and down with excitement and congratulating his old dad for putting in the effort so that he could go to the race after all. The sun was shining - the 5 pot was ticking over smoothly - life was good.
Or .. so .. I .. thought....

The engine had been running 10 minutes or so and pressure was obviously building in the system and then I saw the water. No, it wasn't the make-do hose that had failed, the f'ing new OEM rad was leaking between the plastic tank and the core AAAAAGGHHH! Couldn't believe it after all that effort.

So now I have to start all over again with another new rad and this time I might just have time to take up the offer from Paul of a proper piece of hose for the turbo feed and get to clean out the PCV and firetrap at the same time.