FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

After reading the pros & cons and visiting some local radiator repair shops, I like to ask - which way would the gurus go?

$225
Just been recored and painted
Has not been used since recore
Cost was $480.00 to recore!!!!!!
Part Number 7421358 (part number for 149?)

OR

$181.95
3 row ASI PROCOOL aluminum radiator
HOLDEN FE FC 1956-1960

Copper any day.

the ebay alloy ones are cheap and nasty.

Dave,

I am no guru, but speaking from experience -

If you still have a radiator with the original core in it, do whatever you can to save it.  If the tubes are blocked with scale, you can de-scale the cooling system with oxalic acid (Diggers Rust and Tile Cleaner, in a 2 kg plastic container, Bunnings).

The Natrad 2-row cores are not much chop.  The tubes are so small that rust scale blocks them in an instant, and the fins fall apart after any more than about five years.

The three-row cores are a bit better as far as scale blockages go, but the fins still fall apart after a few years.

In contrast, I'm still running a 55-year-old original-core radiator in my FC, which I picked up at a swap meet and de-scaled.

I'm a bit of a Luddite, so I'm not exactly sold on aluminium radiators.

In short: I'd suggest the recore, if it's a NASCO core.  Is your car still a standard grey motor?

Rob

It's an EH radiator. I'm not sure, does an EH radiator fit into an FC without modification?
If it will fit I would go for it for sure.
Ken

AFAIK, the EH 149 radiator will bolt in to the earlier series Holdens, but not the EH 179, it is substantially wider.

Dr Terry

Thanks Pete. Clear!

Rob, thanks for the info. I have the original that's been stored since I last drove the car over 35 years ago, so maybe worth keeping & cleaning out as you say.
I'd like to think I could go anywhere at any time & not worry about the temperature when it's hot in the middle of NSW.
Natrad looked at it (glanced at it) & went straight into quote mode for a 3 core copper rebuild. It all sounded fine in theory.
It's interesting what you say about the fins as the design was one of his main selling points (better heat dissipation), but five years isn't a long life.
Yes, it's a grey out of an FB build up by my brother-in-law at the time. He's a mechanic & had a great visions of doing things I'd never heard of, until I calmed him down. He played around a bit, but it's not a highly stressed racing motor. I just left it with him & continued to dive the FC with 110K on the clock until it ran out of rego.   

Thanks Ken, I though the number pointed to a 149 - the add said FE-EK. Maybe it was an exchange unit. The seller says the work was done by Hoppers Crossing Radiators about 12 months ago. The price isn't far off a quote I had here. Do you know anything about their work?

Thanks Dr Terry. To bolt straight in without any mods needed sounds ideal.

Yes Hoppers Crossing radiators has been in business for a good many years. You don't stay in business long doing dodgy work.

Ken

That'll do me then. I think I'll go for the reco unit advertised.
I'll have a go at descaling the old one in the mean time & see to what I end up with.
It can be used elsewhere if I end up with two good ones.
Thanks.

Dr_Terry. You may know ..... the seller advises his re-cored radiator was to go into an EJ, but it wouldn't fit. Were the EJ radiators a different size to the FE-EK (& 149)?

Bummer - back to cleaning up the original.

Add -
$225
recored and painted
Has not been used since recore
Cost $480.00 to recore!!!!!!

Message to seller - If the mount holes match the dimensions attached I'll take it.

Reply - The boys at the shop hit it with a fork lift and crushed it
After all that it is now in the bin !!!!

Sounds fishy ::), I think he got a better offer, or now realises that it is worth more than he told you.

Ken

I did wonder.