Advice Regarding Radiator fitted To 1989 1.9 GTI

[bacardincoke 42 1 Cars]

Very new to 205 ownership so please allow for a lack of knowledge, both Peugeot and mechanical ...

 

The car's an October 1989 registered 1.9 GTI which I believe I'm right in saying is a phase 1.5 without a catalyst?

 

The existing radiator has sprung a very minor leak and a replacement has been bought along with a fan switch.

 

Unfortunately neither fit the existing fan cowling mounting points, top or bottom / wiring loom electrical connector.

 

You'll hopefully see better what I mean from the images below rather than try to explain in words.

 

Both the new items were supplied as being for my model, however I have to accept the sellers have got it right.

 

The existing radiator and cowling seem to be date marked around mid 1993, so not the factory originals.

 

I'm thinking maybe my my car been upgraded / changed (diesel fan/cowling?) meaning standard 1.9 GTI parts no longer fit or are the parts I've been supplied not for my model?

 

 

 

[jackherer 543]

Welcome to the forum

 

I'm pretty sure the seller has got it wrong.

 

Your rad looks like a standard 205 GTI rad to me. All GTIs have the same radiator regardless of year.

 

And your fan switch looks right for a pre 1991 205 GTI. The one you've been sold isn't right for any 205 GTI, either pre or post 1991.

 

I imagine both parts you've been sold are for non-GTIs. Take them back, get a refund and buy elsewhere.

[bacardincoke 42 1 Cars]

Brilliant, thanks (plus the quick reply, appreciated).

 

Seller has actually just got in touch and agreed to take the radiator back, so no harm done, though they are maintaining it's correct for my model.

 

Without breaking the bank on a top line one, are there any brands that are particularly recommended  and ideally a straight forward swap?

 

I'm not looking a performance upgrade, it'll be for normal use.

 

Cheers.

 

 

 

 

[jackherer 543]

Nissens rads have always been pretty good value, e.g. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/293040701320

[welshpug 1,661]

should be a 30mm core for a gti, TD used 50mm, na-D used the sams rad as the gti.

 

cant check right now but an ac rad may be different, behr brand is fine if it fits

[petert 588]

The height looks correct for an AC radiator but everything else is wrong.

[petert 588]

AC radiator.

[bacardincoke 42 1 Cars]

Thanks everyone, this is great!

 

I've been looking at others online and none that I can find match the existing rads measurements, which are as follows - (The measurements of the replacement rad are in brackets to let you see the differences.)

 

Core alone, left to right - 660mm (610) / entire width, left to right - 720mm (680)

 

Core alone, top to bottom - 300mm (285) / entire height, top to bottom - 320mm (300)

 

Core depth 55mm (34)

 

The distance between the centers of the 2 x bottom mounting pegs 410mm (405), that difference alone means it won't fit regardless of other variations.

 

I suppose small differences in rad dimensions can be adjusted for, but it's the fan cowling fixing points that are the biggest problem for me, they seem to need to match those on the rad exactly so the whole lot can go back in as one unit.

 

 

[welshpug 1,661]

if you have a 50mm core then someone has fitted a TD rad

[bacardincoke 42 1 Cars]

Cheers, starting to make sense now... the fan cowling is a genuine Peugeot item and appears to be the same age as the existing (TD) rad, I'm guessing they must have gone in at the same time and are a match to one another.

 

If TD and GTI rads differ, do the fan cowlings differ also?

 

If so presumably I'll either have to change like for like and install a TD rad once again (as long as that's not going to cause problems), or source the correct GTI cowling if I want to go with fitting the proper GTI rad?

[jackherer 543]

It doesn't look that fat in your photo next to the silver one!

 

The TD rad is expensive and rare and also is not necessary for a petrol GTI so you'd probably be best off just getting a GTI fan cowling and rad.

[bacardincoke 42 1 Cars]

It's quite a bulky item, there wasn't a lot of room between it and the engine. Heavy also, I'd guess at least twice as weighty as the replacement.

 

Now that I know what I'm dealing with it'll make life easier getting a suitable replacement... thanks again all, for the input.

[bacardincoke 42 1 Cars]

Well I'm now 99.9% certain I've the radiator and cowling / fans from a 1.7 TD fitted.

 

As mentioned above TD rads are very expensive , approx. 4 x times that of a GTI, so changing like for like may not be the most effective option.

 

I had thought of reverting to the GTI rad., however from what I can see the cowling is different which leads me onto whether or not the fans differ too, both in how they physical fit or performance... anyone aware of this?

 

I'm pretty sure the change was done a long time ago, would it have been a recognised 'upgrade' and even it were, does it have any advantages?

 

My car's not in regular use, nor will it be driven hard so that sort of performance improvement doesn't really concern me... having said that if it genuinely aids cooling presumably that's no bad thing for any engine and worthwhile?

 

Turns out there's a radiator refurbisher not too far from me, so I'll be checking that option out also, if it can be done at a reasonable price may well be the easiest route!

 

[jackherer 543]

It's a completely pointless upgrade, the standard GTI radiator can cool even heavily upgraded GTI engines.

 

I suspect some people fitted them to mask overheating problems elsewhere so I'd check everything else in the cooling system too.

 

Was it cooling problems that led you to change the rad and fan switch in the first place?

[bacardincoke 42 1 Cars]

There was a very small leak from the core, more just a few drops weeping out every so often. It was from the inner side that faces the engine, near the center, about 2/3rds the way up. I don't think it was somehow damaged, just failing through age. The car was running perfectly otherwise, fluid had been changed very recently also. As it turns out I wrongly thought it would be sensible / easier just to fit a new rad and switch, the originals being 26 years old.

[bacardincoke 42 1 Cars]

Apologies for what's probably another newbie question... If I stick with the TD radiator, which fan switch should I go for, TD or GTI?

[jackherer 543]

Use a GTI thermoswitch. It needs to work in sync with the thermostat.

 

The switches sold these days seem to have a reputation for failing early so keep an eye on it.

[bacardincoke 42 1 Cars]

Cheers... Will do.

[bacardincoke 42 1 Cars]

Right... I know my existing twin fans work and the cowling fits.

 

If I want to revert to the correct GTI rad., along with the rad itself, I'll need to replace at least the cowling and potentially the 2 x fans also as I cannot guarantee they're the same and will fit.

 

By the time I do that (plus they'll be second hand parts) I'm unfortunately not too far away from the price of a new TD rad.

 

Found a local trader who's going to order one in at a good discount with the proviso that I'll only take it if it's a direct replacement, which I thought was fair enough of him.

 

So at the minute that's my potential fix.

 

Next issue is the thermoswitch.

 

All the places I've contacted suggest a different one, but the local Peugeot dealer was the most helpful.

 

He couldn't supply a new one but said there were a few listed for my model (based on the chassis number) and it was the cut off/on temp. range that would determine which one I needed... something I didn't know.

 

Anyone here recommend an actual switch make/number I can look for online or the temperature values of the switch I need?

 

Found that excellent VIN decoder on here and apparently mines an XU9JA D6B.

 

Cheers.

 

 

 

[Ozymandis 97]

Do You mean your getting a new TD radiator, the wordings a bit ambiguous?

If so, I think You should not, and You should get the correct GTi rad/cowls etc

 

Are You signed up to servicebox? This should tell You what thermo-switch was originally supplied when new, even if its not available from peugeot You can get the part number.

 

Gti rads/ cowls are identical to N/A diesels and easy enough to get cheaply S/H.

 

If You are sticking with the incorrect rad, its a traditional soldered one your local rad place will easily re-core it.

[bacardincoke 42 1 Cars]

In an ideal world I'd have gone back to a GTI set up.

 

My circumstances unfortunately mean I'm relying on eBay and the likes to source items, plus having them being posted which combined soon adds up, plus I'm buying sight unseen.

 

I know the TD rad set up works, the indications are it's been on the car since 1993.

 

I realise it's an 'upgrade' that's of no advantage over a standard rad. but for me it's much the same cost to keep like for like as it is to convert back to stock.

 

As it turns out the guy I spoke to has sourced another Ordonez, which is the exact same make and model of the existing one so fits perfectly.

 

Not familiar with servicebox, just Googled it and will try to get signed up... thanks for the pointer, looks like what I need, cheers.

 

 

 

[welshpug 1,661]

there's a perfectly good wanted and sale section on here, pop a post up or browse the listings.

 

 

I highly doubt a cowling and fans and a gti rad will cost more than a replacement TD rad as they are particularly expensive, gti  rads are around £50, TD rads are well over £200.

[Ozymandis 97]

3 hours ago, welshpug said:

there's a perfectly good wanted and sale section on here, pop a post up or browse the listings.

 

 

I highly doubt a cowling and fans and a gti rad will cost more than a replacement TD rad as they are particularly expensive, gti  rads are around £50, TD rads are well over £200. 

This

 

TD rads leave less room to access other stuff in future, the word upgrade should really read, "wrong" .

 

Ashman has a cowl and fans for £25 in the for sale

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BOLK-Car-Radiator-for-PEUGEOT-205-17085010-Discount-Car-Parts/310776223542?fits=Car+Make%3APeugeot|Model%3A205&hash=item485bb4d736:g:MAUAAOSwOFtdNlSw

 

If your skint £37 Bolk rads are fine.

 

I reiterate its the same setup as a N/A diesel

 

 

 

Edited November 14, 2019 by Ozymandis