Mondial Radiator Repair

I think brass. Brass cools more efficiently then aluminum Also since aluminum is sensitive to water I think the chance is high that Ferrari went for brass. Again on the other hand.. aluminum is very light.

You can check it actually when you look into the hole of the sensor. Black/brass color or aluminum metal color.

 

Think brass. Had my 83 and 88 Mondial radiators rodded, and welded small holes before at the local radiator shop. No questions asked.

 

Is it possible to lightly wipe off the areas where the markings were with paint remover or something milder still to uncover them???

If not, you might be able to recreate them from your pics.

The good news, it was under 100bux and painted black!

 

Sweet lord what nutcase did this!? Pupil?
Sorry to see Wade! I don't understand that people are not ashamed when they deliver such bad quality work. It would be a simple question to ask if it needs a paint job as well. What the h**ll they were thinking. Really sorry to see this! Perhaps you can sand it carefully yourself until the marking come up.. but then it needs to harden it first a few weeks.

 

This is par for the course with radiator shops. If it is a show car then I'd keep working at it. If it's a driver then I'd run with it. Even the pebbles probably won't get picked up and moved around the system, could be slag from the repair. You can always call and ask them if you should be worried.

They put fresh black paint on it as I understand the black paint dissipates heat better. Looks like they were a bit sloppier than they needed to be but may be consistent with what they do, and I've seen worse. If they tanked it more of the paint would have come off and it would have looked terrible.

 

The pebble sound you are hearing is probably some solder that would up in the radiator. Radiators are repaired like sweating copper plumbing together. Solder is lead so since the flow of water is low it would probably find a home in the radiator and never be a problem. Also don't be steamed at the guy for the paint job. When you fix radiators they get painted, always. He probably thought he was doing you a favor putting a thick coat of paint on it.

 

I took my 328 radiator to a reputable radiator shop in Cost Mesa. They said the core was rotten and the 4 row cores would be about $1,200 to replace. I wanted to see the pressure test in the water, but they said it was too late. I paid them for the test and took the radiator unfixed. I went to another place and the owner said it is probably the core and he could replace it with a non-original one for $800, but I asked him to pressure test it he said it would be another $25 for the test at this place. The test revealed the bottom tank was the only place that leaked. They guy said he would fix the leak for $100. I wanted to get going home so I said I would paint it at home. I messed around stripping and cleaning it for a day or so; I stripped and lightly sanded the tanks complexly and got all of the paint build-up off of the fins. Then I sprayed it with the radiator paint they gave me. It was a nice, high cover and I assume high adhesion paint. I sprayed a couple coats on and it really looked great. At a shop, they may have just loaded it up with paint and let it sit over night; this could've caused the bubbling on the pictured paint job.
Anyhow, I'm glad it worked-out the way it did; the price was good and I liked cleaning and painting it myself.
There was some solder inside that I couldn't get out, but I doubt it will cause any problem.
For what it's worth, sometimes its better to just do it yourself.

 

Those jerks! Anyhow, it looks fabulous now! Excellent reading, thanks.

 

Yes a tip for people with 2 fans, this includes also the 328.

You can get a new QV radiatior for under 800 USD and would only need to take of the mounts from the old radiator and place it on the QV one. They are the same and only missing these mounts. The mounts are soldered.. For a 3.2 radiator you pay at least 1200 USD new.

Glad it worked out! I am waiting for mine to get a new core. I trust the old gents who do this already for 50 years.

 

in my workshop, it's a monthly business to send out drive shafts for fixing and balancing, and radiators for recoring, cleaning or fixing.

The shops see it as an extra service that they paint it. Radiators and drive shaft are well hidden in and under cars/trucks. So they think there are no extra points given for well executed paintwork.

BUT, I got the radiator for my Mondi back and paintwork is sublime. The stamps are gone, but thet were not visible when mounted anyway.