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where to buy new radiator?


Guest jampot

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Guest jampot

I have a 2014 NC750s, and am looking to buy and fit a new radiator myself. Anyone know where I can buy one and how much it would cost? I bought the bike second hand with no radiator guard or fender extender fitted. The fins are badly clogged up the centre and there is some damage to other fins, about 10% of the total. If I take it off I'll try to unclog it and maybe see about replacing the damaged fins, if thats even possible.

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steelhorseuk

Give it a good clean and refit it. Then fit a new RAD Guard. It will cover the damage and act to stop anymore damage.

 

Much cheaper solution that replacing the whole Rad mate!

 

-Mark-

Edited by Smudger
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Guest jampot

I've found a seller in Ireland, £350 new. Was looking at what second hand rads are going for. Sellers are asking for £200 or thereabouts for battered ones. MIne isn't that bad. The damage to the vanes seems more to do with careless cleaning. There are no impacts from stones. The bike is otherwise flawless condition. I'm a bit OCD unfortunately, a common malady of motorcyclist enthusiasts. Anyway, I'm going to buy a new one and if anyone wants my old one make me an offer. I'll post pictures when the new one is fitted, and soak it to unclog the centre vanes.

 

Anyone know the particulars about refilling with coolant?

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embee

I find the NC fills very easily, no secrets. Just add the fresh coolant slowly, squeeze the bottom hose a few times to agitate it which will dislodge any trapped air. When nearly full you can start the bike which will circulate the coolant round the bypass circuit (basically the engine/pump/thermostat, all except the radiator itself) and purge any air which will come out of a bleed hole in the thermostat itself. Stop the engine, top up to full, fit cap, top up reservoir bottle and that's it. Check the level in the bottle after a couple of hot/cold cycles to be sure, it may have taken a little back in when it cools down.

 

Just make sure you use a silicate free coolant, plenty of discussions on this.

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You could probably have it re-furbished at a radiator specialist. Most towns have a place that can do this and they come out as good as new. Well for cars, but the construction is the same...

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Guest Mac750

As Ralph says above,  a motor radiator company can re core bikes, cars or larger rads. I had a 1962 rad re cored the cost was £120 plus vat and was as good as new.  Most large towns have a rad company or two and turn around is about 5 working days in average. 

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Defender

Alternatively you could look in the back of the motorcycle publications as there are some motorcycle specific classic and restoration related titles as there are specialists that do this or will replicate a radiator in alloy if required?

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Don't forget these are aluminium radiators. If anyone finds a company that can repair these please let us know as I have my original damaged radiator and a used one I bought. Finally bought a new one as didn't want to risk having a radiator burst on me.

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  • 3 months later...

I've noticed that the radiator on my NC700X is starting to corrode quite a bit (after 22.500 miles in 5 years). First I thought it's only at the bottom of the sides (on one of which I had a bit of a dent probably created by some flying debris, etc.) but after closer inspection I found the paint also bubbles up around the filler cap, etc.

 

Somebody I know said to drain and dismantle it, sand it down properly, heat it up with a blowtorch and use yellow oxide primer prior to painting it ... anybody having any thoughts on this?

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Mr Toad
On 29/06/2017 at 20:40, djsb said:

Don't forget these are aluminium radiators. If anyone finds a company that can repair these please let us know as I have my original damaged radiator and a used one I bought. Finally bought a new one as didn't want to risk having a radiator burst on me.

 

http://radiator-repair.co.uk/custom-aluminium/motorcycle-radiators/

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Defender
On 27/10/2017 at 16:18, TJW said:

I've noticed that the radiator on my NC700X is starting to corrode quite a bit (after 22.500 miles in 5 years). First I thought it's only at the bottom of the sides (on one of which I had a bit of a dent probably created by some flying debris, etc.) but after closer inspection I found the paint also bubbles up around the filler cap, etc.

 

Somebody I know said to drain and dismantle it, sand it down properly, heat it up with a blowtorch and use yellow oxide primer prior to painting it ... anybody having any thoughts on this?

I know my radiator is now missing some paint on both end tanks, I will need to do something about this issue at some point.

I would remove it and after rubbing down and a coat of suitable primer use some VHT paint on it. 

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On 10/28/2017 at 05:42, bonekicker said:

Don't let radiators corrode spray with WD40 regularly to stop it happening--bad maintenance cost money to replace these expensive items. :thumbsup:

ACF 50 better.

 

The paint corroded at the sides of mine, had to rub down & respray. Ok now but do use the ACF 50 after every clean.

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On 10/27/2017 at 13:32, Mr Toad said:

 

Had a chat with them about my radiator problem (paint flaking off) and they quoted £90 to £120 (incl. VAT) for fixing it (shotblasting, cleaning, powerflush and painting). They don't use any primer though (apparently it's too bad a heat conductor) and paint it with radiator paint only.

 

Decided against it and will take on project of draining it, dismantling it, sanding flaky parts off, dry it out with blowtorch, prime it with zinc oxide primer and then paint it with radiator pain ... 

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Aluminium is a good conductor of heat and is light weight and is a relatively cheap material. Aluminium corrodes and throws off paint at seemingly every opportunity. There are your pros and cons. Painting aluminium rads once corroded is dificult since they are so hard to clean up properly. An etch primer is good to use on aluminium since it helps the paint to stay on. The heat which a radiator handles on the other hand, helps to remove whatever paint one tries to apply. Aluminium radiators are, in short, a very necessary evil which at best  has to be tolerated. The refurb option seems to be the best since those guys reclaim and refurb the headers and re-core the radiator with new material.

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