Hi Guys,
The LJ's back on the road, with it's nice fresh engine, but it's running a bit hot, so I need to look at some improved cooling.
I remember adds for Aussie Desert Coolers in Street Machine back when I used to read it, so had a look on the web and found they seem to be quite reasonably priced.
Does anyone here have any experience with them, or their products?
Aussie Desert Coolers
Started by
_jklumpp_
, Feb 19 2007 12:53 PM
55 replies to this topic
#2
_1uzbt1_
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Posted 19 February 2007 - 02:06 PM
i had to repair one once and i carent say i was happy about the quality of it.I looked like a china slap together.The owner said when he got it it also had to be repaired from day one.But that was just one i dont know what he bought/paid for so carent say much more than that.
#3
_Torana308_
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Posted 19 February 2007 - 08:12 PM
Im more than happy with mine.
My first one was wrecked by crud that came out of the block and blocked the tubes. Norm spent about a week and a half trying to clean it before he said that it wasn't going to work well enough
So i bought a new one, he paid the freight to send both radiators back to me and didnt charge a cent for all the time he spent trying to clean the old one.
All in all i think they were very easy and helpful to deal with.
My first one was wrecked by crud that came out of the block and blocked the tubes. Norm spent about a week and a half trying to clean it before he said that it wasn't going to work well enough
So i bought a new one, he paid the freight to send both radiators back to me and didnt charge a cent for all the time he spent trying to clean the old one.
All in all i think they were very easy and helpful to deal with.
#4
_gtrtorana_
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Posted 19 February 2007 - 08:43 PM
I have a tripple flow unit from Aussie Desert Coolers with a 16 inch fan and my motor is very happy with this set up. My motor is high comp, 60 thou over with a big cam so when I had the std 3 core, it was a hard motor to keep cool.
#5
_micksgtr_
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Posted 19 February 2007 - 08:52 PM
If norm cant keep it cool no one can!!! the guy has been around for years knows lots of stuff, always happy to help and his coolers never over heat.....never!!!
cheers
cheers
#6
_salamanca LJ_
_salamanca LJ_
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Posted 20 February 2007 - 08:02 AM
Mine leaked from the tank joints after about six months, and the straps that go down the sides were it bolts to the body one came off ,last one that i will buy. pwr alloy next time as there not that much dearer anyway.
#7
orangeLJ
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Posted 20 February 2007 - 08:53 AM
A friend of mine bought one for a hot rod project, and as stated ^^^^^ many problems occured, mainly the seams on the tanks leaked and one tank completely fell off, the most annoying part was they wanted him to cop the postage fee to get it back to be fixed. a local bloke then fixed it and no worries since. Maybe there are some bad batches, that is acceptable, but just ask about warranty and stuff.
#8
Redslur
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Posted 20 February 2007 - 12:03 PM
I fitted a 4 core tripple flow about 2 years ago and it has worked well.
#9
_jklumpp_
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Posted 20 February 2007 - 12:17 PM
hmmm... a bit of a mixed response!
They do offer a 3 year warranty on the radiators, so surely if there was major problems it would be fixed - paying for postage on a return seems to be standard policy with most places.... not that that makes it easy to accept.
They do offer a 3 year warranty on the radiators, so surely if there was major problems it would be fixed - paying for postage on a return seems to be standard policy with most places.... not that that makes it easy to accept.
#10
gtrboyy
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Posted 20 February 2007 - 02:52 PM
What cooling set up do you have now & is it in good working order?
#11
_Drag lc_
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Posted 20 February 2007 - 04:15 PM
both the xu1 (tripple pass copper) and our lc (alluminum) have had aussie desert coolers in them, both had to get sent back the copper one sprung a leak in the centre tube when i filled it up with water first and the alluminum one was just way to big we would have had to cut the car up to fit it but when they both were returned they worked well actaully we still have not fitted the thermo fan (it does not have an engine fan either) to the lc yet as it only gets up to 90deg in the traffic(we dont drive it in traffic anyway).if we were to buy anouther one we would buy from somewhere else.
Thanks Hayden
Thanks Hayden
#12
_gtrtorana_
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Posted 20 February 2007 - 04:45 PM
Sounds like I was lucky to get a good radiator first time round. My old man bought one for his hot rod at the same time I bought mine but as he is still building his rod, we don't know weather it works or not.
#13
_Monkey_
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Posted 20 February 2007 - 05:00 PM
I bought a 4 core 2 years ago for my lj, it works fine i've had no dramas with it.
#14
orangeLJ
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Posted 20 February 2007 - 05:18 PM
yeah the postag was going to cost a fair bit so that why it was a bastard of a thing. We are on the east coast of nsw.
#15
_jklumpp_
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Posted 21 February 2007 - 12:31 PM
Stock standard 4 blade fan, and original (I assume) radiator.What cooling set up do you have now & is it in good working order?
Engine has just been fully rebuilt, including full chemical clean of block, so all should be A OK there. Radiator seems to be OK... flows no problem when flushed.
Temp slowly rises into the red zone over about 20min driving - nay traffic just hastens the process....hasn't boiled over yet, but I try not to keep driving when it gets that hot....once it has climbed, it's hard to get it to come down, even in clean air at normal speed in top gear....
#16
_sampearce_
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Posted 21 February 2007 - 01:32 PM
Had a mate buy one from there and had to send it back a couple times.
1st time: didnt fit the car at all
2nd time: Fitted after some minor modification but leaked not long after
3rd time: leaked and decided to get it fixed elsewhere....the shop that fixed it said he wouldnt guarantee it lasting too long again because of how badly it was made and how shit the quality was.
This was a fair while ago so maybe they are better now as ive spoken to a few people with them and they have done the job
1st time: didnt fit the car at all
2nd time: Fitted after some minor modification but leaked not long after
3rd time: leaked and decided to get it fixed elsewhere....the shop that fixed it said he wouldnt guarantee it lasting too long again because of how badly it was made and how shit the quality was.
This was a fair while ago so maybe they are better now as ive spoken to a few people with them and they have done the job
Edited by sampearce, 21 February 2007 - 01:34 PM.
#17
_Torana308_
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Posted 25 February 2007 - 09:44 PM
On the subject of the rad not fitting it is because most of the time you will be sent a HQ radiator because they will fit if you trim the side tabs down. Norm sends them as you get a whole lot more radiator for the price. I did the same and he sent me a torana one out cause i didnt want to cut it
#18
_v8slrtorana_
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Posted 18 March 2007 - 02:03 PM
My brother recently purchased a 4 core bypass rad for his hx with chev.
The brackets on the rad are to suit torana, so it dont fit his car.
There is loose solder in the top tank.
Open the rad cap, and one core is blocked with solder, i just wonder how many more cores are blocked.
I will never buy one.
:finger:
The brackets on the rad are to suit torana, so it dont fit his car.
There is loose solder in the top tank.
Open the rad cap, and one core is blocked with solder, i just wonder how many more cores are blocked.
I will never buy one.
:finger:
#19
_heppy_ss_76_
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Posted 18 March 2007 - 03:56 PM
My old man bought a 4 core triple flow for his HZ Statesman and it made absolutely no difference, still runs on the red in traffic.
#20
_pipjones_
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Posted 18 March 2007 - 06:15 PM
u better check the head gaskets then heppy.....
#21
_v8slrtorana_
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Posted 18 March 2007 - 07:43 PM
Havent run the engine in the car yet.^ 4 core tripple flow will cut your actuall water flow in about half.
you may need to speed up your pump all else concitered.
Will keep that advice in mind if it has heating problems.
#22
_heppy_ss_76_
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Posted 19 March 2007 - 12:28 PM
no it's aint the head gaskets, its a brand new motor 60 thou over 308
#23
TerrA LX
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Posted 19 March 2007 - 03:51 PM
60thou 308
#24
_rhysandhisLJ_
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Posted 19 March 2007 - 04:14 PM
I purchased a tripple flow radiator, installed it four months ago. The only problems i've had are just the top hose leaking, but this has nothing to do with the radiator, merely the thermostat, it's hard to get a good seal with it installed.
#25
_1uzbt1_
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Posted 21 March 2007 - 11:00 AM
yes fittings are on the same side for a double pass.
Now for normal rads say a torana one they are only made as a triple flow as with just about all(except with fittings on same side been the exception)and involve two baffle plates been welded in the tanks across header plates one in the top tank and one in the bottom.There are never made as a front to back desgin,as ther are two complicated,require more materials,take longer to make and have more chance of leaking between the baffles, and the thicker the core the less effeicent each row becomes.
Bacically with opposite fittngs(like torana and most rads)the water goes in the top fiiting down 1/3 of the core,across the bottom tank,up the middle third to the top,across then down the last third of the core and out the bottom fitting,therefore going through the core three times,triple pass.Exactly the same on cross flow ones but just done on the side
Now for normal rads say a torana one they are only made as a triple flow as with just about all(except with fittings on same side been the exception)and involve two baffle plates been welded in the tanks across header plates one in the top tank and one in the bottom.There are never made as a front to back desgin,as ther are two complicated,require more materials,take longer to make and have more chance of leaking between the baffles, and the thicker the core the less effeicent each row becomes.
Bacically with opposite fittngs(like torana and most rads)the water goes in the top fiiting down 1/3 of the core,across the bottom tank,up the middle third to the top,across then down the last third of the core and out the bottom fitting,therefore going through the core three times,triple pass.Exactly the same on cross flow ones but just done on the side
Edited by 1uzbt1, 21 March 2007 - 11:01 AM.
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