Hole on inside of radiator, suggestions on how it happened ?

[Turbz]

Just went 4wd at Johnson Road in Brissy, and my mates 2.7litre petrol hilux overheated as we were leaving. It is an 01 single cab, and not long after going through a big mud hole, we noticed a big hole on the inside of the radiator. Possibly made from the fan itself ? It never stopped running while it was sitting in the mud, and the entire engine bay is covered in mud from the fan. Just not sure how the hole got there.

Anyone come across this before? How could it have happened ? Maybe the fan picked up something in the muddy water ?

Cheers, Turbz.

p.s. How much is a new radiator thesedays ?

[rockcrawler31]

hey mate.

how deep was the mud? if it was real deep your fan blades my have flexed forwards into the rad. It's part of the reason why guys use a blind when doing creek crossings.

new rad is a few hundred new. mine was 400

[Turbz]

Mud was FAR too deep for an ifs front lux with 31 inch mudders. Got nowhere, and this bloke has a heavy right foot so that fan would of been spinnin it's litle heart out.

rockcrawler what do you mean by a 'blind' when it comes to creek crossings ?.. I assume you are talking about a cover between the fan and radiator ? Do people use these often ?

Cheers mate.

[Sic Lux]

Might mean how they tarp the front of the bar to help push a wave and keep the water out

[Shadow]

Might mean how they tarp the front of the bar to help push a wave and keep the water out

exactly what it means

[rockcrawler31]

exzaccary what i meant. i had a small tarp made up about 3 feet x 5 feet with a couple of D rings so i can use octopus straps. pretty quick to put on and folds up to nothing. also makes a handy bush repairs lie down mat.

[macca81]

the only time a bloke looks good in a bra is during deep creek crossings

another way to get around this prob is just to slip the fan belt off b4 going into wet stuff deeper than the bottom of ya radiator. the fan acts like a boats prob cept it flexs 2wards the rad, big probs! lol

[Turbz]

Well I guess that is what's happened. His fan blades have notches on the edges also. I have done it heaps of times, I guess my blades don;t quite reach the radiator. But he has a heavy foot. Perhaps he revved it fat too hard when he hit the water.

[G_loomis]

you imagine the fan acting like a prop on an outboard motor...but since the fan is plastic it bends enough and therefor hits the radiator.