Mk2 Top fill Radiator Conversion Help Needed

Hi Does anyone know how to do this and what radiator to use. I want to delete my water bottle and fit a top fil type rad to my GTi. Please help. its a Kjet if that helps. My fellow South Africans have no idea what I am talking about.

 

Use a BMW E30/E36 3-series radiator.

You`ll need to fabricate mounts for it, but it fits nicely.

This is on my 20v converted Mk2. Just need to source some suitable hoses.

 

Mk2 Top Fill Rad Conversion

Thanks for the feedback but what pipes will need sourcing? i think that is a top looking radiator. Could I also use Mk1 type or should I stick with the bigger BMW type? Will this cause any hassles with reliability?

 

Bit of a bump to see if anyone else has fitted a BMW E36 top fill radiator - I was thinking about this to tidy up the bay as I need to replace the radiator anyway.

Any pics?
Which hoses to use?

 

Just get down the scrappies and grab an armful of suitable diameter hoses from anything that`s there. I`ve got a couple of carrier-bags full from Beemers, Mercs, Volvos, and VWs. Just need to sort through them and find something that`ll can be chopped to fit.

 

Why?

 

Why use a BMW top-fill rad?;

I can`t speak for the OP, but I`ve gone for it so I can get rid of the standard header tank to make way for a Mk4 airbox to go with the 20v, and I think it looks crap when people put it [the header tank] on the other side.

 

That's a neat solution Stu.

 

hi was looking into this, do i use a e30 or e36 rad for a mk2 8v? (2E block PB head) also what about the plug that goes to the expansion tank that shows the flashing led in the clocks, where do you connect the plug for that on the bmw rad?

 

IIRC the E30 and E36 ones are pretty much the same. It`s that long since I got mine I can`t remember which it was...

I`ll be bridging the wires to stop the low level LED flashing (running Corrado clocks)

 

oh ok i did want to have the light connected as it has saved me from cooking my engine a couple of times.

 

i bought an ebay alloy rad and welded a top fill reservoir onto it.

the 'reservoir' is'nt very big, but it works fine

 

Whats the aplicatation? Motorsport? Road? cough*Scene*cough!? Looks tidy :-)

 

are you talking to me?

if so, it will be for road and track really once i can afford to insure it

 

There no-one else in here! What was the reason for getting rid of the actual header tank? Just trying to save a bit of room?

Do you do your won welding, looks like a nice tidy job!

 

The honest answer is I didn't like the look/colour of the header tank. It was a dirty yellow/brown in a black car and a silver engine

But also it saves a bit of weight, gives a bit more space and looks a bit nicer

 

looks good, my reason was for road/ scene use lol. I wanted to cleam my bay up a bit i like the bmw rad but cant figure out how to get the led working to show when coolant level is low.

 

just bridge the wires together and it wont ever flash

alternativly you could tap a hole or weld in a boss the same pitch as the vw sensor into the bmw rad

i dont think its worth the hassle though, just check the coolant every now and again

 

ye true, i just get scared thats all a few weeks ago a hose off the oil cooler on my corrado vr6 split and i didnt know i just saw the light flash and pulled over, it saved mt from a very expensive job lol. how do bmw's sense if the water is low?

 

just mount the sensor towards the bottom of the reservoir!