Allegro Club International

[Dave Coates]

I bought a new rad last year and seeing as Herbert is laid up, only got it out today....turns out its not an allegro rad, but a "a" series metro one.... Both pipes attach on the same side and the cooling fan switch is wrong. I`ll have to make some new top mounts up but the thing thats foxing me is the expansion bottle. My rad doesnt have the take off for the expansion pipe.....Can I make up an adaptor and let it into the system somewhere else? perhaps see where the metro one goes in? I dont really want to butcher this new rad...any ideas?
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A good bolt is better than a bad weld....

[Laurence]

Hi Dave,

The early Metro thermostat housing had a spout incorporated for the vent hose to the header tank to attach to (but it doesn't have the plastic filler plug in it).

If the end tanks are made of metal (some Metro radiators had plastic end tanks), I'm sure a radiator specialist could either transfer your radiator spout to the new tank, or have one availible to solder in for you.

The Metro radiator in my Allegro 1.3 already had a spout for the expansion tank in the end tank (I know it's a Metro rad because of the different top mount spacing & the different fan switch). I think it's from an early Metro base (998cc) model.

[Dave Coates]

ah yes, the cooling fan switch......getting a switch isnt a problem. But the butterfly bayonet wedge thing isnt available seperately i dont think. If anyone has one they are wiing to sell please let me know....The local breakers yard round here have nothing, If anybody is calling in a breakers yard that has one, I`d gladly pay for you for the switch and keepy-in thing. My earlier style cooling fan switch is now surplus to requirements and does work, so if anyone needs that, I can pop it in the post....
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A good bolt is better than a bad weld....

[Laurence]

Hi Dave,

I'm fairly certain that when you buy a new Metro radiator fan switch, there is a new plastic locking ring in the box.

The locking ring tends to distort during use, so a new one is supplied as a matter of course.

If you phone around your local motor factors, I'm sure they can confirm that there is a locking ring included with the radiator fan switch.

[Dave Coates]

ah, yes. Locking ring....thats the phrase I was looking for..Many thanks Laurence....Assuming I cant do it any other way, can anyone see a problem letting the expansion tank pipe in anywhere?
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A good bolt is better than a bad weld....

[Colin T]

I think the first Metro radiator had the expansion tank take-off tube as per the Allegro but the end of it was solid plastic, so you drill through the plastic to let the water through it.

Also one of the brackets is in the wrong place so a new hole has to be drilled in the slam panel.
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Hell has frozen over...... the car formally known as 'Heap' is back on the road!

[Dave Coates]

I have enough holes in the front of the car thank you Colin! A new bracket methinks...and unfortunately mine is a metal ended rad...
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A good bolt is better than a bad weld....