I ordered a new radiator from FCP in Groton. The radiator is manufactured in Sweden by MTC.

I don't have a thermo fan switch on my current radiator. This radiator came with a plastic plug, rubber washer and screw cap to plug the hole where the thermo fan switch normally goes. The plastic plug fits in the middle of the rubber washer and the washer fits in the hole in the radiator where the thermo fan switch should go and then the screw cap (which has an opening in it) gets screwed onto the radiator.

Here is my question---it appears that the plastic plug that goes in the middle of the rubber washer can only be installed one way so that you can screw the screw cap onto the radiator, however the way the platic plug goes in it would appear that it could actually fall into the radiator. The plug itself has a flange on one end and this is the end that will actually be installed towards the radiator. You cannot install it the other way or the screw cap will not fit

I don't like the looks of this. Anybody ever installed one of these little plugs before????

Yes, I installed this radiator and the associated plug a month ago on my 240...unfortunately I don't remember what the trick was, I just had to try a few different combinations of part orientation/order and then it became clear what the right setup was. Ok this isn't any help...you know which way the metal cap has to go on...are you sure the washer is supposed to go inside the radiator opening? Maybe flip the washer and plug together? I'll have to look at my car when I get home.

Zack
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1980 245DL M46 1988 745T+ M46

That would be great if you could check and let me know.

There seems to be only 1 way that the combination of plastic plug, rubber gasket and screw cap fit that I can figure. Installing the flange side of the plastic plug towards the radiator scares me, even though it is a tight fit, it doesn't seem like there is anything holding it from falling into the radiator, except for the pressure of the water from within the system pushing on it.

Thanks in advance.

Frank
1983 & 1985 240's

oops...by now i'm sure you figured it out. anyway, when you look at the cap with it installed, there's a black plastic "+" that you can see in the hole in the cap. i didn't want to unscrew it and have coolant leak everywhere - hope that helps if you didn't already figure it out.

zack
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1980 245DL M46 1988 745T+ M46

I think you'll be the first. Have you asked FCP yet?

FWIW, MTC doesn't exactly have a good reputation here, what with the number of parts that didn't fit correctly right from the beginning ... and the parts that failed. The list of parts to avoid so far are the strut mounts, turbo hoses, and heater hoses.

http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/?id=645024
http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/?id=672968
http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/?id=656229

Pray that your radiator is not the next issue we'll be seeing a post on. If you don't want to bother now, send it back and buy a Nissens or CSF instead. They're not perfect either, but at least the failures (solder joints, which are repairable) were a few years down the line - not when they were brand new or within a week old.

-- Kane
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Blossom II - '91 745Ti/M46 ... Bubbles - '74 144GL/BW35 ... Buttercup - '86 245GL/AW70 ... The Wayback Machine - '64 P220/M40