I'm not sure exactly what you're asking, can you be more specific?

 

Antichrist (can't get over the name - LOL),
the male fittings are soldered directly to the radiator on the new one (which I'm returning) and the existing one. Can you suggest a good radiator shop? I'm in downtown Atlanta so anywhere in the metro area (including suburbs) is fine with me.

Danny Lee,
After seeing the huge markup on parts and labor from the shop for this repair, I will be doing some repairs myself. When guys see a female pull into a repair shop, all they see is $$$$$ which i why i sometimes use a mobile mechanic. he's very knowledgeable and even suggested we return the new rad and have this one rodded out.

can someone suggest a good radiator shop, please...thanks!

 

I meant on your existing radiator are the fittings on the radiator female? If so, then there is likely a male to male adapter attached to the oil cooler lines when you removed them because I've only ever seen female fittings on the cooler lines.
If your cooler lines have male fittings then they aren't OE and all bets are off.

On my '95 the fittings on the radiator are female bungs and there's a male male adapter between them and the cooler lines, which have female thread ends.
On my '97 the male fitting is soldered to the radiator and there's just the female thread on the cooler lines.

Can you take photos of the radiator fitting and the cooler lines and post them? That would be a big help in knowing what's going on and offering advice.

I've used Kell Radiator service in Douglasville a couple of times, but that's mainly because they are closer to me. I'm sure there are others who're close to you.

This is what the OE coolant line fittings look like.

 

yes, my 97 is the same as your 97. the male fittings on the rad are soldered on and there are female fittings on the cooler lines. The problem was that the male fittings on the new rad were slightly LARGER than the female fittings on the cooler lines and the fittings on the cooler lines do not come off.

 

Hmmm..sounds like really bad bad quality control on the part of Nissens.

 

I go to a lot of local car show where ZI live, one great one is at a local American Legion one block away where you see a lot of old rods that have been redone and some awesome custom radiators, steel braided hoses on everything, separate coolers for stuff, add on after market AC on rods from the 30's thru 70's and all sorts of newer performance setups on a variety of restord muscle cars an even brand new high dollar Vets and other stuff.

I realize we are talking about a 97 Disco, but it is still a cooling system. I am glad you are getting some good help. Tom is one of the best sources of great info I have found on these. And I did not feel the Nissens was a good deal at that price and not mating right up.

Their name appears to be a knockoff of Nissan which I have found to be excellent quality as I had a Datsun 280 long ago.

I have seen a few write ups regarding the LR built in coolers in the radiator and often thought if there were a serious issue with the radiator that one option may be just a straight rad with separate aftermarket coolers for oil and tranny IF a good drop in replacement was not readily available. I realize by the time one does all that, the cost is going to add up, but it may still be an option to look at.

Could you cap off the cooler lines and sub in an aftermarket cooler?

I had one issue with my 97 when I first got it. I had a pinhole in the cooler line going to the "towel bar" behind the grill that was spraying fluid im my front wheel well right under the power steering res. I kept looking for a leak in PS and it was a tranny cooler line.

Those replacement parts for the pre-made lines are very high. I just saw an Operation Rescue where they redid an early Ford F2 Pickup and made all custom lines on horsepowertv.com. If one were totally redoing the system, I think building all new high quality lines with the correct fittings would be a good option.

 

You need to find one of those radiator places that works on the farm type equipment and other similar rigs where they still do the basics and not one of the modern chain type places that will specialize in overpriced replacements.

The old timey and farm equipment type shops know how to tear down the original one and fix it if possible. I am from the country outside Atlanta, Griffin is my hometown and I went to school at Marietta in the 80's. I plan to visit in October and move back down before long.

I don't know if any of the old radiator shops I was familar with are still around, but I am sure there are some left outside of downtown. If you are inside the 285 perimeter, the closer you are to Hotlanta, the higher the prices will be. Avoid Buckhead or any of the 27 PeachTree Drives, Avenues, Blvds, etc.

And you will find there are a few amazing women who own and maintain their own Land Rovers. I know mechanics drool when a Lady Drives Up in Need of Their Services. They see a larger faster boat in their future with you helping to buy it for them.

 

I called the NAPA on Fulton Industrial Blvd that I stop in now and then and asked them if they knew of a radiator shop in the area. The guy suggested these people:
Radiator Works - Heavy Duty Truck Radiators, Radiator Cores, Charge Air Coolers
He said he'd had a recore done there and liked their work.

Knowing there are a lot of trucking places on Fulton Industrial I figured there'd be a shop close by. They do work for compainies who's livelyhood depends on their rigs so I'm betting they do good work.

No idea where you are in Atlanta or how close they are, but there's one.


Edit:
What the heck, I called them. They said there shouldn't be any problems doing a recore (your worst case).
You'd have to bring it in so they could measure it and get the core made in their MI location. About a week turnaround if getting it rodded reveals that it's beyond salvage.

If you want to go as far as Douglasville, I just had my '97 radiator recored in June at Kell's so they probably still have record of what they ordered and could get it in a day or two. Going that route you could probably bring your car out and get it done the same day. If you just want to get it recored.
If you want them to rod it and pressure test it, then you'd have to add a couple more days to it since they wouldn't order a core unless you really needed it.

 

Tom, you are truly a scholar and a gentleman. Thanks for you efforts. I plan on an extended visit to Georgia in October, maybe we ca get together while I am down there. I would love to meet you in person and see your collection as well.

I am sure she appreciates your help.

 

I'm an Antichrist/Tom groupie now! LOL
Anyhoo, I called Kells and the woman I spoke with said if my rad is the aluminum one, they won't be able to take it apart but she couldn't say for sure until they take it out and look at it. Unfortunately, I don't know if it's the aluminum one or not...is it? She also gave me the name of Fulton County Radiator (off GA Hwy 85 South near the Farmers Market) if I didn't want to make the ride out to Douglasville. Fulton Industrial is a little closer so I will give them a call too but I feel comfortable taking it to Kells.

Tom, you are a godsend I tell ya!! And DannyLee you ain't too bad ya' self!! LOL Thank you guys soooo much!! I'll have to follow up and let you know how everything works out. I live in Atlanta in a converted factory loft off Fulton Street. The part of town is called Castleberry Hill (near the old Mechanicsville projects off I-20). Like I said, this is the first "real" repair I've had to make on my Rover (knock on wood) so all of this has been a bit overwhelming to say the least.