So to make a long story short... my CRUISER has since day one had cooling 'issues'. The temperature gauge was more like an inclinometer, the steeper the uphill the higher the temperature indicator :-) and vica verca. December heatwave conditions was the last straw - she overheated and water poured out somewhere from the radiator faster than what I can top her up...
It was clear - next project was to be a cooling system rebuilt.
So here goes.
Firstly I handed in the radiator to Silverton Radiators who struggled for more than a week to get it 'fixed' but no luck - apparently it was more than 80% blocked! They ended up rebuilding me a new one. I in the mean time got hold of a new water pump from N1 4X4.

Got rid of most of the cholesterol in the pump base, also replaced the studs and reassembled.

Got some 'packing seal' from Toyota, but no other parts were available anymore (except a new thermostat...


Gaskets was also going to be a problem and I decided to draw my own and a colleague owning a laser cutter cut them for me from a sheet of gasket material.
Drawing:

Laser cut gaskets:

I opted for a thicker material for the thermostat gasket and he cut out one from 1.5mm material

Part numbers for the gaskets are:
16341-51011 (Thermostat gasket)
16129-47020 (Water pump cover gasket)
16271-47011 (Water pump gasket)
I will make the dxf files available here once I figured out how

so if you don't feel like cutting your fingers of with a Stanley knife then you can print your own. Alternatively if anybody wants then we will gladly cut more. As time goes by I'm hoping to build up a database of gasket files.
All pipes needed replacement! Some were just kept together with tape and others were all brittle and rusted.
(Old Radiator outlet pipe)

Every screw, bolt, nut, washer and hose clamp used was replaced with A4 stainless steel (316) parts from The Screwman:
http://www.screwman.co.za/products/9/stainless-steel-productshttp://www.screwman.co.za/products/12/hose-clampsPump, thermostat and oil cooler pipes replaced

Assembly progress:

Thermostat with new thicker gasket:

Assembly almost done:

But done for the day:

All that remained was replacing the bib and a thorough wash

Ready to roll...

Couple of test drives and the temperature gauge remains dead still regardless of the incline of the road :-) Took her back to Silverton Radiators where they did a pressure test as well as testing for any leaking gaskets. Passed 100%

Added two bottles anti freeze and I'm done!
