Aftermarket Radiator Install?

[elwesso]

So last track day, my radiator started leaking. It might be the OEM rad, so it doesnt owe me anything... It started leaking where the end tank meets the core.. Since i was in Omaha for the Nissan Nationals, I got some epoxy and patched it so I could drive home.

Anyway, instead of going with something that might do that again, I was thinking of going with an aluminum radiator from summit racing or something similar..

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/GRI-1-26242-XS/

That one is the OEM height, 1 inch shorter on the length, and 1 inch thicker...

Does anyone have any suggestions? Anything I should look for? How bad are those to install, ive never seen a universal radiator so Im not sure if they come with any brackets or some sort of "install kit" to try and rig it up in your car..

[WDRacing]

Just try to get a rad that closely matches the current stock unit as close as possible but you'll probably have to fab some brackets. But those can be made real easily from simple stuff right at Home Depot. Also use some rubber to assist with vibration dampening. Then you'll probably have to use universal rad hoses.

All in all it's pretty easy to do. I've never heard of a rad install kit, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.

[Bwana]

Griffin makes nice radiators, but I'd go with option 1 here https://www.radiatorbarn.com/search.php ... t=radiator . I'm a big fan of full copper radiators. Copper transfers heat better and tends to have fewer leak issues than aluminum radiators. I just picked one up for my miata, HUGE improvement over the stock aluminum/plastic stock radiator (which had begun weeping, hate those).

[WDRacing]

http://www.hrpworld.com/googlebase.cfm? ... on=product

They do have mounting kits available...

[elwesso]

wow thanks for the link Aaron. It appears for $200 I can get an all metal one from that website that is a drop in replacement...

[Q45tech]

BE CAREFUL
Remember the oem radiator is electro and mechanically ISOLATED [via rubber bushings, hoses, end tanks] from the chassis.
Contact with -12 volts [ground] will speed internal corrosion and failure.

I have seen where a too thick aux AT cooler made a ground path from rad, thru cooler frame, to condenser then chassis.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

^reallllly? I just put in an all aluminum radiator in my miata... and had to get creative with the mounts. The dirty chinese that put it together had no quality control at all, and all the mounts were horrifically out of place.

[Bwana]

wow thanks for the link Aaron. It appears for $200 I can get an all metal one from that website that is a drop in replacement...

You bet. The one I put in my miata last week fit perfect, added a core and is overall substantially better than stock.

[WDRacing]

^reallllly? I just put in an all aluminum radiator in my miata... and had to get creative with the mounts. The dirty chinese that put it together had no quality control at all, and all the mounts were horrifically out of place.

I've ghetto'd my share of rads with no issues, but I always used some type of rubber isolator for vibration. Which is actually what I thought they were for, that and separating dissimilar metals since the mounts were always steel.