best performance radiator?

[LadyCBlaze]

I own a '93 S13 manual and I'm looking into buying a new performance radiator. I need some suggestions which brand is best and where to purchase it. Any help is appreciated, thanks.

[180fan]

try a koyo, they're fairly inexpensive and readily available. Unless you want the best performance radiator, in which case you're looking for an ARC.

[kane2g]

Griffin :P

[adrianfromthecastle]

Yashio Factory = very very high quality.

Koyo's (or any other aluminum radiator) on the other hand won't let you down... Koyo's are the crowd favorite...

ARC = baller status

[rotorimp]

Stay away from to AL koyo's they ALL leak at the rad cap. I have a Griffin no problem at all.

[Fenvy]

Stay away from to AL koyo's they ALL leak at the rad cap. I have a Griffin no problem at all.

cry more please

I never seen ANYONE with it leaks from radiator cap. Where is your ALL now?

[rotorimp]

Sorry--I was mistaking that wet stuff-(kinda green-white residue when dry) as coolant. I guess no one can hit the hole when they fill the rad. Or it could be the little green men (about 1 foot tall) running around pissing around the radiator caps.

I have seen 20+ 240's with AL Koyo's leak because to rad caps do not fit tight enough.

[wankelTII]

Ron Davis makes the best radiators, they will make you a custom 3in thick, dual core, dual pass cross flow radiator for around $800 and they can make you an aluminum header tank too.

[chicos240]

Koyo +1My sr would be at 3/4 temp with stock RAdiataorwith koyo it never goes past the 1/4 markthing that sucks is it takes a while before warm air comes out of vents

[Fenvy]

w

Sorry--I was mistaking that wet stuff-(kinda green-white residue when dry) as coolant. I guess no one can hit the hole when they fill the rad. Or it could be the little green men (about 1 foot tall) running around pissing around the radiator caps.

I have seen 20+ 240's with AL Koyo's leak because to rad caps do not fit tight enough.

with that kind of failure rate, I Am sure they'll be getting a lot of complaints and a remedy would be there. That is not the case as far as I am concerned. Not to mention that radiator cap is not supplied so most people use the old one that's been on their car for 15 + years.

Let's assume for a secone that koyo DOES leak, with the amount of pressure/heat from the motor, you are going to have major coolant lost. Is this the case or just a small amount?

Then there is also the matter of overflow hose not sealing to the radiator, which is by no fault of koyo but the owner of the car...

[codyace]

Sorry--I was mistaking that wet stuff-(kinda green-white residue when dry) as coolant. I guess no one can hit the hole when they fill the rad. Or it could be the little green men (about 1 foot tall) running around pissing around the radiator caps.

I have seen 20+ 240's with AL Koyo's leak because to rad caps do not fit tight enough.

Ever think those 20+ guys are using wore out caps with crappy gaskets, or can't fill up their koyo properly? Are the tightening them all the way?

Not to be overly rude, but as the last poster said, if Koyo's all leaked, it would be common knwoledge on the forums.

To the O/P: I've been through plenty of HPDE/Track days with my KOYO rad and a Z32 cap, and not a single freakin DROP has ever come out of my Koyo. Car has never overheated, and doesn't even need fans when its' cold out and you're moving....

FWIW: It's never a bad idea to invest in an upper cooling plate and to ensure all your plastic under tray's are on as well.

[180fan]

Well I'm sure there are bound to be some mess ups along the way and there will always be someone who feels burned as a result. Anything mass produced will have a defective unit somewhere...maybe even nintendo...omg...

[Defiant]

Koyo +1My sr would be at 3/4 temp with stock RAdiataorwith koyo it never goes past the 1/4 markthing that sucks is it takes a while before warm air comes out of vents

A radiator shouldn't affect your running temperature. Replace your thermostat- yours is no longer seating.

[rotorimp]

The leakers have all been with new rad caps--Greddy's and the like. They have all been here in AZ. One of the leakers was indeed mine. I believe the problem to be the distance from the top of the neck to where the rubber seal rests is not letting the spring apply enough pressure. I was not saying that it was causing overheating just annoying coolant dribble.

[chicos240]

A radiator shouldn't affect your running temperature. Replace your thermostat- yours is no longer seating.

Really...even if it does show a temp change...like all the way cold in the am? and then warms up and my engine revs higher till it gets warm and then gets to a lower idle once the needle moves a few ticks? It seems to me like it is working fine, i see no need to replace it, unless you can show me other wise.

[mchkc240]

Koyo for sure! Had one on my old S13 worked fine. Never had any leaks!

[Fenvy]

Really...even if it does show a temp change...like all the way cold in the am? and then warms up and my engine revs higher till it gets warm and then gets to a lower idle once the needle moves a few ticks? It seems to me like it is working fine, i see no need to replace it, unless you can show me other wise.

that may due to placebo effect where you expect it to make a change. Some even argue that due to the way that it is designed, the stock temp needle is next to useless unless it goes over the H.

I can see how better cooling seems to be achieved by a koyo through fresh coolant and no residue build up. Bigger capacity helps but not much.