The Definitive Stock KA Rads Don't Hold Up To RB's Thread

[DJButton]

Well as the long and obnoxious title states... yes it's true.

I swapped in an RB20 about three and a half months ago and didn't have the extra cash at the time so I kept the KA rad and hooked it up, used the stock clutch fan as well. Worked fine for about a month of driving around. Took the car on one highway drive and the Rad gave way to a gaping wound within a half hour of driving... ugh, meh, bleh...

Next I swapped in another KA rad, (again, still very poor college kid ) This one lasted about a month, even took it on a big cruise with a full day of driving! Then suddenly the already iffy and wobbly clutch fan decided to lodge itself in the opper tray of the radiator and smashed open a few rows... meh ugh bleh again... This time I had a little money around so I bought a DiF fan controller and some Altima fans, and again sadly had to use another KA rad! Now I didn't have room to fit the Altima's in as pullers so I wired em up as pushers in front... been suffering now for a month only going on short drives and no highway speeds as it will overheat with any long abuse in the high temps we've been having. Tonight I said enough is enough, I cut away half the rad support and tilted the rad forward (actually looks pretty clean!) and mounted the Altima fans as pullers, thinking this would alleivate the situation! Well, took the car down one of my favorite roads keeping the RPM's rather high and blasting around the corners, drove for about a half hour. When I got home the coolant reservior was about an inch above the full line from it overheating.

So I'd like to state that, it's official, these rad's just don't do the trick. For anyone who'd like to contribute to my "Buy a real radiator fund" please fill out checks to Daniel B.......

Anyway, that's all I have to say, any thoughts on how badly I need to quit this lousy school externship and get a paying job pronto!

[themadscientist]

It would probably work for a 25 but 20s run too damned hot.

[Eikon]

I've been running a KA radiator for almost 3 years on my RB20. I've got two pusher fans mounted to the front.

Haven't overheated it yet. Though I've always been careful with it on hot days.

I'm not saying the KA rad. is necessarily right for it.. My rb20 does run hotter than I think it should. But you can get away with it and it will work if you have everything else working well.

Anyhow.. I'm still planning to upgrade radiators this winter before installing a bigger turbo and other upgrades. What radiator do you guys recommend?Koyo upgrade for 240sx? Is there an RB specific rad.?

[Darius]

Eikon, did you happen to see my Griffin Radiator thread about two weeks ago? The thing is a beast. I haven't gotten over 87C on 90F+ days sitting in stop and go traffic. I have ****ty duct work between my fans and condenser, my condenser is full of bugs and I need to seal the gap between my radiator and core support. Once those things are tidied up, I don't think my engine temps will climb above the thermostat level of 84C.

[SeVa-S13]

I move that this thread be retitled "KA radiators don't cool for sh1t when my dangerously-close clutch fan mutilates them while driving."

[Eikon]

I move that thiss thread be retitled "KA radiators don't cool for sh1t when my dangerously-close clutch fan mutilates them while driving."

[blurrbosi]

^^^Wouldnt that initernet jargon "Owned" or "pwned" go here?

[OpeLok]

just get a stock R32 core from a clip. I've been running off of mine here in AZ for over 3 years now. I run dual f-a-l fans as pushers too. Never had a problem.

[DJButton]

Ok, fine, I should be more specific, I'm very picky and would like to not worry about it cooling properly on hot days! It hasn't really overheated bad yet, but I know it's running too danged hot! Yeah, that's be a good title change, lol.

I'd still rather have a clutch fan though, Eikon I don't understand how it hasn't with pushers even more so? Do you do extended highway driving in hot weather on it? I'm wondering if the t-stat is bad on my car now, because when I touch the radiator core it seems to nearly always be cool to the touch even after beating on it, that's with the dual Altima pullers or as pushers. Hmmm I should post some pics of my haxxored rad support though, it's quite sad.

[Kansei240sx]

Im running a Koyo Copper SR20 radiator and FAL 220 fans and running during the day hard or in traffic heat, or even at night on the highway, i never have gone above 90C, most of the time it runs about 80-83C.

I run straight distilled water and water wetter.

[lyon23]

I got a stock 2 row on my rb20 s14 and a fmic with 2 12" pullers. no overheating problems. check your t-stat and you have to make sure the system is bled properly.

[Suicide.Veteran]

yeah my endtanks had a tendency to burst and crack. I was like screw that, aluminum ftw.

[Spazz]

i agree man , my 25 ran good for my 4 hour drive to and from albertlea the other day, ka radiator cuts it but just BARELY (i have no ducting either) any launches or just beating on it will give it some heat spikes.

time to modify a rad and make some pullers....

[benjamin725]

I've been using The KA radiator , the condenser fans off the R32 clip and the Stock S14. No problems, stayin between 84c-87c depending if I leave the fans on. I've seen this problem before at work. A 95 altima blowing up radiators left and right, and feel that the radiator is cool to the touch, sometimes pushing coolant through the over flow tank. I dont want to say it but it was the head gasket. Just I would put my two cents in. Good Luck

[silviasgp06]

so, just out of curiosity(im looking it up right now) but how well do the altima fans works as pushers?

[DJButton]

About as well as they do as pullers, they push a crapload of air either way!

I think another issue may be the radiator itself seems like it's had issues from the get-go, last KA it was used on blew a HG a believe. I don't really think my hg is bad, it did run for about a month with the clutch and a stock Calsonic rad. ehh who knows, soon as I can I'll probably be a copy-cat and pick-up a Griffin, getting a new t-stat asap as well.