Any one ever use this Aluminum radiator?

[nightspeed87]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mish...tegoryZ33602QQihZ013QQitemZ230122788356QQrdZ1

Figured Id pick one up before I get a fmic on here.
Any opinions, experience with this product. Im not trying to spend 300 + for a radiator.

 

[95talon07]

the welds looks kinda crappy, but it may be worth it

 

[nightspeed87]

Yea i noticed that too just trying to get opinions. I most likely wont buy it but i never heard of it either, I only heard of koyo and fluidyne.

 

[xveganxcowboyx]

I just put one in my car today. It seems reasonably nice. Much better than the stocker anyway. With current weather my cruising temps had been close to 220. Now they are sub 200. (at least on my 45 minute drive home). I did also pull the AC condensor though so I can't give the radiator all the credit.

 

[95blackGsTurbo]

I would stick with Koyo or Fluidyne. Radiators like that use lower quality aluminum that can corrode very easily. Cooling system isn't something I would really skip on. If anything just keep your stock one. I have my stock rad. with a 3" FMIC and A/C condensor and run sub 210* temps. here in AZ.

 

[selmerguy]

I have had one on my car for a few months with no real problems. I did have to make my own upper brackets because the pegs were alittle off. I like it very much and the car runs much cooler.

 

[daren_p]

If you look on Ebay you can get a Koyo rad for around $300 shipped when you use the submit offer. I think it worth the extra $100 to know your getting a great quality product in fit, finish & performance.

 

[nightspeed87]

If you look on Ebay you can get a Koyo rad for around $300 shipped when you use the submit offer. I think it worth the extra $100 to know your getting a great quality product in fit, finish & performance.

This is true.

I would stick with Koyo or Fluidyne. Radiators like that use lower quality aluminum that can corrode very easily. Cooling system isn't something I would really skip on. If anything just keep your stock one. I have my stock rad. with a 3" FMIC and A/C condensor and run sub 210* temps. here in AZ.

I thought about this also, I mean Im familur with the term you get what you pay for.
But for example some can argue is a pair of 3 dollar socks any different than a pair of 12 dollar socks with a name brand... Not sure if this applies to radiators since you did mention the corrosive capabilities if not designed right.
I mean so far appears the cooling aspect of it is good for the price... Now just need to find someone that can confirm the longevity factors of this product...

I do want a aftermarket radiator for sure though, and yes it will make the engine bay look a little nicer but dont think I want one because Im some kind of ricer that needs a chromed looking radiator, but because I want my car to be running optimally in this humid summer Florida heat especially on these long drives, and once a fmic goes in front of the radiator it will run even hotter. It doesnt over heat now, but it could run a little cooler, as I dont want it to go beyond 206 were ive been informed is the point in which it will pull 1deg timing and I dont want any timing pulled because of temp issues.

To me 190- 200 is the temp range I want to stay in, and by the way I dont have a a/c system on my car at all, and only one fan and that fan is wired to stay on full blast soon as the ign is on.

 

[Rice Over Wheat]

I didn't really notice a big difference in cooling from adding a 2" thick koyo rad. There is a trade off with going with a much thicker radiator. It ends up getting much closer to your hot exhaust components. However the koyo holds almost twice the coolant of the stock rad and aluminum transfers heat better than plastic. You can counter the closer proximity of the rad to exhaust components by using a turbine housing heat wrap cover and DEI heat wrapping all your exhaust components. You can also use dsmlink or a fan switch mod to keep the fans on to blow the heat away from the radiator. They can heat soak just like an intercooler.

I've been on a quest for cool temps over the past 6 weeks and have upgraded every single component of my cooling system with top of the line components and noting the benefits of each change. The biggest difference for me was heat wrapping everything...dropped temps 20* at times. Pretty amazing stuff and great bang for the buck.

Also note that intake temps also contribute to pulled timing above 100F, something that is very easy to do in Florida. What I'm doing to combat that is adding a DEI exhaust manifold heat blanket over my already heatwrapped manifold, as well as adding an intake heat shield cover for my intake pipe (gets blown on by hot radiator air) as well as my uicp. Lastly I'll be building my cold air box for intake, but modified to scoop air from a ram air headlight mod.

 

[wvturbo2]

As for the example with the socks, whats to say your $3 dollar socks don't get holes faster than my name brand sock. In the end it doesn't matter with a sock, but when you get a hole in your radiator or some other problem with the radiator it does matter. I paid almost 400 for my fluidyne, because my stock radiator broke. Was it expensive yes, but it is worth the money knowing I don't have to worry about anything with it. Oh and It looks amazing. If you buy one of these ebay knock offs if something happens and it's poor quality then you aren't saving money when buying two radiators.

 

[Rice Over Wheat]

I only go budget on low tech parts like exhaust piping or intercoolers. Radiators are also fairly low tech, but they are part of a critical system where failure could be catastrophic, so I don't go cheap there. An intercooler leak impacts performance, that's it. If any one of those thin radiator coolant passages fail or is flawed, your engine is at risk. I don't compromise there. You're talking a $110 difference for a shipped koyo off ebay.

Most people go fluidyne or koyo for quality. I chose koyo because it's .5" thicker than fluidyne and cheaper as well. Mine holds 1.5 gallons of fluid.

 

[selmerguy]

This debate over cheaper parts is never going to end. I like the people that pay 500 for a cat back exhaust system. Pipe is pipe. I dont know about the radiators but the principal of a radiator is very simple. I think the most important thing is what it is made of and that it dosent leak. Is the aluminum in the koyo radiator better quality than the ebay one. I dought it. I see alot cooler temps with the aluminum rad so it must be working ok for me.

 

[gsxtasy]

This debate over cheaper parts is never going to end. I like the people that pay 500 for a cat back exhaust system. Pipe is pipe. I dont know about the radiators but the principal of a radiator is very simple. I think the most important thing is what it is made of and that it dosent leak. Is the aluminum in the koyo radiator better quality than the ebay one. I dought it. I see alot cooler temps with the aluminum rad so it must be working ok for me.

My stainless steel exhaust pipe def. isn't the same as some's cheap aluminized steel pipes. On topic- I purchased a Koyo off ebay, didnt really notice too many gains, although im sure it helps. The biggest thing i found gains from is fab'ing up a 'scoop' underneath to catch air. Dropped my cruising temps(65-80mph) almost 30* logged on dsmlink. It used to get up to 220ish, does'nt see above around 192* currently.

 

[nightspeed87]

My stainless steel exhaust pipe def. isn't the same as some's cheap aluminized steel pipes. On topic- I purchased a Koyo off ebay, didnt really notice too many gains, although im sure it helps. The biggest thing i found gains from is fab'ing up a 'scoop' underneath to catch air. Dropped my cruising temps(65-80mph) almost 30* logged on dsmlink. It used to get up to 220ish, does'nt see above around 192* currently.

Yes now this I have heard of to make a difference. Perhaps Ill do this to mines wednesday with some sheet metal for the hell of it so it will already be done before the fmic goes on.
Rice Over Wheat, have you tried to do this radiator scoop thing? I know it wont help you at idle but perhaps lower your temps at speed.
Im still decisive about the radiator thing because everyone has some very good points and its coming down to just a matter of opinion, I havent had any hard core evidence that this ebay knock radiator performs worse or better than the koyo.
But I do about it being a critical part to have fail on you and spending once right is better than spending twice. At least that much is agreed.

I didn't really notice a big difference in cooling from adding a 2" thick koyo rad. There is a trade off with going with a much thicker radiator. It ends up getting much closer to your hot exhaust components. However the koyo holds almost twice the coolant of the stock rad and aluminum transfers heat better than plastic. You can counter the closer proximity of the rad to exhaust components by using a turbine housing heat wrap cover and DEI heat wrapping all your exhaust components. You can also use dsmlink or a fan switch mod to keep the fans on to blow the heat away from the radiator. They can heat soak just like an intercooler.

I've been on a quest for cool temps over the past 6 weeks and have upgraded every single component of my cooling system with top of the line components and noting the benefits of each change. The biggest difference for me was heat wrapping everything...dropped temps 20* at times. Pretty amazing stuff and great bang for the buck.

Also note that intake temps also contribute to pulled timing above 100F, something that is very easy to do in Florida. What I'm doing to combat that is adding a DEI exhaust manifold heat blanket over my already heatwrapped manifold, as well as adding an intake heat shield cover for my intake pipe (gets blown on by hot radiator air) as well as my uicp. Lastly I'll be building my cold air box for intake, but modified to scoop air from a ram air headlight mod.

Yea personally Im not going to do all that in aiding cooling. Wont be nessecary for my car and plus I already have heat wrap on the downpipe and I am definitly going to run my intake into the fender straight off the turbo for cold air charge. ( The going to make a sheet metal box around it leaving the top open, to block significant amounts of rain getting on it. )
At least this way it wont exactly be breathing under hood temps.

 

[Rice Over Wheat]

Rice Over Wheat, have you tried to do this radiator scoop thing? I know it wont help you at idle but perhaps lower your temps at speed.
Im still decisive about the radiator thing because everyone has some very good points and its coming down to just a matter of opinion, I havent had any hard core evidence that this ebay knock radiator performs worse or better than the koyo.

I haven't done ducting yet but that is also in the plans for sure. I'm going to go all out though and seal the sides and top between the rad, a/c, and fmic so there is nowhere for the air to go but through the rad.

I think that as long as that radiator's welds are good it'll be fine. The problem is until you get it in your hands, you might not know for sure what you are getting. But selmerguy says it's working good.