1G Mitshimoto radiator problem after problem

[Slobonator4G63]

Alright, I just want to first start off saying that I think I bought into the hype of mishiomoto products. I've always wanted to have the Big M across my radiator along with the talked about quality and efficiency of there radiators. I Didn't see any current thread on my particular issue. So I ordered my rad threw Rtm and when it arrived everything looked good and great, no damage to the parcel witch was very surprising. Anyways 1 week later I get around to the unit boxing my car is prepped and ready to swap this fancy thing in there and low and be hold this this was looking like dog sh*t right out of the plastic packaging. So I called rtm who said that it's pretty common issue for rads to come with some fins pushed over and bent from shipping and handling. My question to them was well is there anything that can be done it was followed up by well you could send it back but you'd have to pay the shipping and I thought to myself why would I need to pay the shipping for a brand new in the box product that looks like it was dry fitted. So I proceed to go to mitshimoto and let them know about the quality of the rad.I mentioned it was alot of money for me to spend and second this was a brand new item. I sent multiple photos to them they followed up with an email saying they didn't receive my photos and asked if I could text them.
, I of course said no problem and proceed that very day. A couple days went by and I followed up with them and they said: oh the Rep emailed you back asking if there were any bent of broken tubes. I said not to any of the tubers, but the fins all look like shit. I asked what might be done in this case as I've been waiting for quite of some time not able to even drive my car,and there was a rad I wasn't going to put into my car if it had to go back I went back and forth with them for 2 weeks over the phone as there was something very wrong with there server or something cause I've still not received there emails to this date. They basically said that the l worse case they'd send a new radiator and then they came full circle and said that they weren't prepared to replace mine as it seemed functional otherwise just cosmetically not appealing and they followed it up by saying I was more likely to put some bent fins into it myself just by driving it. My only argument at the time was if i pay for something new its should come new I said, if I damage it then I can accept that, but this product is brand new out of the box and this to me isn't acceptable.

They offer me a discount to buy the matching fan shroud and I had to decline as I couldn't see myself spending another dime there. So I built my own fan shroud and put the fan on filled it this evening and would you know not only do these things come with bent fins but the bloody drain plug leaks. I know from experience how soft and delicate alluminim threads are and so I snugged up the bolt and then just a half more turn and I still have a leak! Now I start reading other boards and these guys are having issue too. Like having a machine shop drill out and tap a brand new radiator like GTFO of here. I paid just shy of 400 and and still more issues with unresolved fin being pushed over.

My question is anyone else having issues with there new out the box radiators from mitshimoto cause I frankly don't think I'm the only one here. And frankly if I bought another brand that wasn't mishimoto I'd have just modified that rad and threw away the fact that it doesn't have a life timebwarranty, but unfortunately they do and secondly I'm not really authorized to modify mine to fix it to get it to work. Like this crap about the bushing on the cradle causing a twisting effect is just a bogus excuse for these rads.

Please If you have had issues post, attach your photos. These are photos of the cosmetics of the rad I don't have the picture of the drain plug but I currently got a red solo collecting my coolant overnight till I have a plan of attack.

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[dustyboner]

i have used radiators with better looking fins than that.

was the box it came in fuct up or did it seem like it was messed up before it got boxed up? cause if it was fuct up from shipping you probably should of filed a claim with the shipping company (i think that how it works)
If it wasn't from shipping, RTM should replace it with one in perfect condition and take care of all the shipping costs. They should have either inspected it before it went out or be willing to eat the cost including shipping if they send you a part that isn't in brand new condition.
Thats just how your supposed to do business.
If i was installing a radiator or anything else for someone and bent up the fins like that, I'd wouldn't say "its a common issue from installation". f*** no i'd be buying a new radiator, coolant and what ever else i fuct up cause it was my fault.

i have always thought of mishimoto as rebranded generic chinese shit.

Get a fluidyne radiator if you want quality. They are hand made in the USA.
The "1g race rad" that RTM sells is almost exactly the same as the mishimoto. Theres no point paying double just for an M stenciled on it.

 

[1999RSfwd]

I bought a Koyo for my 2g.

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

i have always thought of mishimoto as rebranded generic chinese shit

Any explanation behind this? Some of the products I have bought from them aren't made by anyone else. I've never had issues with receiving damaged products from them, so I can't speak in terms of their customer service, which sounds awful by the way. But every product I ever ordered made by Mishimoto I have been satisfied with. I definitely wouldn't be installing their parts on my limited WRX if I thought they were cheap Chinese shit. But idk, maybe you know something I don't.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

Save some $$$$

1990-1991-1992-1993-1994-Eagle-Talon

shop.championcooling.com

It is what I run on my Red Talon as I stole the Mitsumoto X out of her for the Blue Talon.

 

[streetraceboi]

Any explanation behind this? Some of the products I have bought from them aren't made by anyone else. I've never had issues with receiving damaged products from them, so I can't speak in terms of their customer service, which sounds awful by the way. But every product I ever ordered made by Mishimoto I have been satisfied with. I definitely wouldn't be installing their parts on my limited WRX if I thought they were cheap Chinese shit. But idk, maybe you know something I don't.

That's how majority of them started. Megan Racing, Mishimoto, NRG....all Chinese crap branded with their name. Its not hard to go on Alibaba and pay a little bit more to have your brand stamped on it. If you go look on Alibaba and compare most of the steering wheels/hub listed on there...its the same stuff NRG uses...with their logo.

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

That's a shame to hear. Really changes my outlook on Mishimoto as a company. I'll continue running the parts I already bought from them but perhaps I'll search elsewhere for any new parts I'd like.

 

[Snug_GSX]

Just wanted to add my 2 cents on Mishimoto. I have multiple photos comparing Chinese off brand (ebay/amazon) radiators to Mishi and they are Identical! You are literally paying for a spray painted M and a stamped serial # sticker. I am working on oil cooler setup right now, wanted to test theory again so I purchased 19 row MISHI and a 19 row "Import racing". When I say they were identical I mean IDENTICAL. I was actually quite sad/disappointed when I heard this about Mishi.... If you want a good replacement go with a KOYO or custom scirocco afco unit if you have a 2g. This is not RTMs fault in my opinion but hopefully they can reach out to mishi and get you a replacement. Good luck sir!

 

[streetraceboi]

Just wanted to add my 2 cents on Mishimoto. I have multiple photos comparing Chinese off brand (ebay/amazon) radiators to Mishi and they are Identical! You are literally paying for a spray painted M and a stamped serial # sticker. I am working on oil cooler setup right now, wanted to test theory again so I purchased 19 row MISHI and a 19 row "Import racing". When I say they were identical I mean IDENTICAL. I was actually quite sad/disappointed when I heard this about Mishi.... If you want a good replacement go with a KOYO or custom scirocco afco unit if you have a 2g. This is not RTMs fault in my opinion but hopefully they can reach out to mishi and get you a replacement. Good luck sir!

EXACTLY. If you want to know youre buying GOOD quality...buy the real deal. My friend has an NRG wheel. I have a MOMO. Quality is bar none when comparing. Mishimoto had all the same stuff I would see on Alibaba at 4x the cost with their logo on it. Im sure by now they do make most of their items...but its safe to assume all the fast movers are cheap Chinese crap.

 

[Vegas Smith]

I also think of Mishimoto as heavily branded and marketed ebay products. It doesn’t mean that everything they sell is bad it just means that a lot of their bread and butter products (fans, radiators etc) are low quality.

 

[Widgmaster]

I recently installed a Mishimoto Rad, and I am very happy with it. The box it came in ( just like the one in your pic ) was like a fortress. It had two inch, corrugated cardboard around all sides…top and bottom. Very well protected for shipping. The condition of the rad was perfect. My transmission cooler was also from Mishimoto and arrived in great condition.
I am very surprised to see all that fin damage. Was your rad shipped to you from RTM or from Mishimoto. Also, I read you waited a week before you installed your rad. Do you have kids or a little brother that may have got into your package .

 

[Slobonator4G63]

i have used radiators with better looking fins than that.

was the box it came in fuct up or did it seem like it was messed up before it got boxed up? cause if it was fuct up from shipping you probably should of filed a claim with the shipping company (i think that how it works)
If it wasn't from shipping, RTM should replace it with one in perfect condition and take care of all the shipping costs. They should have either inspected it before it went out or be willing to eat the cost including shipping if they send you a part that isn't in brand new condition.
Thats just how your supposed to do business.
If i was installing a radiator or anything else for someone and bent up the fins like that, I'd wouldn't say "its a common issue from installation". f*** no i'd be buying a new radiator, coolant and what ever else i fuct up cause it was my fault.

i have always thought of mishimoto as rebranded generic chinese shit.

Get a fluidyne radiator if you want quality. They are hand made in the USA.
The "1g race rad" that RTM sells is almost exactly the same as the mishimoto. Theres no point paying double just for an M stenciled on it.

Hey, I didn't soley buy the product for the M, but for the hype of there warranty and that there were good reviews from people now should I have done more digging to see about the con 100 percent but I think in the future I'd be happy with an off brand and then don't i wouldn't feel guilt if I had to modify to rework it into my vehicle if need be.

I recently installed a Mishimoto Rad, and I am very happy with it. The box it came in ( just like the one in your pic ) was like a fortress. It had two inch, corrugated cardboard around all sides…top and bottom. Very well protected for shipping. The condition of the rad was perfect. My transmission cooler was also from Mishimoto and arrived in great condition.
I am very surprised to see all that fin damage. Was your rad shipped to you from RTM or from Mishimoto. Also, I read you waited a week before you installed your rad. Do you have kids or a little brother that may have got into your package .

Hey I waited cause I was in the middle of a house reno well the wife and kid were gone and it frankly arrived earlier then expect. But like you it came very well pack from what I could see the only thing I could possibly think was the shipping. I mean the clear plastic wrap was intact but the heavy duty car board had the ability to move as it wasn't taped to the core of the radiator and with the plastic wrap being lose wrapped I could see this being one major area that could have been the reason as the cardboard moved jiggled,vibrated the plastic could have pulled the fins.

But yeah what a nightmare with all the back and forth over email. I tried three different email addresses with Mishimoto I got two emails and after that I had to start calling either there was something on there end going wrong. Just was all a sad venture. Was a little disappointed with the response from rtm racing yes. I mean I've installed knock odd or off brand intercooler with less fin damage and the answer is yes and half them when I received them didn't have a lick of cardboard or plastic.

 

[danl]

Just wanted to add my 2 cents on Mishimoto. I have multiple photos comparing Chinese off brand (ebay/amazon) radiators to Mishi and they are Identical! You are literally paying for a spray painted M and a stamped serial # sticker. I am working on oil cooler setup right now, wanted to test theory again so I purchased 19 row MISHI and a 19 row "Import racing". When I say they were identical I mean IDENTICAL. I was actually quite sad/disappointed when I heard this about Mishi.... If you want a good replacement go with a KOYO or custom scirocco afco unit if you have a 2g. This is not RTMs fault in my opinion but hopefully they can reach out to mishi and get you a replacement. Good luck sir!

I’d love to find a koyo for a 1g, do you know of a place that has them in stock?

Save some $$$$

1990-1991-1992-1993-1994-Eagle-Talon

shop.championcooling.com

It is what I run on my Red Talon as I stole the Mitsumoto X out of her for the Blue Talon.

Do these cool well? Do they sit square in the radiator mounts? I’ve seen some pretty bad aftermarket radiators over the years and have to ask.

 

[dustyboner]

you might have a better outcome if you message Paul@RTM thru the forum, unless thats who you talked to when you contacted RTM.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

Do these cool well? Do they sit square in the radiator mounts? I’ve seen some pretty bad aftermarket radiators over the years and have to ask.

Fit every bit as good as a Mitsumoto. Good radiators. We run that brand in our other stuff also.

 

[Dhan]

Sorry to hear that Mishimoto has hit or miss quality. I just got a 3 port catch can from them that appears to be of decent quality. I wanted a Calan catch can, but he's not making them at the moment. The packaging the Mishimoto comes in was a little overdone for my taste (not the Fedex box, the product packaging) and made me think I'm paying more for marketing than quality. But I haven't actually tried the catch can yet, so we'll see.

For what it's worth, I've gotten two 1g radiators from Rockauto, which are probably cheap Chinese products. They came with no bent fins or damage. Both have worked fine on cars making 280-300hp.

 

[Jon Lane]

i have always thought of mishimoto as rebranded generic chinese shit.

Just wanted to add my 2 cents on Mishimoto. I have multiple photos comparing Chinese off brand (ebay/amazon) radiators to Mishi and they are Identical! You are literally paying for a spray painted M and a stamped serial # sticker. I am working on oil cooler setup right now, wanted to test theory again so I purchased 19 row MISHI and a 19 row "Import racing". When I say they were identical I mean IDENTICAL.

I'm a 2G but this thread seems appropriate. I've had two Mishimoto radiators and both are junk. First one leaked at the top seam inside of a year, and now the second one leaks at the bottom seam, this time at under 10k miles and three years. Zero warranty support on either, of course.

If you search noted motorsports brand eBay for DSM radiators you'll see twenty nameless, generic aluminum offshore examples for maybe $150 or less, all of which are indistinguishable from each other and from the Mishimoto. That stupid M and the little badge cost $100.

Nothing better on a freezing Saturday morning after needlessly blowing money then swapping into a fourth radiator.

 

[Jon Lane]

Two consecutive Mishimoto's opened up hairline cracks and where thrown out. A generic aluminum radiator is solid.

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[curt-s]

This is exactly the reason I've been hesitant on picking up a new oil cooler thinking mishimoto would be better quality than your next noname piece.