Radiator.
Radiator.
Any one have any experience with this radiator? Good or bad i searched and haven't been able to find anything.
7507AA Silla Radiator - All Aluminum for 78-85 Mazda RX7 at Andy's Auto Sport
Seems cheep id rather not get something shitty. but the bottom of my radiator is quite literally half rotted off so hopefully this is a cheep alternative.
7507AA Silla Radiator - All Aluminum for 78-85 Mazda RX7 at Andy's Auto Sport
Seems cheep id rather not get something shitty. but the bottom of my radiator is quite literally half rotted off so hopefully this is a cheep alternative.
Is that la Oltra in your signature? Only thing that scares me about that web site is just they have so many things that don't apply to the rx7's in the rx7 category its crazy head gaskets/timing chains/belts. just seems like they don't know anything.
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Joined: Dec 2010
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From: La Habra
judging from the bolt holes in the pic it looks identical to the brass rad. i just replaced yesturday on my buddies SE. just make sure it has the bung on top for the level sender.(its hard to see in that pic)
Old [Sch|F]ool
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 12,862
Likes: 568
From: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
That looks like the one I bought last summer for $160 shipped from eBay.
It fit nicely, the only caveat is that the lower hose simply could not fit. Impossibility. Note that I have NEVER seen an aftermarket radiator where the lower radiator outlet was at the correct angle.
What I did was get a lower hose for a ZX2 (say 1999 Ford ZX2, if you need a year/make/model) although it MAY have been for a standard Escort of that generation. They may actually be the same part. Anyway, you're only going to use half of it. You need to trim much of the bottom curl off and a little off of the top, but it WILL fit beautifully with no kinks. Re-use the spring from your old radiator hose. The Escort/ZX2 hose does not have a spring, and the spring is crucial to prevent the water pump from sucking it shut.
If you'd like, I can get a photo tomorrow when the light is better. It just got dark here and details seem to be lost when a flash is used.
I cannot say how well the fan shroud fits it, since I do not have one. Also, now that I remember a little bit more, I had to tweak the bottom driver's side a bit for my GSL-SE oil cooler's lines. My cooler is not in the stock location so this may not actually be an issue, but it's something to look out for.
It fit nicely, the only caveat is that the lower hose simply could not fit. Impossibility. Note that I have NEVER seen an aftermarket radiator where the lower radiator outlet was at the correct angle.
What I did was get a lower hose for a ZX2 (say 1999 Ford ZX2, if you need a year/make/model) although it MAY have been for a standard Escort of that generation. They may actually be the same part. Anyway, you're only going to use half of it. You need to trim much of the bottom curl off and a little off of the top, but it WILL fit beautifully with no kinks. Re-use the spring from your old radiator hose. The Escort/ZX2 hose does not have a spring, and the spring is crucial to prevent the water pump from sucking it shut.
If you'd like, I can get a photo tomorrow when the light is better. It just got dark here and details seem to be lost when a flash is used.
I cannot say how well the fan shroud fits it, since I do not have one. Also, now that I remember a little bit more, I had to tweak the bottom driver's side a bit for my GSL-SE oil cooler's lines. My cooler is not in the stock location so this may not actually be an issue, but it's something to look out for.
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Joined: Dec 2010
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From: La Habra
^yeah that bottom hose is a pain in the *** lol. i put mine on but i used the racing beat hoses and it took a long time to coax them in and not to mention the cuts on my hands and arms in the process, but it barely fit(like an 1/16) from the motor mount)
but those fan shroud holes look pretty dead on on where their supposed to be.
but those fan shroud holes look pretty dead on on where their supposed to be.
I'm thinking of just a flat piece of aluminum with a hole for my e fan. It doesn't like being unshrouded and the stock shroud takes up alota room. Peejay a few pictures would be nice.
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Joined: Dec 2010
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From: La Habra
just some thought, if you put the piece flat against the back of the radiator, the area not covered by the fan wont cool well, however if you take sum metal seamers and bend a 1/2 inch flange all the way around and seal it to the rad. it will pull air almost evenly and cool better. you dont want certain parts to have no flow and you also dont want heat saturated air trapped behind it.
Well I decided against the andys auto parts radiator. All the reviews were horrible and apparently their customer service blows. So I just ordered a replacement from rock auto. (Rock autos my new friend)
Old [Sch|F]ool
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 12,862
Likes: 568
From: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
The brass radiators are good but at the time I NEEDED a radiator, SPI was in the process of being absorbed by LKQ and there were NONE for sale anywhere.
Well, there was one SPI on eBay for over $300, but I wasn't going to pay that much for a radiator that cost me $89 the year before!
Oh, yeah, the other problem - if you remove the fan shroud, or have a car like mine where everything is tewaked and twisted because it was in a collision somewhere in its history (my car's nose is visibly pushed off to the side), the copper/brass radiators have a tendency to break and fall apart by the side plates coming loose. I actually had made an X-brace that goes between the radiator and the mounting sheetmetal, which worked a tiny bit.
The aluminum radiator is welded and bolted together, and still hasn't come apart or started leaking a year later.
Well, there was one SPI on eBay for over $300, but I wasn't going to pay that much for a radiator that cost me $89 the year before!
Oh, yeah, the other problem - if you remove the fan shroud, or have a car like mine where everything is tewaked and twisted because it was in a collision somewhere in its history (my car's nose is visibly pushed off to the side), the copper/brass radiators have a tendency to break and fall apart by the side plates coming loose. I actually had made an X-brace that goes between the radiator and the mounting sheetmetal, which worked a tiny bit.
The aluminum radiator is welded and bolted together, and still hasn't come apart or started leaking a year later.
Well new brass radiator is in. Only thing about the rock auto one is there are two lines coming out of the bottom of the tank that need to be plugged. Anyone know why they are there? gsl-se have something going on down there?
Well tomorow will be the real test getting to work. Next project to tackle FMOC or shocks and struts. I have both but no lines for the FMOC.
Well tomorow will be the real test getting to work. Next project to tackle FMOC or shocks and struts. I have both but no lines for the FMOC.
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 11,359
Likes: 14
From: Grand Rapids Michigan
I believe the radiator I got was from Champion (found on Ebay). I got a 3 row, and Orion84gsl picked up a 2 row. No fitment issues, works great, looks solid, and was a great price (although I don't recall the exact amount).
The 3 row is snug with a 12a, probably couldn't use it with a 13b.
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The 3 row is snug with a 12a, probably couldn't use it with a 13b.
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 5,972
Likes: 37
From: Ottawa, Soviet Canuckistan
I got my "Ron Davis" Aluminum Rad from AWR Racing.
AWR builds high performance aluminum radiators for race cars, with extreme cooling needs
I don't remember the exact price aside from it being a small fortune. That said, I'd gone through two re-cored stock rads and just said "F-it, I should have done it right the first time, screw the cost!" and put that one in. Everything ran beautifully after that though getting it mounted was a bit of a trial - the metal side-mount "wings" aren't as wide as stock and you have to drill your own holes, but it wasn't anything terribly complicated.
Jon
AWR builds high performance aluminum radiators for race cars, with extreme cooling needs
I don't remember the exact price aside from it being a small fortune. That said, I'd gone through two re-cored stock rads and just said "F-it, I should have done it right the first time, screw the cost!" and put that one in. Everything ran beautifully after that though getting it mounted was a bit of a trial - the metal side-mount "wings" aren't as wide as stock and you have to drill your own holes, but it wasn't anything terribly complicated.
Jon
