Quick question: can a 2nd gen radiator be used on an 84 12b? Saw one in pristeen condition at the junk yard, and mine is rusty with broken fins, so I need a replacement. Anyone have knowledge on this subject?

 

I've got one in my car. It bolts in nicely, but the upper fitting on the rad needed to be cut, and I had to make a custom hose for the bottom.

I just cut the bend off the top, and clamped the hose tightly. On the bottom, I bought a really curvy rad hose, and some aluminum tubing, and oriented the straights and corners as necessary, using many hose clamps.

 

http://seriousre.com/img/ebay/rx7/DCP07250.JPG

http://seriousre.com/img/ebay/rx7/DCP07316.JPG

 

Yes, I like! I've got to give it a shot. Just hope the radiator is still there when I go to pick it up. Everything else of value has already been stripped!

 

thats awesome, i want a 12b.... haha 12a by the way, no big deal honest mistake right!

 

is this really an improvment? i need to replace mine and im looking for the best one.

 

'84 12b??? i gotta see this!!!

Also, i heard there is a little fabrication work, and it doesnt exactly "bolt right in."

 

If you mount it vertically, as I did, it bolts right in, but you have to modify the upper fitting and make a custom lower hose.

My car is 13b, electric fan, but the stocker will work.

 

EXCELLENT!

I don't like the stock brass radiator...

Having dissimilar metals in the cooling system causes corrosion...

Basically, remeber 6th grade science where you took a lemon, stuck in a paperclip and a penny and made it into a battery? Basically doing the same thing here...

What they don't tell you is that in a battery, metal gets transferred from one part to another...

We already have iron and aluminium, I'd rather not throw a third in the mix...

Not to mention, Aluminium is lighter and carries heat better.

AFAIK, the filler cap on the FC is on the engine... How do you get it on the radiator...
Or perhaps I can find a coolant bottle off a different car that has the pressure cap and make it one of those single fill systems... Hmmmm... Sounds interesting.

 

is there any significant cooling benifit from this setup??

id like to find out more and maybe see some pics of mounting pints etc

can anyone help??
-James

 

I did put 12b, didn't I? Wow, must have been out of it. I'd really like to give this a shot, but I also need to get rid of that crappy oil cooler. So much work, so little time.

 

The radiator holds more volume, so the heat doesn't spike as much. I will say that the car stays significantly cooler (in fact, it is difficult to get the temp high enough).

Check the scrap yards. My filler cap is on the rad, though it is not "supposed" to be used as a filler hole. (since the rad is "supposed" to be installed at an angle.

 

okay so it does offer better cooling with a proper thermostat that shouldnt matter.

 

Wow! you have your engine bay looking nice

 

I definitely like this, looks clean. Not sure I can do it without swapping the oil cooler too. Too bad it's almost impossible to find a 1st gen in the junkyards around here. Believe me, I've been looking. There's been like 1 in the past 6 months.

 

looks like you have to loose the ac evaporator