Best source for a new radiator?
 

Ive been thinking about replacing my radiator lately. Since I got the AC going in the 1980 it makes me want to make it more reliable for daily driving so I've been replacing all hoses, comfort features etc.

Now with the least expensive radiator being the best obvious answer... How does quality stack up? Ive been looking at part store radiators and they run $280. eBay radiators run $140. Obviously if the ebay radiator is good quality Id rather save $140. If anyone has one of these how is fitment?

Other thing is will I notice a cooling difference with an ebay aluminum radiator?CThe reason for me replacing the radiator in the first place is because the AC will make the car run sightly over the halfway mark when in heavy traffic, but cools back to under half way after I start moving. I have replaced the fan with a 'KNOWN GOOD" unit from Atkins so I assume its working ok. How is quality and fitment on the aluminum ebay radiators?

i have an aluminum radiator on my RX-3 that I picked up from a local shop who sells under CX Racing,Godspeed and such. search under RMS or forum member 61620B

With a junkyard nissan quest/mercury villager e-fan, dual volvo efan controller, 40amp relay and summit racing e-fan tstat controlling low speed, it has been working fine, keeping temp below 190 while sitting at LA's stop and go traffic at 90+ degrees. I didnt see the need to flip the high speed fan toggle switch.

In LA, you can be sitting on a stop and go traffic for hours....it could take over 1 hr to go 20 miles.

Here's the the I bought from AutoZone. Sign up for their emails and they will send discount codes. They will also sometimes offer free shipping. Enter SEPTEMBER20 as the coupon code and this one is priced at $127.19 before shipping + tax.

Radiator | 1985 Mazda RX7 1.1L 4BL Rotary | AutoZone.com

I bought an aluminum rad from eBay had it for about a year.. Has done it's job and a half the only time I've seen temperatures start getting over half on the stock gauge is after being on the interstate then stuck in city traffic and hardly moving for more than 15 minutes in mid summer temperatures... In my opinion its already paid for itself...... However, it is considerably thicker than stock and fitment with Taurus efan is TIGHT

I just order some front wheel bearings for my 1985 RX-7 and found that AutoZone has free ship-to-home with orders over $75.

If your Radiator is not leaking, and you see no rust or discoloration inside or in your radiator fluid, replacing it with another stock radiator is probably a waste of money. Going to a larger radiator with more cores would add cooling ability. As long as your not overheating, I wouldn't worry about it.

many of the fb ebay radiators are a "poor fit" in terms of the mounting holes lining up but the cooling capacity is greater if you can make them work in your engine bay.

I got a factory 3 row radiator out of an 80 that would do the trick for you and bolt right in. It was not leaking but I would maybe clean it out since its been sitting awhile.
You oil cooler would mount up no problem too.
a 3 row should give you plenty of cooling.
PM me if interested.

I have an 80. Even if the radiator isnt leaking it could have clogs causing cooling problems under stress.

The car rarely sits over 1/3 in traffic with no AC and never over 1/4 on the highway.

I bought a pepboys radiator. It wasn't an exact fit, but I made it work. Yes it fixed the problem, but the POS buckled and de formed. 2 years later, I bought a radiator from a small independent radiator shop. It was an exact fit!! And after 15 years is still doing great, without buckling and deforming.

RockAuto is a great place to get a new radiator. I got one and it fit great and works great.
It will come with the tubes on it for cooling the auto tranny fluid, I just cut em off. Most replacement
radiators are designed to replace manual or auto installations.

The Spectra one on RockAuto is the same CU97 part number as the AutoZone one. Once I got the AutoZone one, I could not tell a difference between it and the stock one.

SPECTRA PREMIUM / COOLING DEPOT Part # CU97

The only complaint I have with the factory style radiators is the the bottom drain cock is only a plug. I've looked for alternative drain cocks but could not find one that will allow you to regulate the amount of water coming out. It would need to be plastic because I tried a metal drain cock and the brass is just not strong enough in that area to install a metal/brass fitting and not have the radiator flex while installing it.

So in your opinions should I replace the radiator or try to find another clutch fan? Since it only warms up at extended idle with the AC on. The inside of the radiator appears unclogged at the top, although there is slight white buildup. Not sure if that would cause anything. Since you cant see the bottom of the radiator core theres no way to tell if its clogged.

Clutch fan is on full lock for the first 20 seconds or so of startup and then goes and stays silent. Dual alternator pulley so I know theres no slippage. If I install one of my bad clutch fans that stay on full lock all the time the car never over heats period.

I figured Id replace it as a system. I already put a new Atkins "Mazda" equivalent thermostat in. Running like a 60/40 coolant mix with new upper and lower hoses. I was thinking replace the radiator and water pump at the same time.

Opinions on the oil cooler lines causing slight over heating?

I should have specified with my post. I have an efan with manual toggle switch therefore without any fan running mid summer temps and city no move traffic it's the only time my gauge gets a tad bit over half not even close to the warning mark... Otherwise I'm lucky to see my gauge climb past that second mark on my 85 this is with the eBay aluminum rad that I bought for 120 after shipping. Mounting holes were right on but I had to trim the sides on the Taurus fan shroud

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewi...641&cmd=VIDESC. My Efan setup. One picture with old radiator. . I have a thermostat on my fan mounted inside the shroud. I also have a toggle switch. Because I have it hooked up to constant voltage it runs after I shut the engine off. So I have it set up o where it kicks on for 15 seconds after I shut her down when it's over a 100 outside and just run off the toggle. It's just a little turn knob. It's nice to not have heat soak. Every time I park her ill be outside and 5 minutes after everything's clear it'll kick on for 10 seconds, again and shut off completely. It's that hot outside. But once that's over with its cool for the rest of the time. Stopping at gas stations, quick places makes it a lot easier to get back in and turn over.

I just ordered a aluminum radiator off eBay. It fit pretty good, same one as Nicholas posted a link to above. Now tommorow I'm going to see how well the stock shroud and fan fit being it appears to be somewhat thicker...???

Does the stock fan/shroud fit with the aluminum radiator? How is fitment around the lower hose near the engine mount?

The replacement aluminum radiator was much shorter then the stock one I replaced, however it is stock size if you have the oil cooler mounted in its original location up front. The car I put it into has the beehive cooler / no fmoc so a little trim of the lower hose and it fit perfect. I'll let you know how the shroud and fan fit after tommorow. It appears to be a good buy at only $140 shipped.

The one I have is shorter in vertical length, i had to shorten the lower hoses, and its a half inch wider from front to back. I think it will fit with the shroud it'll take some modifying, no big stuff though. I know I had to take a crowbar to make and flex the metal to line up the bolt patterns not to big of a deal.

LoL Nicholas... A crowbar...??? I just dremeled the bolt holes a little bit bigger.

I didn't bend it to much it flexed out pretty easy, I'm lazy when it comes to drilling. My fan is attached by two giant tieraps my father used in the telephone offices to hold equipment. When I took out the old radiator everything went inward. But it has two bars that run the length on the inside of the fan.

it maybe cheaper to "rod out" your current radiator; however, rad shop wont know the condition of the core until they disassemble the upper and lower cover.

go with junkyard fans such as villager and taurus. cheaper and works as good as a black magic if not better

Absolutely, when I replaced the OEM oil lines to the front cooler it brought my
temp gauge down from 1/2 to 1/3 or 1/4 depending on conditions. Oil is the main
coolant for the rotary. Those old hoses were all swollen inside and coming apart.
I'm sure the flow was terrible.

Ive been eyeing the RB stainless lines... Do I really have to spend $60 on the damn adapters??

You can hunt around and find adapters cheaper, but you will need adapters for the engine side and also for the FMOC if you are running a stock one.

I purchase a 10 row FMOC that had -10AN fittings already welded in. I then ordered the -10 braid hose and fittings and made my own hoses. Here's a pic without the hoses on. The square box on the right is an Earls oil temp thermostat. I have about $500 in this setup.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/.../Brakett10.jpg