Im looking for a radiator to replace the stock unit. Ive looked at fluidyne and koyo.
Koyo sounds pretty nice, but i know fluidynes are very popular. Im replacing it with the Pettit Cool Charge 3, if that matters at all.

 

I have a koyo and I am very happy with it... if that help. Its cheaper and bigger than a fluidyne also.

 

either one sounds like a good idea. i guess it will boil down to what you can get a better deal on. i am gonna get the fluidyne for my rx7

 

I like the extra volume you get with the Koyo. It takes a little more "massaging" to get it in than the Fluidyne (supposedly). I have installed a few and it really isn't that bad. So if you do not mind a little extra fitting than go with the Koyo.

 

You know the only reason to replace from stock unit is not because they cool better but because the stocker has a nasty habit of cracking at the ends.

With that said both Koyo or fluidyne will cool just fine. But it's my understanding that there are a little bit more fitment issues in using the Koyo.

M-

 

I had no issues installing the Koyo, and either is a good radiator.

Note though that if you are having cooling issues that replacing the radiator is not necessarily going to provide a miracle cure. Unless your stocker is badly bent up or leaking or not flowing well you probably won't see the huge improvement you're hoping for.

Effective ducting, a lower temp thermoswitch, a thorough flush, and getting every bit of air out of the system has been more effective for me in keeping my temps down than the new radiator.

 

I'm with wtgator69 bigger, better, cheaper...

Brakets were not hard to make either, sinceI have a huge FMIC I had to stand it up alot and bring as close as possible to PPF.

 

With the koyo...you may run into IC duct fitment problems. I have the Koyo with a PFS IC and the duct had to be trimmed so it fit through the area where the radiator sits up higher and the frame.

 

http://www.radiatorworld.com/radiato...px?carno=15108

 

What he said, exactly my experience.

 

I am one of the people that had a hard time getting the radiator to fit just right without affecting other components, but now that it's installed I'm very happy. I'm glad I saved a few bucks as well.

 

Mahjik -- how would you rate each of the 3 they show? What do you see as the right application for each?

 

i dont like mine at all!! its in the stock location and does NOT fit properly..... i have no idea how you guys are getting yours to fit.... i had to modify my brackets to get it to drop farther down.... its practically touching the AC condensor (is that the right name?) and parallel to it so it really cant get ANY CLOSER.... yet it sits too high and the stock IC hits the rad. fan assembly so everything is pushed up... this prevents me from using the stock plastic airbox/IC shrowd.

am i seriously the only one that had this problem? i dont see how you guys got it to fit unless you moved the AC condensor further down...

oh and to top it off (and ive tried EVERYTHING else... check fans, replace caps, replace thermostat, etc) it still overheats!!! it just takes longer to overheat now... but when it does (since the capacity is larger) its takes longer to recover.... so im just stuck on the side of the road for longer than i was before. i only drive the car at night now because i cant stand all the problems it has... it may just have to go up for sale cause im at my wits end (sorry for the rant guys... i just needed to vent big time)

-heath

 

i installed mine today and i had zero problems...it fit perfectly and everything bolted right in. I would recogmend it. I did not put the intercooler in yet, but i think i am going to a front mount or v mount anyways so that shouldnt be a problem.

 

Did you dremmel out the holes some on the brackets? Thats helps out ALOT

 

The first one is should be exactly like the OEM, just all aluminum. The second one would be about the same size as a Fluidyne or PWR. The third one is larger than the Koyo. If you plan to get their Racing Radiator, plan on working on making everything else fit properly.

I plan on using their Racing Radiator myself, but I do track my car. For street driven cars, a standard aluminum replacement is just fine.

 

yes... the rad. is literally almost touching the AC condensor

 

I have the stock replacement radiator. All metal/copper/brass and works fine. It's painted black so it doesn't have the nice polished look, but you can't really see it in stock position anyway. So for $120 and better cooling properties, you can't beat it.

 

Given the difficulties some have with fitment and the fact that I had *zero* problems installing mine (ok, minor tweaking of a condensor hanger required if I recall correctly), I wonder if there is some fundamental mistake some are making or if there have been changes made by Koyo in newer radiators, or perhaps there have been small changes between FD model years? Mine is a 93 R1.

The only place for installation differences / mistakes is in the upper brackets (unless you have aftermarket or bent swaybar mounts). I can't remember if the Koyo came with its own upper bracket replacements, but I *think* I reused the brackets off the original. The upper brackets are just L-brackets - could some folks be attaching the wrong "arm" of the L to the radiator? One other thing - the upper mounts attach to the car on a stud on a rubber cushion. Could that cushion have come off, causing fitment issues? Other than these thoughts, I'm out of ideas.