Lost another Champion Radiator.

[chris142]

This is #4. This one split a tube. Not caused by anything other than a tube that was made too thin and eventully split.

Thinking of giving up on the Champion ones. Might as well recore my old one with more tubes and fins.

My cost on a core is $675 though. GULP!

 

[264WSM]

I'm happy with Radiator Supply House in OR

https://radiatorsupplyhouse.com/pages/search-results-page?page=1&rb_product_type=Radiator

 

[chris142]

Ya we deal with them when we get something weird. For now I put in a spi ptr. Just towed a heavy trailer home and it cooled it fine.

 

[square1]

Had my OEM recored about 2 years ago for a little north of $500. You're never going to get as good of a replacement as that OEM recore for the same money assuming the shop does quality work.

 

[chris142]

Had my OEM recored about 2 years ago for a little north of $500. You're never going to get as good of a replacement as that OEM recore for the same money assuming the shop does quality work.

I am a Radiator shop! I can recore it better than the oiginal but my cost on a core is $700! That is why I put the $120 champion in it. But I am getting tired of swapping them out.

 

[catbird7]

I had similar luck with champion and did the same thing you're suggesting. My re-cored factory rad isn't as pretty as the fancy aluminum champion however zero problems since replacing. After mine was finished I learned Ford actually had five row in some trucks. The five core might be worth checking out.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Had my OEM recored about 2 years ago for a little north of $500. You're never going to get as good of a replacement as that OEM recore for the same money assuming the shop does quality work.

I feel the same way. My thought is this-is the original brass/copper radiator can last for 30+ years, then why go with anything else as a replacement?

 

[Clb]

Bumping this.
now a stock 4 core is +$1350
Any thoughts?

 

[MtnHaul]

Bummer to hear about so many problems with champion. I have been pleasantly surprised by how well my Napa/Spectra 2 row aluminum/plastic has held together. I've run it for about 5 years now--not much freezing weather in that time--and have had zero problems with it. $300 at the time was the extent of my budget and I think I've gotten my money's worth. And I have driven a lot of miles on very bumpy roads, loads uphill in the heat, and I run less than a full coolant system due to no degas bottle. Just my .02

 

[Booyah45828]

Bummer to hear about so many problems with champion. I have been pleasantly surprised by how well my Napa/Spectra 2 row aluminum/plastic has held together. I've run it for about 5 years now--not much freezing weather in that time--and have had zero problems with it. $300 at the time was the extent of my budget and I think I've gotten my money's worth. And I have driven a lot of miles on very bumpy roads, loads uphill in the heat, and I run less than a full coolant system due to no degas bottle. Just my .02

I really don't get the forum's aversion to plastic/aluminum radiators. Nearly all passenger car and light truck radiators made in the last 20 years are of this variety. If the design was such a widespread problem, I think I'd see more issues with it.

With that said, I don't think I'd swap out a copper/brass unit for a plastic/alloy one. I'd prefer to have the original repaired/recored as it's likely better made then anything available new.

 

[sjwelds]

I agree. There's a plastic tank rad in my truck and it's been working fine for years.

 

[YJMike92]

I agree. There's a plastic tank rad in my truck and it's been working fine for years.

Same here.