New/aftermarket radiator issue OPINIONS NEEDED

[sweet66monza]

Has anyone had any problems with the Performance Radiator replacement? Radiator shop convinced me mine was F'ed beyond repair (still cooled fine though and didnt leak, I just sent it in for a flush). The aluminum PR replacement is smaller and is only single row core, and holds almost two gallons less than stock. Yes, I know all air is out of the system. Havent pulled anything with it yet, so I dont know if itll get hot. The other thing that really set me off was the fill neck size. The hole in the fill neck cant be much bigger than 5/8", if even that big. Hell, the fill neck on my economy car (92 Paseo) has a larger fill neck. Took forever to fill it. Also, even though its "exact fit direct replacement", the fan shroud is now sitting over 3/4" from the radiator.

Do you guys think itll be alright, or should I go raise hell at the radiator shop tomorrow? I wouldnt have put it back together yet, but I need the truck on friday.

Thanks in advance!

 

[79jasper]

That single row won't cool shiate.
Raise some hell.

 

[icanfixall]

I would recommend returning that pos radiater. Having just one row of turbes is wrong. Are they more than 1 1/2 inches wide or what. Too bad your in a time useage crunch. Many members really like the Champion aluminum radiaters and they are less than $200.00 last I looked.

 

[smolkin]

I just ordered a 3-row #1165 from Amazon, it was $222 with shipping.

 

[sweet66monza]

Well, all I got out of the radiator shop was my core back for free (they wanted $30) and more bs about how great the radiator is. Supposedly they have installed many of those radiators, and even three so far this week and I am the first complaint. But they werent willing to buy it back, even though it is "the greatest thing since sliced cheese" as they put it. Also before, my clutch fan rarely engaged. Now its on almost all the time. I wonder what the temp will do under load....

I think Im going to attempt to clean my supposedly plugged brass radiator myself and put it back in for now. I never had a cooling issue before and the clutch fan almost never came on. I just took the radiator in to be cleaned becuse I was doing a full cooling flush.

Thanks for all the advice as always guys!

 

[riotwarrior]

Well, all I got out of the radiator shop was my core back for free (they wanted $30) and more bs about how great the radiator is. Supposedly they have installed many of those radiators, and even three so far this week and I am the first complaint. But they werent willing to buy it back, even though it is "the greatest thing since sliced cheese" as they put it. Also before, my clutch fan rarely engaged. Now its on almost all the time. I wonder what the temp will do under load....

I think Im going to attempt to clean my supposedly plugged brass radiator myself and put it back in for now. I never had a cooling issue before and the clutch fan almost never came on. I just took the radiator in to be cleaned becuse I was doing a full cooling flush.

Thanks for all the advice as always guys!

sounds to me its time to go back to shop, and better buisiness beraue and explain how you are not happy. if paid with credit card cancel payment hand them the rad and say good day,

I love the champion 3 core its awesome and clutch rarely comes on.

good luck with this

 

[Mulochico]

I have found that with a bad shop (this one is. They are probably putting those POS in F150 6 cyl and thinking it is the same as ours ) that you need to threaten then follow up with the BBB. I had a well respected shop in town tell me that "a standard thermostat will work perfect in that truck" when discussing options. He is great on gas powered trucks, but like most has no clue with theses.

Cancel payment, then get a champion off of ebay. Mine works fantastic!!!!!!

 

[gatorman21218]

Well, all I got out of the radiator shop was my core back for free (they wanted $30) and more bs about how great the radiator is. Supposedly they have installed many of those radiators, and even three so far this week and I am the first complaint. But they werent willing to buy it back, even though it is "the greatest thing since sliced cheese" as they put it. Also before, my clutch fan rarely engaged. Now its on almost all the time. I wonder what the temp will do under load....

I think Im going to attempt to clean my supposedly plugged brass radiator myself and put it back in for now. I never had a cooling issue before and the clutch fan almost never came on. I just took the radiator in to be cleaned becuse I was doing a full cooling flush.

Thanks for all the advice as always guys!

installed in what? a kia?

 

[Wicked97]

They sold you a radiator for a 302 or 351.
That dog just ain't gonna hunt.

 

[oregon96psd]

What's gonna be his reason for taking it back, "this doesn't look like it will cool, but it's never overheated and so far it's worked good" lol. Maybe he should pull with it, and see if it overheats...at least that way he has a foot to stand on Not trying to defend the shop, but cancelling payment cause of what some guy said on the internet isn't gonna fly with the shop, bbb, attorney, whoever.

 

[chris142]

There's more to a radiator than rows of tubes. A 1r with tons of tubes and fins could cool as well as a 3 or 4r metal rad. But the one you got probly only had 12 fins per inch. Nothin special there.. I have never seen a 1r aluminum core for our trucks