Radiator beat down

[1mouse3]

The radiator I have is leaking and in need of a replacement, no idis are snowing there face in the junkyard currently. I am seeing the part store sells ones with plastic end that I dont want to touch with a 10 foot pole, seen many issues with them on other vehicles. With bmw got a cheap ebay aluminum 3 row for that had not given issues, then again may be luck on that one.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/3-Row-Alum...8-02-BMW-Z3-M-Coupe-Roadster-E36/383151741017


That seller did not have one for this truck so went looking at ones available, am seeing 2 3 and 4 row ones. The 3 and 4 row cheap ones that look like oem are oddly the same and make me unsure about them.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/264525746985?hash=item3d96f69329:g:sAgAAOSwVK9bDlY3
https://www.ebay.com/itm/174253602518?hash=item289252f6d6:g:vyAAAOSwGIRemXmd


There is even ones that have odd top tanks with no lift point.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/154338401911?hash=item23ef491e77:g:S8wAAOSwZH5gMMj0


This is the cheapes I see from someone that has a avatar, so would be my guess at one to gamble on.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/184638412677?hash=item2afd4e9785:g:WOcAAOSwOEZgETGf


Searching here is partal to the champian one and this is what I find for them on ebay.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/132972172307?epid=1022161508&hash=item1ef5c25413:g:Ov0AAOSwxXJcp9dy
https://www.ebay.com/itm/123785740549?ul_noapp=true

Or pay $50 more for shipping to the champian from there site.

https://www.championradiators.com/Ford-F-series-diesel-radiator-1983-1994


I am also seeing that in regaurds to the champian the 3 row is hit or miss and the 4 row rare good

https://www.oilburners.net/threads/champion-radiators-for-the-idi.61215/


So would like to know how all you alls aluminum rads have held up and am leaning to that cheap one with the avatar.

 

[rhythim]

Have had one of the cheap ebay 3-rows in my '85 for about a year now. Zero issues.

Sent from my SM-G988U using Tapatalk

 

[cre1992]

Why not just find a radiator shop that does recores and have the original radiator recored? Where I used to work we had a bunch of older yellow iron heavy construction equipment. The replacement oem rad were sometimes in the several thousand dollars. We had the originals overhauled and recored for $500-800 and they were 2-3 times the size of the idi rads. I couldn't imagine it would be that much more than a new radiator.

 

[1mouse3]

Why not just find a radiator shop that does recores and have the original radiator recored? Where I used to work we had a bunch of older yellow iron heavy construction equipment. The replacement oem rad were sometimes in the several thousand dollars. We had the originals overhauled and recored for $500-800 and they were 2-3 times the size of the idi rads. I couldn't imagine it would be that much more than a new radiator.

Could see what cost would be but am not really wanting to have the truck down waiting on it get repaired. If could find a spare for cheap might consider that option.

 

[chris142]

I am currantly running a plastic tank rad. It is replacing the 3-4 all al aluminum ones that leaked a year or 2 after I put them in.

Btw all new cars and trucks made in the last 30 years have plastic tank rads. Rarely do they fail like they did in the beginning.

 

[The_Josh_Bear]

My thoughts here are this:

1. Any radiator you get on ebay, when it fails, is going to cost a lot in time and/or money even if it has a warranty. Because of shipping and waiting. And if you get smart and buy a local one as a temporary, then it's your backup, why not just start there?

2. I have a Spectra rad from NAPA with a lifetime warranty. I've had to replace it twice in 6 years because it was leaking(each time they were quite surprised, they said they rarely get returns on these rads).
BUT, lifetime warranty from NAPA, which is just about everywhere.
I'm not thrilled about the replacements, but anything you get is hit or miss these days and driving 10 min to a local shop beats the heck out of shipping a rad and waiting for the replacement.

3. Re-cores would be sweet, though the concensus lately is that they are the price of 2 or 3 aftermarket rads. Let us know what you find!

 

[chris142]

Spectra is no longer in the Radiator busisness! I assume they have a new vendor now. Not sure how that will or won't effect the warranty.

Many radiator problems are caused by a faulty cap that won't vent @ the right pressure. Those Mororads that every parts store has now are the biggest offenders. They are garbage!

I have seen people do $500+ in cooling system work only to put the old dryrotted junk cap back on.

Last time we did a 4r high efficiency recore on an idi radiator it cost the customer $1300.

 

[1mouse3]

I am currantly running a plastic tank rad. It is replacing the 3-4 all al aluminum ones that leaked a year or 2 after I put them in.

Where these aluminum radiator leaking from spots that they could had been taken to someone to get rewelded to get fixed?

2. I have a Spectra rad from NAPA with a lifetime warranty. I've had to replace it twice in 6 years because it was leaking(each time they were quite surprised, they said they rarely get returns on these rads).
BUT, lifetime warranty from NAPA, which is just about everywhere.
I'm not thrilled about the replacements, but anything you get is hit or miss these days and driving 10 min to a local shop beats the heck out of shipping a rad and waiting for the replacement.

It looks like ether is going to leak ever 2-3 years, all aluminum being $230 and plastic end one being $290. I find it hit or miss if you get one where the ends are crimped correctly and if end up having to fix a crimp, there is a good chance it will crack at that spot later down the road. The aftermarket plastic ones also seem like there thinner or are of lesser material, the upper neck is wore through by between 100-150k miles a lot of time and sometimes less. Also they dont like being around higher than normal temp even if not yet overheating, another source of a crack. So becomes what is the lesser of two evils scenario, if odds are the leak form the all aluminum is in a repairable spot I would think that would be a better option. I dont know would have to think on this.

 

[chris142]

Where these aluminum radiator leaking from spots that they could had been taken to someone to get rewelded to get fixed?

I worked at the only Radiator shop in town. When the tubes leak where they go into the hedder we can't fix that. The aluminum expands and contracts with temps. The tubes are too thin to be welded with anything we have. No epoxie can take that abuse either.

 

[1mouse3]

I worked at the only Radiator shop in town. When the tubes leak where they go into the hedder we can't fix that. The aluminum expands and contracts with temps. The tubes are too thin to be welded with anything we have. No epoxie can take that abuse either.

So a wrench thrown in the works and possible making the aluminum not worth it if not localy sourced.

 

[1mouse3]

Looking again and found this one, performance radiator dose have a location in st louis. Looking on there site dose not bring one up tho, so will call them tomorrow to see on availability. They again could be discontinued and barking up a tree that is bare of fruit.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/163688131788?hash=item261c92accc:g:NRAAAOSwWnhckk7k

 

[chris142]

So a wrench thrown in the works and possible making the aluminum not worth it if not localy sourced.

Even locally sourced can be a pain. We got many direct from Champion about 100m away. The customer brings a faulty one,i order the replacement...then wait. Usually 2 days to get it to us. Mininum 3 days till the new one is here.

Usually Napa,Azone etc can. Have it the next morning.

 

[1mouse3]

Usually Napa,Azone etc can. Have it the next morning.

That is not a option I can live with since I need this truck to be able to run 160 miles 2 way. Having a chance on the table of plastic ends leaking badly is not viable if cant get a replacement the very day. So my only option is not dwel over it slowly leaking and hord several less leaking brass ones that show there face, not a option I like but guss that is how it is.

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

Recore will cost you an arm and a leg and both nuts.
I ended up with an aluminum radiator with plastic caps because I ordered an OE brass one listed in the Oreilly catalog. When it arrived I put it on the shelf in the box because I didn't have time to install it.
A year later I pulled it off the shelf and opened the box to find an aluminum radiator with plastic end caps. Its been in for 3 years with no issues.

 

[1mouse3]

It is replacing the 3-4 all al aluminum ones that leaked a year or 2 after I put them in.

How bad did those radiators end up leaking, were they minor where can keep going or major where up .... creek without a paddle.