Performance radiator on a 3rd-world budget: doable?

I'd like to get a 2-row all-aluminum radiator for my 'rolla, but none are in production anymore. And the only thing that hurts more than the cost of a custom radiator is the import duties I'll have to pay on that cost.

I can get a 2-row aluminum radiator with achey-breaky plastic end tanks (although with the wrong fitting locations for my engine - meant for a 4AFE) for cheap. Anyone know if it would be possible to re-core my current brass & copper radiator with the aluminum core from one of these? Or get custom aluminum end tanks made to fit in place of the plastic ones? Getting fab work done locally isn't too expensive, but it looks like these cores are meant to have the plastic end tanks crimped on. If there's a company in the US that can do this, sending it there and then to me could be an option.

If you have a copper-brass radiator why not have it recored with another row added?

If its running hotter than you'd like, but not meltdown hot, adding water-wetter will help.

Get a generic core of the right size and any good welding shop can fab tanks out of sheet aluminum. It's not hard. You need to learn to weld.

Go to the junkyard with a tape measure. You will most likely find something for a few bucks.

get the size and see what popular muscle car application is close. Champion has a lot of decent radiators for pretty cheap.

Starting with a junkyard radiator core isn't worth the price difference vs. importing a new one unless time is critical, they don't go for cheap around here.

I haven't run the engine hard with this radiator yet, but it's not in good condition, and US-market models came with a 2-row. With a 1-row and a less powerful engine it was generally enough for a few laps, but I did have an overheat once when I stayed out too long, and once was enough.

I'll talk to a radiator shop about re-coring or custom tanks, just wanted to know if it was feasible at all. Thanks everyone.

bmw88rider wrote: get the size and see what popular muscle car application is close. Champion has a lot of decent radiators for pretty cheap.

^^what this guy said^^^... i'm sure there is a generic radiator that is close enough in size to where brackets and hoses are easy to figure out...

If you're good at welding aluminum making custom tanks and welding them on a core (any core) isn't hard. Cores can also be cut down parallel to the direction of the tubes.

Check higher up the food chain for other 14X27 core radiators with a second row and aluminum end tanks. Late 90's Acura CLs? I'm seeing two- and three-cores for $150.

Time to research some dimensions. In the MX6 world we use 240sx SR20 radiators with minimal modifications.

If you can use a Miata radiator, some thick dual cores can be had for about... $108. All aluminum.

I'm using a 22" wide by 19" tall Ford style (inlet/outlet orientation) crossflow race radiator in a Miata. The narrow profile left enough room width wise to add a Mercedes 123 oil cooler for a side-by-side installation. They have flanges fore/aft top/bottom for mounting.These type radiators run just $100 delivered on eBay. As stated- do some measuring and figure out if there's space.

Swank Force One wrote: Time to research some dimensions. In the MX6 world we use 240sx SR20 radiators with minimal modifications. If you can use a Miata radiator, some thick dual cores can be had for about... $108. All aluminum.

This. Civic & Integra radiators can be had for stupid cheap as well. Easier to make brackets to make them fit then build a custom one with OEM fitment.

complete the sponsorship portion with links to your autocross results and you'll get jobber pricing

That Mishimoto rad is for an AE86, but it looks like it might fit if the bottom fitting were in the center. Definitely can't work with the fitting on the "starboard" side though.

The Acura CL rad is a bit too tall and the fittings are in the wrong places.

I'd much prefer to use a "bolt-in" radiator if at all possible. The core size is already unusual at 12.75" tall and 26.25" wide, and then the inlet and outlet locations are unusual too. Anything taller than that absolutely won't fit BTW, the radiator cap is nearly touching the hood when closed. It could take a radiator up to 27" wide. There's not much room for moving hoses around - the lower fitting needs to be at either the center or "port" side or it's a dealbreaker.

Gonna ask a radiator shop on the way home today about re-coring or a tank swap. Could be a good option depending on how much the labor cost is.

Is there any site that lets me shop radiators by size? I tried shopping by inlet & outlet location on Summit but I didn't find anything.

MR2 radiators don't have plastic end tanks. The fittings are on top on each side.

The scirocco style radiators can be had in several core variations and inlet/outlet configurations. They are generally the size you listed or smaller, so you might look into some of those. Several companies do those in multicore aluminum, with various core thicknesses.

Inlet/outlet doesn't have to be in the same exact place. General area is close enough to get some hoses on there.

bearmtnmartin wrote: Go to the junkyard with a tape measure. You will most likely find something for a few bucks.

That's what I did with the car in my avatar. The factory radiator in those Fiestas was roughly the size of a postage stamp, and it was very marginal to make it through a 20-minute track session without overheating. I swapped in one from a Ford Tempo and never had another problem. I want to say it cost me $20 or so? Granted, this was 15 years ago, but still....

That sounds like the exact size of a DA9 integra radiator. Right about 13" tall and 27" wide. You may look there. OR also EF CRX's

Radiator 88-91 Honda CRX and Honda Civic

Core Size: 26.25W x 12.75H x 1.5D

Core Style: 3-row with 5/8 inch tubes

Overall Size: 26.43W x 17.0H x 2.0D

The CRX radiator is really close. Size looks right, the inlet is in the right area code, but the outlet is in an unworkable place, so that would have to be relocated.

Had a productive talk at the radiator shop. Brass tanks can't be attached to an aluminum core, so that idea's a dud. The good options we worked out are below. Keep in mind that any parts I buy off the Internet would roughly have their prices doubled by various import duties and shipping.

• Custom aluminum tanks on the core from a 2-row plastic-tanked cheapo aluminum rad. Will totally work, but not too cheap...the $90 rad turns into nearly $200 by the time it's in my hands, and then the fab work could easily cost that much a second time, so let's say this option costs $400-$500.

• Recore my existing radiator with a 2-row core. Would cost about $350 - a little more than half the cost of a Mishimoto rad in my hands.

• Find an all-aluminum performance rad that requires minimal mods to work, and modify it. For example a radiator meant for a 4AGE 20v or 4AFE would only need its inlet relocated. Cost depends on what I start with, say relocating one fitting is $100.

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/AFCO-80107N-Scirocco-Style-Dual-Pass-Radiator-RH-In-Outlet-125-OD-NF,43557.html

^That one could fit, but there's zero room for any radiator hoses on the lower-"starboard" side. And $319 becomes roughly $638 in my hands.

The scirocco rads are available with inlet and outlet on either side.

Helping you find a radiator would be a lot easier if you mentioned where the ports need to be in addition to dimensions.

Inlet needs to be at the top-"starboard" corner. Pounting outward ideally.

Stock outlet location is the bottom center, although bottom "port" side could work as well.

Max size: 27" wide, 13" tall. Bigger than that just won't fit.

Keep in mind I want to keep it under $500 on my end, which means even a direct-fit radiator would need to be under $250.

I'll 2nd or 3rd the "Find a popular muscle car" thing. My E30 race car rocks a Speedway brand 'el cheapo chevy 26" radiator. $140 and some home-made brackets and almost 2x the cooling capacity of stock.