[sooner94]

Ok found out my radiator is leaking, CRAP. Guess its time for a new one. Anyone had any experiances good or bad with aftermarket radiators. Questions---

1) Where to buy, or what brand is best?
2) How Thick?
3) Whatelse should I change while im into the coolant system? Truck has over 200K!!!

 

[psychlopath]

I had some unbelievably horrible experience with the ones that have plastic caps. I suggest a stock replacement style. More expensive. Less leaky.

Or, take yours to a radiator shop and spend $60 bux to have it patched. Spend an extra 30 and have it boiled out.

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

I bought my last one from RadiatorBarn; good deals and
fast shipping. I agree an all-metal one is much better
than one of those with plastic tanks. Just about all aftermarket
rads are made offshore these days, so not much choice there.

I'd at least replace the lower radiator hose too. The upper
hose is easy to reach, and the water pump can be left alone
unless it's leaking or is the original one with 200K miles.....

 

[nevadagary]

I got mine at O'Reilly's for about $140.00. It's a double core type and it has been excellent so far. My Bronc has around 184000 on it and most everything on the engine is original..except for the plugs, cap, wires, belt and radiator. I agree about changing the bottom hose too...if it's old and bad looking. I just replaced the oil cooler type with a regular one and it's also fine.

 

[Bruno2]

I just priced a copper and brass rad for my bronco it was around $300.00. The aluminum plastic tank was $150.00 and it came with a lifetime guarantee. My old one wasnt repairable and I hear the aluminum ones cool better. I might not have done it w/o the lifetime b/c anytime the tanks go bad its almost better to replace the entire thing instead of spending $80.00 on a retanking.

 

[psychlopath]

I just priced a copper and brass rad for my bronco it was around $300.00. The aluminum plastic tank was $150.00 and it came with a lifetime guarantee. My old one wasnt repairable and I hear the aluminum ones cool better. I might not have done it w/o the lifetime b/c anytime the tanks go bad its almost better to replace the entire thing instead of spending $80.00 on a retanking.

I went through this.

All anecdotes, I know, but I thought "Sweet, I'll have better cooling!"

After going through 4 radiators in a month (each one needing to have the tank crimped on better...) I decided that since I'd never over heated before, even pulling some of the grades in California, I had plenty of cooling capacity with the stock setup. And went with a much more expensive, much less often replaced stock unit.

If the aluminum ones work for you, though, they do look awesome...

 

[Sock Puppet]

I'd at least replace the lower radiator hose too. The upper
hose is easy to reach, and the water pump can be left alone
unless it's leaking or is the original one with 200K miles.....

I look at things a bit differently. I just replaced my radiator over the weekend. My wagon has 140K miles on it which is a far cry from 200K. I decided it was as good a time as any to replace the water pump, thermostat, and all hoses.

After removing the fan and radiator, I immediately noticed the w/p shaft seal had a small leak and there was quite a bit of build up on the lip. Now, maybe it would have lasted another 60K; maybe it would have failed while I was 40 miles from the nearest paved road. I consider it cheap insurance to change a vital part that only costs $30-$45.

I think my total investment for a new radiator, new water pump, thermostat, upper/lower/bypass radiator hoses was just a hair over $200.

It's a fairly easy project, too.

 

[raleigh]

Pulling the radiator makes it a whole lot easier to do the water pump too. If the shaft is not nice and smooth when you turn it just replace it.

 

[sooner94]

Thanks for the help. I think I'll change it all. One more question do the transmission lines run into the radiator if so well I lose fluid changing the radiator

 

[raleigh]

There is a separate cooler attached to the radiator, not in it.