Wizard brand all AL radiators — anybody had/have one — experience? (1 Viewer)

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LINUS

Waiting for the Great Pumpkin
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Like title says, I’m looking at these:



I don’t know them from Adam, so any & all experiences?

So far the big selling point is they say they’re made in the USA - and right now I ain’t buying nothing from China - esp now.

I’m thinking a all AL radiator as I really expect sometime sooner than later I want to join the @NLXTACY ”turbo club” - and I don’t want to lack for cooling ability.

So I’m trying to lay a foundation for doing that & all AL radiators seem like a good starting point.

What does the Mud collective know of these Wizard units?
 
Someone on FB used it. Said its fine but they mentioned something about trimming.

Good to know - I’m not on FB, so anything that goes on there I’m totally illiterate to.
 
I suppose a good follow-up question would be:

-What all AL / not China-made radiators are people happy with?
 
I am currently waiting for my Ron Davis Radiator.. any day now! Only going by everything I have read here on MUD and assorted other places. Not cheap but neither is a repair after overheating!
 
I am currently waiting for my Ron Davis Radiator.. any day now! Only going by everything I have read here on MUD and assorted other places. Not cheap but neither is a repair after overheating!

What’s a Ron Davis unit these days ($$$)?

Pops has one in a 454 80’s 3/4T truck, but he bought it pre-internet (testament to how long they last with coolant changes).
 
$1100...plus another $100 for my plater to clear anodize it.
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Gotta admit, $1K all-in was / loosely is my max - unless a R.D. unit is :::just that much better::: - It cramps my turbo slush fund.

If I was tou where my 80 was my rolling ‘business card’, then sure.

But that’s simply not my place - heck, I’m trying to escape the race & go brew beer & smoke meat out in the islands (passion, not big profit lifestyle).
 
I was reading the other day and the arizona mafia basically said - a ron davis is sweet and will melt the boxer briefs off of any dude, but that koyorad is a very close second in terms of cooling, but no dude is going to drool over a chinese radiator. I get there are other reasons not to go chinese st this point (it's a hill I'm just not willing to die on). But an oem is probably your best bet if that is your conviction.

Another option for an aluminum showpiece rsd is steelnutz out of cali. I think mine was $1450 and that came with dual electric fans. I spent some more for a delta current controller to make the fans a complete stand alone system. Not sure what the ron Davis comes with and if you have to make a shroud or what??? Or if the $1100 includes a shroud and/or fans?
 
I was reading the other day and the arizona mafia basically said - a ron davis is sweet and will melt the boxer briefs off of any dude, but that koyorad is a very close second in terms of cooling, but no dude is going to drool over a chinese radiator.
Funny, I don't recall anyone from Az saying they have any experience with a Ron Davis rad. Also, many of us run and recommend the TYC 1918 radiator, which is almost certainly Chinese made.
 
@-Spike-

Is the 1918 the Koyo 2-row AL, or the 3-row brass?

(assuming I’m reading that right as a Koyo unit)

I did a brass 3-row back when @cruiserdan was still a working fella, but even now it’s a 15yo radiator........why I’m open to and especially thinking re-refreshing my hoses, heater valve again, etc.

I want a rock solid / near overkill cooling system before I even think about bolting on that snail / force the manifold.
 
I was the first 80 series with a RD radiator back in 2003 and for an 80 series it is not worth the price of admission. It’s sexy to look at but I don’t feel you get much if any better cooling. My opinion

In Arizona the go to is the 1918 for about 1/6 the cost of a RD.
Funny, I don't recall anyone from Az saying they have any experience with a Ron Davis rad. Also, many of us run and recommend the TYC 1918 radiator, which is almost certainly Chinese made.

Yes, please forgive my ignorance in mixing up names of chinese aftermarket radiators. The 1918 is what i was thinking about.
 
@-Spike-

Is the 1918 the Koyo 2-row AL, or the 3-row brass?

(assuming I’m reading that right as a Koyo unit)

I did a brass 3-row back when @cruiserdan was still a working fella, but even now it’s a 15yo radiator........why I’m open to and especially thinking re-refreshing my hoses, heater valve again, etc.

I want a rock solid / near overkill cooling system before I even think about bolting on that snail / force the manifold.
It’s not like you’ll be running 40psi or even 20psi for that matter nor will be driving around with your foot in the turbo super heating the intake charge with all that 7psi.

TYC is most definitely a chinese company, they make more than radiators. I’m sure a Toyota aluminum core will suffice unless you just want to be able to polish that top tank for show and shine day down at the local A&W on Friday nights. 😜
 
@-Spike-

Is the 1918 the Koyo 2-row AL, or the 3-row brass?

(assuming I’m reading that right as a Koyo unit)
Yes, please forgive my ignorance in mixing up names of chinese aftermarket radiators. The 1918 is what i was thinking about.

@LINUS - Not trying to sell you on anything, I realize you're looking for a high-end rad. Just putting this here to clarify some stuff.

@lazy - My apologies, I misread your post as an endorsement of the Rod Davis rad and a general knock on Chinese rads, and I had forgotten that Phil had used the RD. I re-read your post and see that wasn't what you meant.

Several products are sold with the item # of 1918. The Koyo 1918 is a two-row aluminum radiator with plastic tanks, almost identical to the OEM Toyorad found in '95-'97 80's. Denso also makes a very similar product, not sure what the part number is.

The TYC 1918 is also a two-row aluminum radiator with plastic tanks, similar to the others but several small differences are apparent. The fins are a different design, and the core is thicker, due to the tubes being more elongated (taller oval) when viewed from the top. Also the inlet tube for the intake hose doesn't have a barb, which seems like an oversight but hasn't been an issue. It's apparent, with some investigation, that the TYC is manufactured cheaply. Somehow they also perform better than most.

There's quite a bit of confusion on Amazon because apparently a vendor used to (or may still) ship Koyo's and TYC's randomly. RockAuto sells the TYC1918, and I'd trust them more to send the correct part. That being said, I've ordered two TYC's from Amazon with no issues- both of them 'used', previously returned. There was a nearly identical deformation or dent in the side of both, which did not affect their performance in any way, and they were cheaper than new. At the moment, Amazon doesn't have any returned TYC 1918's available and their price for the new unit is higher than RockAuto's.

I can't comment on the quality of TYC compared to anything else. I've been using them for a few years, but that's not comparable to the OEM unit that lasted for 15+ years. They cool better than any other radiator I've come across (which does not include a Ron Davis or other custom/high end application). Given the choice of a cheap radiator that works exceptionally well for a couple of years or a more expensive radiator that works OK for two or three times as long, I'm willing to replace the radiator as a maintenance item. So far, I haven't had one fail. I replaced one because I suspected that the fins were dirty and rather than pull it and clean them, I figured at the price I could just replace it and have peace of mind. The fins are micro-slitted, which may help them to transfer heat better than other designs, but on the flip side they probably trap more dust than other designs. I am pretty sure that the thicker core is a reason that it transfers more heat out.
 
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@baldilocks - Haha, nope to the show-n-shine / cars & coffee -type jazz.

I just realized it had already been well over 15yrs since I put in my “new” radiator, so I was hoping to find a all - AL radiator as my last ever radiator/no plastic tanks.

But it sounds like the cost/lifespan of plastic, I’ll prob go back with that & use the saved $$ elsewhere, Lord knows the money pours when you do these type things..... ;)
 
@baldilocks

I just realized it had already been well over 15yrs since I put in my “new” radiator, so I was hoping to find a all - AL radiator as my last ever radiator/no plastic tanks.

Let me know if you find a radiator that doesn't lose efficiency over time. ;)

If you were happy with whatever rad lasted 15 years, I'd go back with that.
 
Let me know if you find a radiator that doesn't lose efficiency over time. ;)

If you were happy with whatever rad lasted 15 years, I'd go back with that.

10-4.

I should qualify that - I’d likely give up the Tundra if I turbo & do bigger brakes to the 80 - make it worth using as what tows the boat.

But BBK means 17’s, or more & say a couple G’$ in brakes plus a set of real shocks (no more Nitrochargers L’s :rolleyes: ) - but my turbo would be to use to tow the relatively light boat.

We’ll see....Ideally I’d like to be a 1 vehicle solution.

And I really don’t want to LS my 80 - great solution for blown HG/cracked heads - but mine has a good mill w/ only 148K on the powertrain.
 

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