80 Radiator

[TOY350]

Alright 80's guys. I found the reason for the coolant smell in my Cruiser. Hairline crack in the plastic upper of the radiator; horizontal in the middle along the tape mark from the foam strip. Pretty sure I remember that these can not be repaired. Also remember a huge debate over the early brass vs. later aluminum radiators. Before I get into reading threads for hours can someone sum it up for me.

 

[jamister1]

Buy something like this and be done with it... no plastic and aluminum is a better conductor than brass. I am using a similar 2 row to cool a 350 in my PIG. Also I am running a similar one that i actually got off ebay to cool the 327 in my 59. However it did say it was only good til 350 horsepower so you may not be able to run it in your 80
Brand New 2 Row All Aluminum Radiator For I6 4.5 | eBay

 

[Kief]

Radiator barn has all copper w/lifetime warrantee- I bought one and its in my current 80, I bought one of the less expensive ones and the quality seemed pretty good and I sold the vehicle and haven't heard anything back (not that I would). One of the big names in 80's shops said the all copper/brass tanks would eat it after a year or two. I imagine trail driving is the key to an early demise. Koyo sounds like the best-non OEM substitute but I don't know if you do or don't get a copper core. Aluminum is better for heat dissipation and Copper is next best but better for corrosion resistance.
So in summary I think OEM is best if money is no object, 2nd in line is the Koyo (which may come in Aluminum core vs. copper but platic tanks) or 3rd, Radiator barn All metal premium grade. I have nothing against good quality plastic tanks. I sold my other green 80 with an OEM radiator with 235k and pulled the rad out, flushed with water and did a pressure test- it was fine. My old sentra got smashed in the front and bent the radiator top tank in 2-3 inches- I pulled it out and drove it home and it didn't leak.

 

[retrofive]

Mine works well, but fitting and overall quality is lacking.

If I had the time I would have gone with a koyo. You can ask Dent and J how well my rad fit from D&T.

 

[TOY350]

I am looking at the Koyo and they seem to be around 3 bills (there goes my rainy day money Ty ). I haven't seen a price on OEM but I bet it's out of my range even with the CDan discount or our discount at Wheeler.

Interesting tidbit is that mine cracked right along the top of the adhesive mark from the foam. I read up and this has happened to others as well. So if I get the Koyo with the plastic I will be putting the foam in and sticking it to the crossmember or getting foam tight enough that I don't have to use adhesive.

 

[TOY350]

Looks fatigued all the way along the adhesive line. I would check your stock ones folks.

 

[TOY350]

Buy something like this and be done with it... no plastic and aluminum is a better conductor than brass. I am using a similar 2 row to cool a 350 in my PIG. Also I am running a similar one that i actually got off ebay to cool the 327 in my 59. However it did say it was only good til 350 horsepower so you may not be able to run it in your 80
Brand New 2 Row All Aluminum Radiator For I6 4.5 | eBay

Looks good Jesse and cheaper but so far I have read good things on the aluminum core Koyo and I would like a as close to OEM as I can get. Plus the limited horsepower really is the big issue

 

[retrofive]

Stealership wanted $675 or something close to that when I asked for fun while picking up a few gaskets. The one i got from D&T was $325, and wasn't happy with the fitment, but haven't had any issues since.

 

[jamister1]

Just don't get anything with plastic in it. If oe had done it right then you wouldn't be replacing your radiator after only 15 years of use. Radiator should last far longer than that! Oe is only a good design if it wasn't flawed in the first place. There is a reason there is a ton of supermarket support for 80 series radiators and hardly any for chris's 60.... They went from brass and copper to brass and plastic.

 

[Ebag333]

I don't think it's the foam that caused it to crack there. That's the beginning of the curve for the tank, so it's a natural place to crack.

I have heard of some 'Mud folks talking to local radiator shops who have fabbed them up new upper and lower tanks made of metal. If my rad was going out (knock on steel) that is the option I would explore first. I do not know of any shops that can (or can't) do this. They can also dip and rod it out as there's a pretty fair chance it's gummed up.

Just don't get anything with plastic in it. If oe had done it right then you wouldn't be replacing your radiator after only 15 years of use. Radiator should last far longer than that! Oe is only a good design if it wasn't flawed in the first place. There is a reason there is a ton of supermarket support for 80 series radiators and hardly any for chris's 60.... They went from brass and copper to brass and plastic.

Not sure if your brass and copper to brass and plastic comment is regarding the 60 or 80, but the 80 radiators are essentially the same design. Your choice is 2 or 3 row, aluminum or brass, but both rads have plastic tanks (upper and lower).

There are not a ton of great choices out there for aftermarket 80 radiators. I've heard several stories of folks using cheap off-brand or eBay ones, end up replacing with Koyo or OEM down the road as they have nothing but problems. Poor fit, leaks, or doesn't cool properly are just a few I've heard. Also OEM rads have a tranny cooler built into them, some aftermarket ones don't so watch out for that.

There is a thread about someone developing an oversized rad for the 80's, but it's still at least a few months out, so not much good to you now.

80's unfortunately don't have a ton of overhead capacity in the cooling dept, and given the risk of blowing a HG if running hot wouldn't want to skimp on cooling. I'd suggest Koyo or OEM for that reason. I would prefer metal myself, and that's why I'd look for a local shop to fab up a tank for it as my first choice.


Also, FWIW, the older or newer style rads don't seem to make much difference cooling wise. Lot of debate over it, seems both keep the engine running about the same temp and both overheat just as fast. So I would pick up which ever makes you feel better, or whichever is cheaper.

 

[TOY350]

Ordered a Koyo today. Hopefully that's what comes in the box.

 

[Ebag333]

Ordered a Koyo today. Hopefully that's what comes in the box.

Unless you have other plans or need to return it for a core, I would like to take your old rad. That is, if I can find a shop locally to fab metal upper/lower tanks.

Both Cruisers probably need new rads anyway, I know mine has some of the infamous grey silt in it.

 

[TOY350]

All yours.

 

[jamister1]

Report from D&T is that radiator flow was terrible but that it's the original brass unit and a rod-out will restore to near new condition.

Gabe, I just remembered this comment from chris... so I did a little research and it looks like 80's were the first with plastic tanks. Everything prior=no plastic.

 

[Ebag333]

Gabe, I just remembered this comment from chris... so I did a little research and it looks like 80's were the first with plastic tanks. Everything prior=no plastic.

Yeah, a little disappointing that they went with plastic. I understand the reasoning, little money, little weight, it all adds up. And looking at it from their design perspective, the plastic is actually quite beefy, no doubt the engineers believed that it would last the life of the vehicle. It's thick enough that more than one person has been able to drill and tap it when breaking off the little nipple (very common, btw). Most other plastic rad tanks I've seen are no where near as thick, not near enough plastic to drill and tap.

No doubt our use of the vehicle doesn't help any, bouncing and flexing causes a lot of stress and plastic isn't the best for fatigue. Heat does a number on it as well.

 

[jamister1]

The $300 1995 civic I had a year ago had a busted radiator when I bought it due to overtightening of the hose clamp which absolutely crushed the hose inlet. Once I saw that I told myself I would never use a plastic radiator on any vehicle I gave a darn about. Turned out the civic had a burnt valve too due to overheating due to a non pressurized busted radiator due to some idiot overtightening the hose clamp on a brittle plastic tanked radiator. Plastic radiator = engine going kaboom ...eventually!