Best replacement radiator for the money today... (16 Viewers)

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Yep, works wonderfully in the 100 degree heat we had last year
Thanks for the reply. I think I'm definitely going with Koyo.
All models should work for all years. There are differences in the design but likely so subtle that 99% of the people won't care or won't notice. See post in this same thread...

Thanks for this info. Exactly what I've been looking for. Of course this was on the 3 pages of this thread that I didn't read!
 
I am installing a Mishimoto at the moment and I can’t get the passenger side top bracket to line up with the holes on the mishimoto. I put the bolts in the bottom to be sure and take up any slack. It looks like the driver side will line up. Has anyone had this similar problem? At this point I will need to drill the top of the holes out on the bracket to make room.

EDIT: I made the bracket fit by pulling that passenger side bracket out entirely (instead of trying to slid the radiator down in to the bracket), then attaching the top bolts first, then encouraging the bottom bracket on with some love taps.

 
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Trying to get in touch with these guys....


Because it is always a great idea to fire up a Rose Bud Torch and use your foot to hold the radiator core you are heating with your foot while wearing open toed shoes.
 
Because it is always a great idea to fire up a Rose Bud Torch and use your foot to hold the radiator core you are heating with your foot while wearing open toed shoes.
Loved this video! Reminded me of my days rebuilding radiators and heat exchangers. The whole time I watched I wondered how they were going to pressure test after completion.😆😂🤣
 
I went with the Koyo and installed in my 00 a few months back. Fit well and no issues +/- 1500 mi later.
 
I went with the Koyo and installed in my 00 a few months back. Fit well and no issues +/- 1500 mi later.
UPDATE: I installed a Koyo I got from rock auto about 2 weeks ago in my 2003 and it has been working great. Perfect fit. Kept the 100 cool on a 300 mile road trip this past Monday. I don't know how much sense this makes, but it seemed to run better overall after installing the new radiator.
 
General question for those folks that are reading this thread. When I was looking at replacement radiators I reached out to Ron Davis to see if they offered a factory fit for the 100 series, they do not. They did offer to build me one but needed to see the exisiting radiator to work off of. Now that I've replaced my stock radiator with a CSF, I was thinking about shipping my factory radiator to Ron Davis to build an all alloy replacement. It would be expensive but since I plan to have this vehicle another 20 years, it may be the right investment.

Would others be interested in a Ron Davis option? Others have told me they have a great product and attention to detail.
Please define expensive...
 
Mishimoto arrived today.

First impressions are good. I haven't done a complete un-boxing as I am still on the clock.

Packaging is pretty solid. Strapped and undamaged. Double layer cardboard, with inner foam spacers.
View attachment 2466210
View attachment 2466211

Dense foam inner packing
View attachment 2466213

Still in plastic...
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More to follow...
Noticed on “what did you do this week” thread you finally got around to installing your MM radiator.👍👍

How was the Fit? Did you re-use OEM braces etc. After you swapped the bad thermostat what are your highway running temps?
 
Mine was packaged well too. No damage at all during shipping, despite the box being somewhat beaten up. I've had mine now for about 4 years...no issues at all.

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@flintknapper - Are you tracking your temps on the interstate? Around town mine usually stays under 190. Sometimes when I get on the interstate and drive 80 MPH running the AC in 90-degree weather, I see the temp climbing or cycling over 195. If I'm driving fast up an incline, sometimes it climbs up to 202. The highest I've seen is around 203 -- even when off-roading with the AC on. Fuel trims look great. I'm happy with the mileage. Runs great.

I have a new OEM thermostat (properly clocked), new OEM fan clutch, new hoses, new heater Ts, new everything. I am going to replace the OEM radiator cap just because I haven't replaced it yet.

One thing to note is my LX didn't come with any foam around the radiator. It seems to be fitting right.

I'm confused about how I would install foam and what it would do?

Do I have anything to worry about?

I'm running Toyota pre-mixed pink. I like it because I run it in Tacoma and the Nissans. I typically change coolants every couple of years. Having everything running the same coolant lets me stock up and change it more often than running a specialty coolant.
 
Thanks for the reply. I think I'm definitely going with Koyo.

Thanks for this info. Exactly what I've been looking for. Of course this was on the 3 pages of this thread that I didn't read!
Agreed... KOYO seems to be the way to go, so I went for it too.

tempImage5K5rkG.jpg
 
Foam strips on sides and top tank simply keep the air from flowing around sides and through top- directing more air through radiator
 
@flintknapper - Are you tracking your temps on the interstate? Around town mine usually stays under 190. Sometimes when I get on the interstate and drive 80 MPH running the AC in 90-degree weather, I see the temp climbing or cycling over 195. If I'm driving fast up an incline, sometimes it climbs up to 202. The highest I've seen is around 203 -- even when off-roading with the AC on. Fuel trims look great. I'm happy with the mileage. Runs great.

I have a new OEM thermostat (properly clocked), new OEM fan clutch, new hoses, new heater Ts, new everything. I am going to replace the OEM radiator cap just because I haven't replaced it yet.

One thing to note is my LX didn't come with any foam around the radiator. It seems to be fitting right.

I'm confused about how I would install foam and what it would do?

Do I have anything to worry about?

I'm running Toyota pre-mixed pink. I like it because I run it in Tacoma and the Nissans. I typically change coolants every couple of years. Having everything running the same coolant lets me stock up and change it more often than running a specialty coolant.


I actually run cooler at highway speeds *both engine and trans*. Typically 188-190°F.

In town about 192°f....but in heavy traffic, stop and go, hot days up to 195°F but never higher.

I do have foam around my radiator and don't run the plastic covers below the engine.

But to answer your question, no....low 200's is nothing to worry about.
 
I actually run cooler at highway speeds *both engine and trans*. Typically 188-190°F.

In town about 192°f....but in heavy traffic, stop and go, hot days up to 195°F but never higher.

I do have foam around my radiator and don't run the plastic covers below the engine.

But to answer your question, no....low 200's is nothing to worry about.

Thank you. I may try to figure out how to put some foam around it. I did wash the radiator and condenser coil with a pressure washer. It has been getting muddy.

Transmission temps have been good though.
 
Noticed on “what did you do this week” thread you finally got around to installing your MM radiator.👍👍

How was the Fit? Did you re-use OEM braces etc. After you swapped the bad thermostat what are your highway running temps?

@abuck99, yes finally got it installed and have been meaning to post up here as well.

Fit was fair. I did re-use the OEM braces with the factory foam in place. I had to slightly modify the braces on one of the sides at the bottom the allow new radiator to fit.

Highway temps are between 186-188*. I hit 190* a couple times going up long grades. These coolant temps are in ambient temps of around 80*.

The only remaining detail that I need to address is installing some foam on the fan shroud, so that it seals up tight against the radiator.
 
I actually run cooler at highway speeds *both engine and trans*. Typically 188-190°F.

In town about 192°f....but in heavy traffic, stop and go, hot days up to 195°F but never higher.

I do have foam around my radiator and don't run the plastic covers below the engine.

But to answer your question, no....low 200's is nothing to worry about.

I think I found the culprit. The lower part of the radiator that is below the bumper line is caked up with mud and some type of fine grass-looking debris.

There is a splash plan part of the ARB bumper that I didn't install because I wanted to keep the area open to allow more air to flow to the radiator. Since the area is open, I will be able to use my pressure washer to clean it out.
 
This mud and debris was built up below the bumper line. A post off-road trip cleanup item.

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And you wondered why you had cooling issues?
 
And you wondered why you had cooling issues?
The water level went down a few weeks ago and the mud got thick. Before that, I could wash off the underside by running through the spillway.

This is turning out to be 4 hours of off-roading requires 2 days of clean-up.
 

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