LFD2037
TEXAS LEXUS!
My TYC radiator that I ordered was actually a Koyo.
Radiator options (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter RyRoRyan
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Koyo a1918 is what I replaced my csf brass copper with no complaints and price was better than csf
LFD2037
TEXAS LEXUS!
I agree, the TYC is junk. BUT there's been quite a few of us that get Koyo's when we ordered TYC. I ordered the TYC from Amazon for the simple fact I knew there was a good chance of getting a Koyo. The first one I ordered was an actual TYC but it was damaged. When I got the replacement it was a Koyo 1918.
TYC 1918 radiator review, with a little Koyo thrown in, and some other cooling system advice-
In mid- 2016 my 94 LC was unable to maintain normal temps, and experienced runaway heat when going up grades in even moderate outside temps (here in Arizona 'moderate' means under 105 degrees). This particularly perplexed me as I had replaced my radiator relatively recently with a Koyo, within the previous 5 years or so. I began the hunt for something better. That started, as many of my queries do, with a call to Tools R Us, who told me that several local people have installed the TYC. I looked it up, saw some poor reviews and the low price, and was initially highly skeptical of it, but in talking to the folks who actually are running them, and speaking to Tools R Us about his experiences with installing several of them, I was convinced to try one. The two cores in my TYC are each much wider than the cores in the Koyo three-row that I was replacing, making the total core thicker. The cooling fins are arranged differently, in a manner that seems to facilitate more heat transfer. Folks running the Scangauge OBDII equipment reported consistent temps with less effect from hills or heavy loads when compared to other brands, suggesting better cooling potential. No radiator can run cooler than the thermostat, but often will run hotter at times of increased heat loads, and the TYC seems to handle that better than several other makes that had been tested in a similar manner. On the negative side I believe one person received a TYC rad that leaked, sent it back and got another. Also I seem to remember that someone had an issue with the transmission cooler line fitting leaking. They need to be checked for tightness, and also clocked into the correct orientation. If they are not they can push the tranny hose against the fan shroud and rub a hole in it, as at least one local can attest.
I took the plunge and purchased one on Amazon 14 months ago and have had no issues. On arrival one side was slightly bent in, but it wasn't something that would affect the function, I think it's probably a common 'defect' due to some dumb thing on the assembly or packaging line, as it couldn't have happened once it was boxed. Tools R Us was kind enough to pressure test it, and it held under quite a bit more pressure than the 13psi it will see in service. He also added a foam gasket to seal it to the core support, which forces the fan to draw fresher air, rather than recirculating the air from the engine compartment. This gasket was part of the original equipment, but many are lost because people don't appreciate their importance and don't replace them when they disintegrate or when they install new radiators. Then we oriented the tranny cooler lines correctly and I took it home to install it.
I tore the tanks off the Koyo radiator I pulled out, to find out why it had failed after only a few years. I found small pieces of rubber in the cores, presumably from the hoses deteriorating from the inside. I had replaced all the radiator hoses when I did the radiator last time, so I suspected the heater lines. When I put in the TYC radiator I replaced every single rubber hose in the system, and eliminated the rear heater. I also added a coolant filter to the system, because I tend to obsess over things. I installed it in the top radiator hose which was a pain in the ass, and not something I would suggest as a requirement by any means, but it makes me feel better. I also nerd out on being able to see my coolant. I was hoping to be able to install it at the highest point of the system so that I could easily confirm the coolant level, but that proved impossible so it's a few inches down and can't even be seen without looking behind the radiator, so not much bling factor either. Those who know me know how I feel about bling.
About the Koyo- when I installed it I was very impressed with the fit and finish, it seemed indistinguishable from the OEM radiator. I believe it to be a quality item, which failed me through no fault of its own. However, I do believe the TYC radiator that I received has better cooling capacity, due to the total core being thicker and a slightly different air fin design. That being said, the Koyo performed just fine before it got clogged, and from an overall quality perspective it may be superior. At this point, having had no issues with the TYC, I'm happier with the radiator that performs better. For someone in a less hostile climate the Koyo is probably the better choice, just based on reputation and looks.
I don't have fancy OBDII access, but with the TYC radiator my temp gauge seems to sit a tad lower than it used to (take that for what it's worth) and I don't have the runaway high temps that I was experiencing under load. My (stock and therefore mostly useless) temperature gauge doesn't ever move from its just-below-half position. Even when the Koyo was new the gauge would always climb a bit when tackling long hills in the summer. The TYC performs better, and for the money I could replace it every couple of years as PM and not feel too bad, if I wanted.
In the end, I believe the Koyo I put in somewhere around 2012 failed due to rubber particles in the system, as it was otherwise pretty damn clean inside. I think this is a common issue on these older vehicles, regardless of the make of radiator. I think it's very important to replace all the rubber lines in the system, or any radiator is going to fail eventually. Mine has to deal with extreme temps and loads so the loss of cooling capacity showed up quickly. I just took a look at my coolant filter and can't see any trapped particles, which makes me feel good.
The TYC 1918 radiator is a low-priced item that benefits from a slightly better than typical core and fin design, giving it more cooling capacity than any of the other radiators we have seen around here. It may not last 15 years; I don't know, and I would be surprised if it did. It is cheap, and could be replaced more often, giving it an advantage in that any new radiator is cleaner than any old radiator. I'd recommend it, with the caveat that it needs to be inspected and pressure tested before installation, and the tranny lines need to be re-aligned. Also, there have been reports that other radiators find their way into TYC 1918 orders, most notably the Koyo, but for all I know there may be other, possibly inferior ones. I wouldn't know what to look for to confirm that you get what you order, other than the thicker two-core and the labeling on the box.
In mid- 2016 my 94 LC was unable to maintain normal temps, and experienced runaway heat when going up grades in even moderate outside temps (here in Arizona 'moderate' means under 105 degrees). This particularly perplexed me as I had replaced my radiator relatively recently with a Koyo, within the previous 5 years or so. I began the hunt for something better. That started, as many of my queries do, with a call to Tools R Us, who told me that several local people have installed the TYC. I looked it up, saw some poor reviews and the low price, and was initially highly skeptical of it, but in talking to the folks who actually are running them, and speaking to Tools R Us about his experiences with installing several of them, I was convinced to try one. The two cores in my TYC are each much wider than the cores in the Koyo three-row that I was replacing, making the total core thicker. The cooling fins are arranged differently, in a manner that seems to facilitate more heat transfer. Folks running the Scangauge OBDII equipment reported consistent temps with less effect from hills or heavy loads when compared to other brands, suggesting better cooling potential. No radiator can run cooler than the thermostat, but often will run hotter at times of increased heat loads, and the TYC seems to handle that better than several other makes that had been tested in a similar manner. On the negative side I believe one person received a TYC rad that leaked, sent it back and got another. Also I seem to remember that someone had an issue with the transmission cooler line fitting leaking. They need to be checked for tightness, and also clocked into the correct orientation. If they are not they can push the tranny hose against the fan shroud and rub a hole in it, as at least one local can attest.
I took the plunge and purchased one on Amazon 14 months ago and have had no issues. On arrival one side was slightly bent in, but it wasn't something that would affect the function, I think it's probably a common 'defect' due to some dumb thing on the assembly or packaging line, as it couldn't have happened once it was boxed. Tools R Us was kind enough to pressure test it, and it held under quite a bit more pressure than the 13psi it will see in service. He also added a foam gasket to seal it to the core support, which forces the fan to draw fresher air, rather than recirculating the air from the engine compartment. This gasket was part of the original equipment, but many are lost because people don't appreciate their importance and don't replace them when they disintegrate or when they install new radiators. Then we oriented the tranny cooler lines correctly and I took it home to install it.
I tore the tanks off the Koyo radiator I pulled out, to find out why it had failed after only a few years. I found small pieces of rubber in the cores, presumably from the hoses deteriorating from the inside. I had replaced all the radiator hoses when I did the radiator last time, so I suspected the heater lines. When I put in the TYC radiator I replaced every single rubber hose in the system, and eliminated the rear heater. I also added a coolant filter to the system, because I tend to obsess over things. I installed it in the top radiator hose which was a pain in the ass, and not something I would suggest as a requirement by any means, but it makes me feel better. I also nerd out on being able to see my coolant. I was hoping to be able to install it at the highest point of the system so that I could easily confirm the coolant level, but that proved impossible so it's a few inches down and can't even be seen without looking behind the radiator, so not much bling factor either. Those who know me know how I feel about bling.
About the Koyo- when I installed it I was very impressed with the fit and finish, it seemed indistinguishable from the OEM radiator. I believe it to be a quality item, which failed me through no fault of its own. However, I do believe the TYC radiator that I received has better cooling capacity, due to the total core being thicker and a slightly different air fin design. That being said, the Koyo performed just fine before it got clogged, and from an overall quality perspective it may be superior. At this point, having had no issues with the TYC, I'm happier with the radiator that performs better. For someone in a less hostile climate the Koyo is probably the better choice, just based on reputation and looks.
I don't have fancy OBDII access, but with the TYC radiator my temp gauge seems to sit a tad lower than it used to (take that for what it's worth) and I don't have the runaway high temps that I was experiencing under load. My (stock and therefore mostly useless) temperature gauge doesn't ever move from its just-below-half position. Even when the Koyo was new the gauge would always climb a bit when tackling long hills in the summer. The TYC performs better, and for the money I could replace it every couple of years as PM and not feel too bad, if I wanted.
In the end, I believe the Koyo I put in somewhere around 2012 failed due to rubber particles in the system, as it was otherwise pretty damn clean inside. I think this is a common issue on these older vehicles, regardless of the make of radiator. I think it's very important to replace all the rubber lines in the system, or any radiator is going to fail eventually. Mine has to deal with extreme temps and loads so the loss of cooling capacity showed up quickly. I just took a look at my coolant filter and can't see any trapped particles, which makes me feel good.
The TYC 1918 radiator is a low-priced item that benefits from a slightly better than typical core and fin design, giving it more cooling capacity than any of the other radiators we have seen around here. It may not last 15 years; I don't know, and I would be surprised if it did. It is cheap, and could be replaced more often, giving it an advantage in that any new radiator is cleaner than any old radiator. I'd recommend it, with the caveat that it needs to be inspected and pressure tested before installation, and the tranny lines need to be re-aligned. Also, there have been reports that other radiators find their way into TYC 1918 orders, most notably the Koyo, but for all I know there may be other, possibly inferior ones. I wouldn't know what to look for to confirm that you get what you order, other than the thicker two-core and the labeling on the box.
Another vote for the Koyorad A1918 aluminum. I found one at Autoplicity.com for <$200 shipped. I recieved it in 3 days. I only have 8k miles on it so far but it saw a few days of 105°F Summer temps this year and my temps never went past 192°F uphill loaded with the A/C on. Sticks at 185° 95% of the time. Fit perfect.
LFD2037
TEXAS LEXUS!
I have a thread on here with more details but TYC doesn't make radiators. They're just resellers of radiators. I wonder who actually made your radiator?
LFD2037
TEXAS LEXUS!
Here is the thread:
Good Deal on Koyo Radiator
Good Deal on Koyo Radiator
Good read. Wish I knew who made the lot we got ahold of. There were definitely some other makes shipped by TYC.
