Second NAPA radiator in 5,000 miles

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Dan2722

Dan2722

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Sep 14, 2006
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Wyoming
OK before I get flamed for not buying an OEM or Koyo radiator let me explain my situation for getting the NAPA radiator in the first place. About 3 ½ years ago, as preventative maintenance, I replaced the major components of my cooling system with OEM parts including a 94’ brass radiator, water pump, thermostat etc. and have religiously flushed the system at least once per year and replaced the thermostat.
Fast forward 38,000 miles to Dec. 2010 when I find that my OEM brass radiator is leaking out of the bottom seam where it meets the plastic. My original radiator had lasted 180,000 miles so to say I was disappointed is an understatement. To top it off I was heading out to Anza Borrego in two days to camp and wheel and needed a radiator fast if I wanted to make the trip. I had read good things about the NAPA radiators and they offered a lifetime warranty so I thought I would give them a try since they had one I could pick up the same day. At the same time I replace the radiator cap with a cap from NAPA.

Fast forward 5,000 miles to April 2011 when I am on my way to work and at a stop light steam starts pouring from underneath the hood. I pop the hood to make sure I am not on fire and see that the top of the radiator at the seam is spraying coolant all over the engine. After a couple well placed cursed words at plastic topped radiators in general I limp my way to work and then get towed home where I remove the radiator and take it back to NAPA for a warranty replacement. NAPA replaced the radiator with no questions asked and this time I got a new OEM radiator cap from Toyota.

My question is could a radiator cap cause a radiator to fail like this if it were faulty and why can’t someone make an all metal radiator that doesn’t cost $840? I know that it could have just been a bad radiator but when I compared the caps there was a noticeable difference in the springs.
 
Sorry for the bad luck. You have one of two brands of radiators commonly sold at Napa, Spectra Premium and APDI. The latter is the better of the two. I sell radiators and there are no spectra premiums on my racks. We might have 25 warranties with APDI over the course of 3-4 months. We almost never get a Koyo back.

The caps on aftermarket radiators can be a problem. I've noticed that in the past, especially with Toyota/Lexus, that the recess inside the filler neck can very from manufacturer to manufacturer. This affects the function of the plunger. Last time I ran across that, it was a Cryomax radiator on a SC300. But that was totally opposite, the plunger wouldn't seal because the OE radiator cap was now too short. Never did find a cap that worked, sent him a Koyo the next day.

I'd seriously think about giving the radiator back, bite the bullet, and get a good one.

Edit, CSF makes an all metal radiator for the Land Cruiser, I have one on the shelf. I think it was there when I got a Koyo for my brother about 8 months ago.
 
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I don't even want to say it, but I've seen repeat tank failures due to cooling system overpressureization (is that a word?). Hopefully it could be a bad cap, or the beginning of a head gasket.
 
The FJ80 I recently bought needed a radiator and I decided to spend the extra $100 and go with the OEM Toyota radiator.
I looked at the CSF and while it was all metal it didn't appear to be as good a quality as the OEM.
Besides, the original lasted 20 years so hopefully the new one will as well.
 
Yes a radiator cap can cause this issue as it's the one thing that controls the pressure inside the radiator. However just as Tx cruiser said, you can encounter fitment issues that can lead to overpressurization or none at all. I had a 2004 4-Runner I put an aftermarket radiator in (accident) but retained the oem cap. A month later it blew a hose off. I suspected the spring type clamp was bad but it turned out it wasnt venting at 15psi like it should have, and with every heat and cool cycle would pull more coolant in from the reservoir. Eventually it couldnt expand anymore and blew a hose off dumping the coolant. I have been leary of aftermarket radiators ever since.

To me it seems using a napa cap with the napa radiator was the safest bet, but who knows. I don't know what I'll do when our 1997 80 needs a radiator. I guess koto because they seem the most reliable for non-oem.
 
motorsargeT said:
I don't even want to say it, but I've seen repeat tank failures due to cooling system overpressureization (is that a word?). Hopefully it could be a bad cap, or the beginning of a head gasket.
Click to expand...

My condolences. Don’t want to be an alarmist but I too have seen more than one bloated radiator along with a blown hg. Was it the cap or something other than the hg that was the original cause? Maybe.
 
I'm a bit weary of what Denso has been doing since the early 00's, but I mainly see problems on the a/c side. I can't talk down on their radiators, but I sell a lot of replacements.

1) Koyo 2) Denso 3) CSF 4) Water hose.

I'm not really a aftermarket fan either, both of my personal vehicles have OEM Radiators, one a behr, one a denso.

Both compressors are Nippondenso. 28 and 20 years of age, both have new shaft seals and nose bearings.
 
Thanks for all the responses and feedback.

TX Cruiser said:
I'd seriously think about giving the radiator back, bite the bullet, and get a good one.

Edit, CSF makes an all metal radiator for the Land Cruiser, I have one on the shelf. I think it was there when I got a Koyo for my brother about 8 months ago.
Click to expand...

I plan on replacing this radiator in the next few months when I have the $$$ to spend. Fortunately I am not taking any trips between now and then and can keep a close eye on the replacement radiator.

Is the CSF radiator as good as the Koyo? I want a radiator that I can trust 100 miles from nowhere and the APDI is not it.

I gues the lesson of this story is don't be rushed to buy cheap parts when you need to get on the trail. I could have went to my local Toyota dealer and bought a OEM radiator at full price and been on the trail but was pissed that my second OEM only lasted 38,000 miles.

motorsargeT said:
I don't even want to say it, but I've seen repeat tank failures due to cooling system overpressureization (is that a word?). Hopefully it could be a bad cap, or the beginning of a head gasket.
Click to expand...

I checked all the obvious signs of a HG failure bubble test, contaminated oil, white smoke on morning start up, stumbling start when cold, steam cleaned spark plugs and everything looks good. This is why I thought maybe the cap was bad or the Chinese radiator is just a POS and was doomed to fail.
 
I have a CSF and it has been in for a year now no problems yet knock on wood.
Not as good as Koyo but acceptible in my book
 
I bought a new OEM rad for my '97 and the lower tank cracked.:mad: Got a Koyo on there now and hopefully it'll last longer.:)
 
ummm.... I thought those 94 brass rads were all brass and the shiznit... maybe not then eh?
 
e9999 said:
ummm.... I thought those 94 brass rads were all brass and the shiznit... maybe not then eh?
Click to expand...
Yea, that's what I thought, but I have never seen one out of the truck. My buddy put one on his S/C 97 years ago, and he swears by it. Runs cooler for him and never had a problem. That's mighty important when ya run the desert in the summer. John
 
Talked to a local radiator shop today that has been in business 35 years building radiators for hot rods to caterpillar tractors and am going in next Monday to see about having them build a radiator for me.
 
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