GRDPuck
22-10-2006, 03:06 PM
Hey guys, thought I'd tell you about my new radiator.
Quick story for anyone looking at buying a new radiator and needing to save some $$$.
Also for anyone looking at buying an Aluminium Radiator.
At the end of last summer I had a problem where the car would overheat when I switched the Air Conditioner on.
Took it to a radiator place where they informed me my radiator was stuffed. :doubt:
It would be okay to cool the car until it had to work hard (hot day with A/C on). Then it would fail as the water wasn't being cooled efficiently enough.
Anyway, money got tight and winter came so problem went away (sort of).
Coming up to this summer, I started to think about it again.
Cost of a new (stock type) radiator was around the $300-$350 mark. Not sure how much Aluminium ones are supposed to be.
Then I saw a guy on ebay selling Aluminium Radiators for a TR/TS Magna. (all up depending on where you live = around the $200 mark including postage)
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/MITSUBISHI-MAGNA-TR-TS-91-96-4-6-CYL-ALUMINIUM-RADIATOR_W0QQitemZ190005160977QQihZ009QQcategoryZ1 0400QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
(same guy that sells some of the Magna Tailights, etc.)
I did some research with some of the local radiator places.
From what I've been told, the only brand to make an Aluminium Radiator for the TR/TS Magna (that they know of) is a brand called SSS. And sure enough, this one was a SSS Radiator.
Good point - Excellent Cooling. Better than stock ones.
Good point - Lighter. It was heaps lighter - pick up with one hand, no problems.
Bad point - Harder to repair if you get a hole (but the A/C radiator thingy is in front of it anyway).
Bad point - If you have an automatic - you will need to consider buying an aftermarket auto oil cooler as the one attached to the 'SSS' Aluminium Radiator is not very good. (there goes the savings) But not a problem for people like me with a manual.
So I bought one. The ebay guy had excellent emails and it arrived quickly.
The radiator place tested it before it went in - no problems.
The day I got it installed was hot, and true to form, on the way there, the car's temp started to rise when I turned the A/C on.
On the way home with the new radiator installed, no problems even with the hot day and A/C on. :D
So if anyone needs a new radiator. (especially if they have a manual), I'd at least give this some consideration - save you around $100-$150. The ebay guy also sent me emails to ensure the radiator place tested it before installing it to make sure things were okay. As for warranty, it came with the warranty papers but I'm not sure if this would be valid anyway - but I'll take the risk.
Tried to take some pics of it but really, you can hardly see it anyway. lol
From the front, the A/C thingy is in front of it, and from the back, the Fan surround is in front of it.
Quick story for anyone looking at buying a new radiator and needing to save some $$$.
Also for anyone looking at buying an Aluminium Radiator.
At the end of last summer I had a problem where the car would overheat when I switched the Air Conditioner on.
Took it to a radiator place where they informed me my radiator was stuffed. :doubt:
It would be okay to cool the car until it had to work hard (hot day with A/C on). Then it would fail as the water wasn't being cooled efficiently enough.
Anyway, money got tight and winter came so problem went away (sort of).
Coming up to this summer, I started to think about it again.
Cost of a new (stock type) radiator was around the $300-$350 mark. Not sure how much Aluminium ones are supposed to be.
Then I saw a guy on ebay selling Aluminium Radiators for a TR/TS Magna. (all up depending on where you live = around the $200 mark including postage)
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/MITSUBISHI-MAGNA-TR-TS-91-96-4-6-CYL-ALUMINIUM-RADIATOR_W0QQitemZ190005160977QQihZ009QQcategoryZ1 0400QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
(same guy that sells some of the Magna Tailights, etc.)
I did some research with some of the local radiator places.
From what I've been told, the only brand to make an Aluminium Radiator for the TR/TS Magna (that they know of) is a brand called SSS. And sure enough, this one was a SSS Radiator.
Good point - Excellent Cooling. Better than stock ones.
Good point - Lighter. It was heaps lighter - pick up with one hand, no problems.
Bad point - Harder to repair if you get a hole (but the A/C radiator thingy is in front of it anyway).
Bad point - If you have an automatic - you will need to consider buying an aftermarket auto oil cooler as the one attached to the 'SSS' Aluminium Radiator is not very good. (there goes the savings) But not a problem for people like me with a manual.
So I bought one. The ebay guy had excellent emails and it arrived quickly.
The radiator place tested it before it went in - no problems.
The day I got it installed was hot, and true to form, on the way there, the car's temp started to rise when I turned the A/C on.
On the way home with the new radiator installed, no problems even with the hot day and A/C on. :D
So if anyone needs a new radiator. (especially if they have a manual), I'd at least give this some consideration - save you around $100-$150. The ebay guy also sent me emails to ensure the radiator place tested it before installing it to make sure things were okay. As for warranty, it came with the warranty papers but I'm not sure if this would be valid anyway - but I'll take the risk.
Tried to take some pics of it but really, you can hardly see it anyway. lol
From the front, the A/C thingy is in front of it, and from the back, the Fan surround is in front of it.