[Floggolf]

After 28 years or so, my plastic radiator tank started weeping coolant (right through a hair line crack in the plastic, not at the gasket).

Got a replacement from a National Auto parts chain, Murray 431295, made by china radiator factory, with ‘lifetime warranty’ (by the Parts Chain)

Even though the hose outlet on the lower tank was on the correct outboard side for a manual transmission, china radiator factory still equipped the unit with a transmission cooler. Xi, thanks!

Alas, the core is too short, by about 1.13” When the rad is mounted by bolts at the top ears, the bottom of the rad flaps in the breeze, well above the lower rubber lined saddle it is supposed to sit in.

I made a sheet metal extension to raise the lower saddle to make it fit. Saddle is riveted to the extension to keep the fastener head thickness to a minimum. Also had to bend up a very small flange on the lower radiator support to get the extension to sit flush.

Before I did that, I bought a china radiator factory all Aluminum unit from an eBay seller.

All Aluminum Radiator is the correct height.

Lower tank fits the factory bracket perfectly.

The pair of upper mounting ears have 3 problems.

1. They are welded too far aft (about ¾″) and cannot bolt up tight to the car’s support beam.
2. They are made in a ‘U’ shape which is too narrow and will not allow the Fan mounting tabs to fit inside the ‘U’.
3. One of the ears does not line up with the tapped hole in the car support. (off about ⅜″)

I have photos of a black plastic radiator tank which shows the correct fit of the parts and photos of the silver aluminum radiator, showing the fit problems. The upper aluminum radiator tank is as far forward as it can go. Might or not add them, if I sign up at IMGUR.

The eBay seller told me to apply for a refund, they had no better ones to exchange! Then they refunded my money and I guess I keep the rad. I can cut the ears off and fab some clamps to fit the upper tank… SPARE!

If you get the colorful silicone hoses off eBay, order shiny stainless T-bolt hose clamps in the 35 - 40 mm size at the same time. The silicone hose has a thicker wall and the factory clamps will not fit around them.

[blueturbofly]

makes me wonder about chinese fitment issues- did they take the measurements from a damaged car?
have had brand new chinese carbs, for small engines, that had garbage inside them. once cleaned, the carb works great.
they produce so much stuff in china, i dont think that they care about exact fitment issues, they will just give your money back and not worry about getting the product back….

what are they going to do with a rad that doesnt fit? most likely throw it in the garbage- BUT us suzuki fans can make stuff work…

the silicone hoses need those t-bolt hose clamps- the constant tension, if they did fit, may cut thru the silicone hose- t bolt stainless clamps have the chamfered edges so they dont cut the hose that they are clamping over.

its a real crap shoot ordering stuff that is supposed to fit, arrives and wont fit worth a damn….

[Murf]

For the earlier rad that has the lower mounts in the wrong place, to fix it all you needed was the auto lower bracket. I have a 5 spd in my car, ran an auto rad for a while while waiting for the Manuel one to show up at my door. Worked great. Its all about the brackets for the stock ones. I am now running my second made in China aluminum rad. Love it. Wore the first one out with many miles on the road. I did not have an issue mounting the fan on mine. To get the right spacing on the upper brackets, I used a bit of my ol’ladies tephlon cutting board to make spacers. Love it.