Well some of you may have read that I toasted my Z's front end, so one of the replacement items will be a radiator. As it turns out, I am considering replacing this with an aftermarket unit, likely a KOYO since they are being advertised by my350z.com vendors.

I have read some posts here that condemn some aftermarket radiators due to their increased weight, and others have said that there is limited value in replacing the OEM product.

I would like to ask the specific question that if you were in my situation (non FI), would you replace your radiator with a generic or with a "branded" upgraded radiator? If you selected "branded", then which radiator would you choose?

Thank you for your responses,
Eugene

 

given that you're N/A and don't appear to be into endurance racing, the Nissan OEM radiator should be the best choice.

If you were going FI or road racing, I'd suggest a larger aftermarket "performance" radiator. They're heavier because they hold more coolant in order to lower engine temps.

 

What he said, but normally you can find a generic replacement for the same if not better quality than the OEM radiator. Plastic end-tanks tend to fail often...

 

hell no, get an uber-quality radiator from stillen, koyo or the liikes

if you ever consider any, even amateur, traking, you need a good radiator, they arent that much heavier and the effects are dramatic


believe me

 

Koyo gets the nod on price alone but, its not a direct bolt in (some trimming.shaving needed). its slightly heaver (no plastic endtanks, but MUCH bigger than the stock one (I have one in my own car)

Adam

 

Will the koyo rad fit with the Vortech Supercharger?

 

I personally would go with a Koyo radiator, but that's only because I track my car. However, the author doesn't really need it since he doesn't track his car and he lives in NY. If he lived in SoCal, I could justify getting a Koyo, but otherwise it's really overkill.

If you decide to go with a generic replacement, I've never had problems with radiators.com radiators. I've installed several in the past, and every single one has been 100% aluminum with no cheap plastic end tanks. Plus, they're about half the price of the OEM ones.

 

Thanks for the great responses.

I currently am not an autoX person, but I really need to gain better driving skills, so I will definitely autoX next year. Also, I am not sure whether or not I will end up in hot southern states for my next job. I remember reading something about how the 2004 350Z's in Europe had upgraded cooling systems, so that's one of the real reasons I thought an upgraded aftermarket radiator made sense. Also, since I am now going to be going with an INGS+1 front, and I don't have an IC, having a nice polished radiator that can survive a few rock hits would be good. Keep adding your opinions please.

Adam at Z1,
How much trimming is required for installation of the KOYO radiator?

 

what about the Power Enterprise Radiator, looks top notch and I believe it would definitely support F/I