Aftermarket Radiator?

[HotRodZilla]

Don Carver is the one that tried the "Chinese" radiator. I don't know if it was actually Chinese, but that's what he said. Either way, the fit wasn't correct, and I'd swear something else was wrong enough with it that he sent it back and sourced an OEM radiator. Don't know what brand he originally tried.

Obviously, radiators are simple. Tubes full of fluid, and the fins to help the cooling process. If there are no leaks, air can pass through the fins, and it really is the radiator, then you probably have a buildup somewhere in the passages. A radiator shop can check flow and clean that out. Of course, you may want to make sure the thermostat is working right. Seen way more broken thermostats than broken radiators.

[ionbeam]

dcarver's comments and lament about his (cheap Chinese S#it) ASI PRO radiator:

• The coils are not as finely spaced as OEM.

• it had these two holes (poked between the fins of the radiator).. Looks like they pushed something through to hold it for painting?

• .. the fan mounting wasn't perfect. Had to bend the tri-arms to fit the holes. Even at that, the brackets are under constant tension

• The brackets on the new rad are cheesy. I'm not impressed,

• The aluminum button was freaking INSIDE the radiator...(picture shows a dime size aluminum disk, it looks like a punch left-over)

• Uneven alignment. No big deal, easily bent into correct shape. Still..

• The upper mounting brackets are a different story. Completely misaligned to fit the frame. In attempting to reposition it, the cheesy weld broke and the core compressed. It wasn't even freaking close to every fitting the frame. It took very little force and the weld broke. No way would it survive my dirt road.

[0face]

Sounds like Step 1 is to get a local shop to check my Radiator (after I remove it) then assess the results.

If "bad" (beyond repair for a reasonable amount) get an OEM replacement.

[ionbeam]

My Gen I radiator picked up a mysterious hole in the upper left corner, about .38 caliber size. A local radiator shop descaled my radiator, patched the hole (two tubes broken), cleaned and straightened the fins, leak checked the radiator and painted it for around $45. The patch held up for about 7 years. If you can find a recommended radiator shop they should do ya right for low bucks.

[wheatonFJR]

.38 caliber huh? You run a police blockade or sumpin?

[ionbeam]

.38 caliber huh? You run a police blockade or sumpin?

Just using a unit of measure that most of this group can relate to

A mile or so from home I actually stopped for a stop sign and there was no radiator smell. I pulled into the garage and there was a huge steam cloud and a trail of green goo from the driveway into my garage where the radiator continued to puke all over the floor.

When my radiator repair started to cause a coolant smell with no obvious drops I replaced my radiator with a used one. It was a spare that a feller with a Forum name of Radman had in his shop. It joined a Radman shock that I used when having my aftermarket shock refurbed. In fact I had a number of Radman parts on my Gen I.

[wheatonFJR]

.38 caliber huh? You run a police blockade or sumpin?

Just using a unit of measure that most of this group can relate to

A mile or so from home I actually stopped for a stop sign and there was no radiator smell. I pulled into the garage and there was a huge steam cloud and a trail of green goo from the driveway into my garage where the radiator continued to puke all over the floor.

When my radiator repair started to cause a coolant smell with no obvious drops I replaced my radiator with a used one. It was a spare that a feller with a Forum name of Radman had in his shop. It joined a Radman shock that I used when having my aftermarket shock refurbed. In fact I had a number of Radman parts on my Gen I.

I miss that guy.
r.i.p. radman

[Harald]

The upper left side seems to be the spot for leaks on our radiators. Mine had a seep in the fins in that corner somewhere north of 100,000 miles on my 07, which prompted me to buy a used one off ebay. I've heard of others having the same seeping problem, but Ionbeam is an anomaly with his 38 caliber hole (0.357 inches actually but he probably knows that ). I put the used on in and have the old one sitting here for possible repair down the road.

But on topic, the new used radiator started overheating this past year and the problem was solved with a good cleaning. I sprayed hydrogen peroxide on it to dissolve bugs and used a pick to carefully clean crud out. This was followed with hose rinsing and also compressed air blown backwards through the rad. Working fine since then.

[ionbeam]

.38 caliber huh? You run a police blockade or sumpin?

Just using a unit of measure that most of this group can relate to

A mile or so from home I actually stopped for a stop sign and there was no radiator smell. I pulled into the garage and there was a huge steam cloud and a trail of green goo from the driveway into my garage where the radiator continued to puke all over the floor.

When my radiator repair started to cause a coolant smell with no obvious drops I replaced my radiator with a used one. It was a spare that a feller with a Forum name of Radman had in his shop. It joined a Radman shock that I used when having my aftermarket shock refurbed. In fact I had a number of Radman parts on my Gen I.

I miss that guy.
r.i.p. radman

Off the Forum I regularly had phone calls with TWN/Tim, Radman/Dave and OrangevaleFJR/Andrew.

I had just talked with Radman two days before the bridge he commutes over had collapsed, at a time he would/should have been on it.

I had talked with Andrew a few days before 'the end of all things'. We had talked about issues with this FJR and based on the way his accident was reported I was afraid that I may have contributed to his demise based on the advice I gave him. I was really concerned until better information became available.

TWN and I talked together enough that after his passing Tim's brother The Colonial traveled from Fla up to NH just to say hi and thanks for being Tim's friend.

L to R Ionbeam, The Colonial, Fred W



Back row L ionbeam R BeemerDons just a few weeks before he took the fateful ocean cruise. Visiting niece recovering from a motorcycle accident. Always wear a helmet! Edit: Wear a helmet on the motorcycle so you don't have to wear one the rest of the time off the bike.

[wheatonFJR]

I remember much of what you posted above Alan, but not all...thanks for posting. Good people, all of them.

Hopefully Marty can have good news about repairing the bullet holes in his radiator...

[ionbeam]

Nothing like a good rodding to get your circulation going

If the heat problem really is the radiator a good radiator shop should have it good as new for short bucks. The only issue with the FJR radiator are the plastic end caps which obviously can't be brazed during a repair so rodding is out and chemical cleaning is in.

[0face]

I remember much of what you posted above Alan, but not all...thanks for posting. Good people, all of them.

Hopefully Marty can have good news about repairing the bullet holes in his radiator...

+1

And I never thought about bullet holes. I'v been through the south side of Chicago a bunch of times this summer... Hmmmm..