Broken radiator nipple

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Fri Jan 06, 2006 1:54 am

Alright the nipple is epoxied back on

I took it for a spin around the block and it held fine, but Ive noticed a couple things

THe radiator is still blasting out steam. No where near as much as before, but I cant seem to pinpoint where its coming from.

The water temp gauge is acting real funny. I drove around the block (A few KM's here) and the temp was bottomed out, until suddenly about half way through, it jumped up to just below the half way mark in about a second. It usually slowly climbs.

After it jumped, it continued to climb until it was about 75%, and it stayed there. I dont think Im low on fluid, since i filled it this morning, but Ill check once the car cools down.

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Fri Jan 06, 2006 2:45 am

Can anyone recommend a good brand and part number for an aftermarket radiator?

Subtle suggested a Koyo one, but I havent been able to track it down.

Post by **Legacy777** » Fri Jan 06, 2006 4:30 am

I'd also recommend a koyo radiator. I did a quick search and really didn't come up with anything on the net. All I can suggest is keep searching.

subawhatsubawho · Post by **subawhatsubawho** » Fri Jan 06, 2006 7:04 am

Sounds to me like you have air in the system.

Anybody want to back up my theroy?

I speak from experience becasue I had an issue like that on my first legacy. When I did the coolant change I didn't burp it properly and had air pockets in the system.

Bleed it properly and drove on....

Subtle · Post by **Subtle** » Fri Jan 06, 2006 7:38 am

The composite end tanks are also fragile after years of temperature flucts.

In Vancouver the OEM rad for the 4eat listed at cdn $810. Don Nimi at PDM Racing got me an aluminum Koyo made to fit the Leg turbos, but it doesn't have a cooler for the AT.

It has about a 30 % greater cooling capacity and a polished top plate

Cost cdn $ 425. www.pdm-racing.com

Might just as well replace them before they fail at some inconvenient moment or place--like at the track or out in the boonies.

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Fri Jan 06, 2006 7:39 am

Yea Ive emailed them

What can I do about cooling the AT if I get that though?

206er · Post by **206er** » Fri Jan 06, 2006 7:48 am

maybe get a NA automatic radiator and use it how folks with turbo swaps have used the NA radiator?
also you could get a regular trans cooler and use that. might even keep the trans cooler than a radiator mounted one.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Fri Jan 06, 2006 3:52 pm

I think you really do need an AT radiator... A regular transmission cooler could potentially cool the ATF below its proper operating temperature (which is right around the engine's operating temperature). Even when you install an aftermarket cooler you're supposed to put it upstream of the one built into the radiator for this reason.

Subtle · Post by **Subtle** » Fri Jan 06, 2006 8:15 pm

Splinter

I'm having an extra tank added to the Koyo. It will have a heat exchanger in it, similar to the stock set up.

This will be similar to what the guys are using in their SCCA, Gt3 race cars, which keeps the gear box at rad temps.

Come Spring, I'll hook up the small tranny cooler in series with the rad- tank cooler, which is already installed in the fog lamp site on the driver's side.

After the summer the additional cooler can be blocked off.

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Fri Jan 06, 2006 8:18 pm

I think Im going to get a used AT rad from Blackbart (who else?

) until I can find a new one. I really dont want to blow my engine over this.

Ive talked to DSM, they said the one that you got was one of the last made, they're going to look into more for me, but it didnt seem too likely.

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:00 am

Picked up the new rad today, $259 CAD at LordCo, same design as OEM

But I really needed it, on my way to work this morning the epoxy broke and it was just jetting water out everywhere. I need to do the rad tonight, but its already well dark out, and I dont have a proper garage, Ill be doing it in the driveway.

Im just going to drain the old rad, install the new one, and refill the system, Im not going to do a full purge and fill yet, I cant get under the car to release the engine plugs. Ill do it later on this week, probably friday. Im guessing its a lot better for the car for me to do that, than continue what I was doing today - I drove 15 miles home with a pencil jammed in the hole in my radiator.

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 7:11 am

Well that went just about as badly as possible.

Every single nut was rusty, the hoses wouldnt come off, the AC lines were in the way of everything

But that was the easy part.

I get to installing the fans on the new rad, and something starts to dawn on me. This rad is about 2 inches shorter (vertically). Ive got it in the car, since I dont have a choice at this point, but Im not sure what the hell to do about it.

Can I just put some spacers under it?

Also, the overflow hose is on the wrong side, and it has a spot for a cap, which the OEM one doesn't. I dont have a spare cap... So looks like Im driving 15 miles without a cap on the radiator tomorrow!

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:24 pm

It sounds like they gave you a non-turbo radiator.

I think sticking spacers under it would be a pretty good way to deal with the height difference.

For the overflow hose, do what Josh did when he swapped in the EJ22T. Remove the lower gasket from a radiator cap and put it on the radiator (use your current one, so you can put a nice new cap on the filler tank). Then use the overflow fitting on the radiator in place of the nipple you broke on your original radiator (be sure to use 5/16" fuel hose to extend it if necessary).

206er · Post by **206er** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 5:12 pm

Splinter wrote:looks like Im driving 15 miles without a cap on the radiator tomorrow!

how is that going to work?

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 7:29 pm

Well apparently it worked.

Barely.

I had to stop and fill up the fluid twice, but I made it to walmart and grabbed a second cap there.

Apparently I had an airlock tho, cuz my heater wasnt working. It was about 5 degrees celsius outside, and very humid (raining + fog), so my windows were misting up, forcing me to turn on the A/C.

Not the most fun Ive ever had in my life. I think I fixed the airlock tho, and all my temps are normal.

Im still quite concerned about the height of the rad tho, because it doesnt fit into the upper pegs to hold it in place, so its free to move around. Im sure there's nothing safe about that.

Vikash, what were you saying about changing the gaskets? I didnt really understand that.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 7:50 pm

Until you properly deal with the cap and everything, you're going to be unable to actually get the air out.

So when you look at this non-turbo radiator, you'll notice that it has three big functional differences from the turbo radiator:

1) It's smaller.
2) It doesn't have a nipple in the upper passenger corner (the nipple you broke on your original radiator).
3) It has a cap fitting, while the turbo radiator doesn't.

#1 you can't do much about. But #2 and #3 have a joint solution:

Put your new cap on the filler tank.

Take your old cap, and remove this rubber gasket from it:

Install this hacked cap on the radiator.

Then run 5/16" fuel hose from the overflow fitting under the radiator's cap all the way to the small fitting on the back of the filler tank. If it's convenient, you can use some or all of the stock piping that ran from the nipple you broke.

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 9:53 pm

Vik, have anyone ever told you that you're amazing?

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 9:55 pm

As for spacers, what should I use?

Chunks of dense rubber the size of the height difference?

Post by **Legacy777** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 10:26 pm

Just curious. Was this n/a radiator a single or double row?

I believe the turbo legacy radiator is double row, and the n/a radiator is single.

Can you confirm this?

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 10:28 pm

er...

how would I tell?

Post by **Legacy777** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 10:32 pm

Look at the radiator. It should be pretty obvious if there's only one row of metal fins going across, or if there's two.

I really don't know how to explain it. I can try drawing a picture if need be.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 11:41 pm

Thanks, Sensei.

Yeah, I'd just use chunks of rubber. Go to the auto parts store and take a look at the rubber "spring helpers" they carry -- they're designed to fit between the coils of the springs in a car or truck's suspension to increase ride height.

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 2:39 am

It's a one row rad.

The difference in height between the two is 1 9/32", according to the spec sheets. I picked up some rubber exhaust mounts, which are 1 1/16" thick, so its still 1/4" short, but the mounting pegs are at least an inch long, so Im gonna try and find something to use as a spacer for those and hopelly that'll make everything snug.

The good news is, now that Ive got it properly filled and done Vik's suggestion for the hoses, it seems to cool everything just fine, I did a couple of really hard runs and it never went up from the half way point.

So anyone with a turbo automatic or manual, you can save an assload of cash by using the N/A rad, with a little bit of work. The difference in cash was over $200

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 3:34 am

I think it might depend on the climate... British Columbia is probably going to be fine, but Hardy did have cooling problems with his NA radiator and his EJ22T in California.

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 3:40 am

Hm

I suppose it is 5C outside right now

Ill see what its like at 35C

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Broken radiator nipple