legacycentral bbs

Okay. As most of you probably don't know or care to know, I sprung a leak in my passenger's side radiator end tank.

I tried patching it, but nothing works, as plastic end tanks just suck.

Looking around, I have seen radiators for Standard/Heavy Duty cooling, and for Max cooling. The S/HD radiator is only a 1-row, while the Max cooling radiator is 2-row. These showed up when looking for my '91 turbo.

My question is this: is the 2-row the only thing that came in the turbos, or were they available with a 1-row?

I know I could probably get away with a 1-row replacement, but since someone else is footing the bill, I figured why not at LEAST replace is with the same.

Also, I am going to call up a local racing radiator shop and see what it would cost to get an all-aluminum radiator fabricated up. I know it will be a goodly bit more, but I figure I might as well find out so the info is out there.

If it's not too much more, I may see if I can convince my dad to spring for it for my b-day.......

Wow..... 36 views and no responses.

I'm shocked.


After looking around, I believe that the 2-row was the only thing that came in the turbos.

The radiator shop was busy, so I wasn't able to get a quote today. I'll try again tomorrow and post up what I find out.

Yeah... I'm shocked too. I've never had to do anything with my radiator except lean it towards the engine so my IC pipes will sneak by it, or else I'd have something useful to say.

All I know is the 2-core stock turbo radiators are way more efficient than they have to be. Overdesigned, just like the block. Which I personally love.

What's a replacement stocker cost ya?

I've never had the stock radiator let the temps creep no matter how hard I was pushing it.

I'd only bother with the custom one if you need to fit IC pipes or something.

Customizing IC pipes is way easier than having a radiator made. Dent 'em, or get some diesel truck formed coolant hoses to go around strange bends.

The stock radiator is freakin great. I, also, have never had the temperature move anywhere once it warmed to the halfway point.

I might add that, in comparison, Saturns' cooling systems are crap. They all (at least, all the 1.9L models) had a single-core, and their idea of temperature control was to just open the thermostat at 1/4 temperature, and then almost at temp redline it would finally engage the radiator fan, until it was back down at 1/4. Idling in traffic and in drive-thru lines is scary in a Saturn.

Thank Jeebus for my Legacy

Yeah. I like the robustness of the cooling system, which is why I want to stick with the 2-core radiator.


I just got a call back from the radiator shop. They said it'd be ~$450-$550 and they'd need one to use as a template. That was for an all-aluminum unit.

List price for an OEM radiator is $365.

I'm just gonna get an Advance Auto Parts radiator for $214 with a lifetime guarantee.

Yeh, its a great radiator until the endtank blows.

At least this way, I have a lifetime guarantee.

I may see about a custom unit later, but for now.....

dzx wrote:Yeh, its a great radiator until the endtank blows.

Had this been resolved yet? Let me know if you still need a cap...

yeh, i got it kinda ghetto rigged since the n/a radiator is a little shorter than the turbo one and the fans are taller than the radiator, but it works and holds fluid. Thanks, matt.

The auto parts store cross-referenced aftermarket replacement radiator should be just as good as the Subaru OEM rad.

That's what I figured.

Also, I made sure that it had the integral tranny cooler. They kept quoting me for a 1-row. I had to tell them it was a 2-row from the factory to get them to order it (I dunno why they were being so stubborn).

Sometimes the employees at auto parts stores are idiots, unfortunately.

sometimes?

I might apply there, since the fine folks at Best Buy are being a bunch of biotches (said they'd hire me back after firing me for going to Australia for the holidays. Ignored me for over 2 weeks, and just today they said 'we filled all the positions'......).

I called HR on their butts, so hopefully I can get something done......


My new radiator should be here tomorrow morning. I got a new upper rad hose to compliment my new lower hose. Got worm clamps to replace the stock wire ones. Also, got some Slick 50 radiator flush stuff.

Sounds like a plan.


OK -- so most times, not some times. On occasion, I have encountered an intelligent indiduhvidual behind the counter.

Oh, well.

Got the new radiator into the car. Now it's back running.

Now I just need to completely refill the system. I also threw in a bottle of coolant passage cleaner. I'm going to change my coolant to get it out later.

Had the same problem in my 93 turbo wagon.
In Vancouver the cost of the stock replacement was
$810 cdn.Instead, put in a Koyo aluminum rad, made
to fit.
It has about 35% more cooling capacity, is very shiny
and cost $420 cdn.
bobhoye@shaw.ca