What benifits can be expected from installing aftermarket radiators? Obviously it (hopefully) cools better, but is the resulting gain from this noticable?

Also, there's a huge range of prices - the ARC is like $1.2k!! Anyone with experience of any make?

Thanks

 

Are you having overheating issues?

 

ok look at are stock one. it is plastic and aluminum bonded togeather. this will leak in do time. always does. a full aluminum radiator will not. they also dispurse heat alot faster. there core is a little bit bigger. hope you understand what i just said. lol

 

well, I'm not having over-heating problems and I kindda worked it out that it might cool somewhat better. But does that eventually make more power? Like you end up needing to pump less water through the radiator and stuff?

 

greddy makes them as well for the CT9A.. about 550 US

might want to take a look..i like how the radiator hose is on the far right

 

good find on the greddy rad.

the benefits in power? none.

pumping less water? never, you're always pumping a set amount of water for a given rpm until you change the size of your water pump.

cooling better? definitely.

 

I got Koyo for $360. It's thicker and if anything it looks whole lot better.

My stock got shredded but Koyo is working out just fine...

I see there are more JAM customers...

 

Funny you say that, but my single core honda radiator on my first honda civic was on for 176,000 miles

 

I got the PWR radiator. has been fine.

 

I have a Koyo.

It's huge, I guess thats good for a stock turbo, but you're not going to be able to swap it out for a larger one without having issues with the radiator.

 

I have the AMS half radiator due to space constraints and haven't had any overheating issues so far.

 

I thought there's this valve which opens and close depending on engine temp. When it opens, it routes the water through the rad. So, that way, you're pumping the same amount (as you said) but it's not sapping too much power since it's not going through the radiator?

I'm probably wrong, but there's definitely a valve that does something

 

oh i mean max capacity of the pump... but for any given temp you're still opening the thermostat the same amount which will then move the same amount of water. if you mean that you'll keep lower temps and then move less water that might be so... but you're usually wide open on the thermostat in track situations.

and what i said before about rpm and water pump dutycycle still stands.

 

+1

 

So, the valve opens gradually - rather than sort of on/off? Thought it was that spring stuff with the waxy stuff inside...

Anyhow, surely you will need less water going through the radiator(?). If the radiator can get rid of heat at a higher rate than stock for a given water flow rate then for a given engine operating temp you will need a lower flow rate of water. This is assuming the objective is to keep a const. engine temp. So, if the valve is more like on/off then it's probably on for shorter periods of time. If it's gradual then it would stay open but letting through less water.

Oh well... I'm sure it's not worth $1.2k anyway.