Aftermarket Radiator reviews

[TjMiller]

Looking for input on radiator choices. Mine has just developed a leak looks like at the seam on bottom corner. Truck has 150k and has been good to me just not sure about how long I am going to keep it. I of course would rather go with all aluminum but if I only keep the truck another year or 2 kind of wasted money.

Has any one had good or bad experience with parts store aftermarket units?

 

[ncollins64]

Go stock or maybe the mishimoto unit with the support braces.

 

[TjMiller]

I havent really been around here in awhile wasnt sure if any new companies came out with all aluminum or if aftermarket plastic ones got better. Guess it is same old story. The mishimoto units are expensive but at least they can be repaired in most cases.
Like I said mine is original so 11 years seems good. I remember hearing that worn out cab mounts can cause issue with the radiator. Also wondering if a possible leaking head gasket can pop the seam on a plastic unit. What are thoughts on that?

 

[ncollins64]

I do think badly worn cab mounts can do more harm than good to a radiator. You can also check out the ipr research pieces.

 

[TjMiller]

After pricing out Oem + aftermarket units with plastic ends I decided to go mishimoto. For a few hundred dollars extra this seemed like the best route. I must say this is the first time I have had a 6.4 radiator out in front of me and I can understand why they are expensive. The thing is massive.

 

[TjMiller]

Also pulled the water pump to check for cavitation. At 160k looks mint ��

 

[Sixfoh]

Did you end up doing the cab mounts as well? The mishimoto radiator is great but can still fail if you dont update the mounts, as well as update the degas bottle setup if yours is the older version. They sell a venturi tee and you do some new routing, plug the second port on the degas etc. If you have the old setup that is. I think there maybe a couple other things they suggest as well.

 

[ncollins64]

I’d check on some s&b cab mounts and the mishimoto radiator support braces if you didn’t already.

 

[TjMiller]

I replaced the mounts they were shot. I used Dorman, I was afraid of too stiff of a ride with urethane mounts. My parts guy had the Dormans on the shelf and they looked to be similar to oem material so figured would try them.

Truck is an 09 so I think it has the newer bottle. Not sure cant remember the difference.

 

[TjMiller]

I’d check on some s&b cab mounts and the mishimoto radiator support braces if you didn’t already.

When you say support braces do you mean the piece they sell to replace the factory magnesium piece?

 

[Sixfoh]

Degas bottle will either have two ports or one is the way to tell the difference. He is likely talking about the mishimoto cross member. I got one and definitely am digging it. Only issue I had was the hood latch mounting nuts that were welded in were two different nuts... just my luck lol first time ive ever had an issue with the company though.

 

[ncollins64]

Degas bottle will either have two ports or one is the way to tell the difference. He is likely talking about the mishimoto cross member. I got one and definitely am digging it. Only issue I had was the hood latch mounting nuts that were welded in were two different nuts... just my luck lol first time ive ever had an issue with the company though.

Yep the mishimoto cross member brace.

 

[ncollins64]

Pic

Found a picture for ref for the rad support brace

 

[TjMiller]

I just got around to putting the radiator in and had a small issue. I used the orange pads supplied from mishimoto for the bottom supports and the top supports didnt line up, the studs on the radiator were too high. I noticed that the OEM pads were thinner so swapped them out and everything lined up nice.
My issue is that the Mishimoto intallation instructions say that the warranty is no good unlass the orange pads are used. In my research before I bought the radiator this never came up so not sure what is going on. The only thing that made sense to me was that the cross member they sell makes everything line up again so you are forced to buy it. It looked like I could shim the factory crossmember up and use the orange pads but didnt really like that idea.

 

[Sixfoh]

Ive installed these radiators with factory and mishimoto support braces, using the orange pads in both. If I remember correctly the pads do have an L and R. Besides that it may be helpful to attach the upper pegs to the crossmember first then bolt the crossmember down to the front clip.

 

[TjMiller]

Ive installed these radiators with factory and mishimoto support braces, using the orange pads in both. If I remember correctly the pads do have an L and R. Besides that it may be helpful to attach the upper pegs to the crossmember first then bolt the crossmember down to the front clip.

My theory was wrong, the Mishi crossmember is no different. I spoke with them today and he said the orange pads are designed taller and that the upper pegs should be bent down a bit once everything is bolted down. This is normal and is supposed to "pre-load" the radiator. I dont really like the way it fits and dont see how it will help but they have put in alot of work on these so I am not going to argue. He said send them photos of the pegs and if they seem excessively bent they can send me out optional shorter pads.

I will post pics of the pegs when I swap the orange pads back in.

 

[TjMiller]

These are photos with the orange pads installed. The pic of the peg shows how much they are bent down with everything bolted down. The 2 other pics show how much higher the crossmember wants to be with just clamps bolted on the pegs. The passenger side took an 8mm socket the driver side took a HD pencil, just what had nearby to give an idea.

 

[TjMiller]

The driver side is somewhat reasonable but passenger side is almost 3/8” up. I did make sure everything was seated on thee bottom

 

[ShaneDD]

I bought a 2008 F250. Within the first week the radiator started leaking. Since Carfax said it had already been replaced twice, I choose to replace the factory unit with the Mishimoto radiator, silicon double ring hoses and the cross brace. I was a little concerned with the pull down on the side pegs, but they said is is normal.