Cheap aftermarket radiator better than original?

[Chris142]

<---- worked at a radiator and AC shop 18+ years.

Those little scratches on the fins will not effect cooling in any way.

On the old radiator if you look at the connection where the top hose goes on and it's turned brown it's ready to fail.

 

[f355spider]

Agreed. A part Denso sells under their own brand on the aftermarket is not necessarily equivalent to the Toyota genuine part that was manufactured by Denso.

+2. Denso air filter for my Tundra is made in USA or Japan from Toyota...Denso aftermarket is China or Vietnam or something.

This has become an issue industry wide in the past three or four years. In the BMW world, you could buy the original equipment supplied part from the original manufacturer (Behr, Lemforder, etc) and it would be the exact same part, with the BMW logo ground off. Now you get a part made in China, Turkey, or eastern europe and the quality can be anywhere from same as before, to complete crap. Yet if you buy from BMW, the part (Behr or whatever) is still made in Germany and absolutely fine.

 

[50yr Street Mech]

Had to replace an OE radiator due to salt disintegrating the rails and fins. Car is 20 yrs old, so wet back with the cheap ones. The only thing I did to them to slow corrosion was spray paint the rails and fins with high temp paint. Even sprayed the crimped ends where the tanks are joined. BIG difference in weight and quality. Been 6 yrs now, no problems. Would not trust it to go cross country though. If you plan on keeping the vehicle, and drive lots of highway, bite the bullet and get OEM. I just use mine to hop skotch around the neighborhood, and the occasional short highway romps. Cheapo's are great for a flip, that's about it...HaHaHa...I make a funny

 

[John105]

I think hoses, belts, oil, brake fluid, coolant, etc as preventive maintenance items. As long as brake pads still have more than 20% meat on them, not going to replace them. I wouldn't even replace shocks, regardless of age, unless they were leaking or no longer doing their job (probably due to leaking, anyway). If a water pump had to be pulled to replace a timing belt or chain, this I might replace since it was off already. I'd never replace a radiator that was working good.

I know my Japanese indie…I asked if I should replace the serpentine, hoses, and thermostat while you are doing the timing belt. They said no, we generally don’t spend your money for no reason. It’s been our experience that these things don’t simply fail like they did in the 1970’s. That was in 2016, 9 years and 70k miles ago.

I did replace the serpentine myself as I was chasing down a belt and idler squeal/noise

 

[trd1zz]

+2. Denso air filter for my Tundra is made in USA or Japan from Toyota...Denso aftermarket is China or Vietnam or something.

This has become an issue industry wide in the past three or four years. In the BMW world, you could buy the original equipment supplied part from the original manufacturer (Behr, Lemforder, etc) and it would be the exact same part, with the BMW logo ground off. Now you get a part made in China, Turkey, or eastern europe and the quality can be anywhere from same as before, to complete crap. Yet if you buy from BMW, the part (Behr or whatever) is still made in Germany and absolutely fine.

I've experienced the same with my Corolla's radiator. Denso ordered directly from Toyota - made in the USA. Denso aftermarket - made in Taiwan. Clearly they are not the same part.

Denso needs to manufacture the Toyota genuine part to Toyota's specifications before Toyota is going to put their name on it. This is simply not the case when selling the part on the aftermarket under their own brand.

Now, whether or not the Toyota genuine part is worth the price premium over manufacturer aftermarket is a different question and everyone may have a different opinion on that.

 

[JeffKeryk]

The worst day of our 1995 Accord LX's life was when the radiator failed and the ATF mixed with the coolant to make the strawberry milkshake in my driveway. A tow, used trans and new radiator solved the problem.

If there is any question I would replace your radiator with a quality aftermarket; like a Denso. I hate cheap parts. Once bitten twice shy.

 

[f355spider]

Now, whether or not the Toyota genuine part is worth the price premium over manufacturer aftermarket is a different question and everyone may have a different opinion on that.

Exactly. My experience is mixed. Some stuff is absolutely fine, others don't work from the onset, or fail prematurely. It has become such a crap shoot I am starting to just pay the piper and find the factory part as cheaply as I can online. Especially the case if I am paying someone else to do the work...I don't want to pay twice. But at my age, I don't like doing a job twice either.

 

[meep]

I agree. Aftermarket quality can be dubious unless you’re specifically installing a reputable high performance part.

Coil and fin cleaner for HVAC is now sold even at places like Home Depot. Spray it in the radiator getting it as deep as you can, let it foam up and run out, the. Patiently wash it out with a garden hose. I’ve seen the Freon pressures in home hvac demonstrate how effective this stuff is.

 

[JackWildfeuer]

Get a Denso off Rock Auto and put it in your attic and wait. With modern radiators that have plastic top and bottom with rubber gasket crimped to aluminum core 99% of the time either the plastic cracks or the seal between the plastic and the aluminum fails. Normaly baring hitting something like high speed rock on the Interstate or a deer the aluminum seldom fails. they will weep coolant and when the coolant drys you will see it. On a Toyota it is a pink powder you see on GM it is an orange powder. What ever color Honda is using today is the color you will see or what ever the color of the coolant you have in it.

 

[PandaBear]

I lost a headgasket to a "supposedly better" all metal CSF radiator that had a slow leak, in a "preventive maintenance" because people say they are about time and all metal is better. Lifetime warranty too, they did give me a new plastic radiator but not pay for the headgasket job.

Do not do preventive radiator replacement. If you want to buy one try to avoid the "cool" stuff unless you pay an arm and a leg for the racing one. Buy at least a Koyo / Denso / Showa, etc instead of cheap stuff like Carquest or CSF.

 

[PandaBear]

Get a Denso off Rock Auto and put it in your attic and wait. With modern radiators that have plastic top and bottom with rubber gasket crimped to aluminum core 99% of the time either the plastic cracks or the seal between the plastic and the aluminum fails. Normaly baring hitting something like high speed rock on the Interstate or a deer the aluminum seldom fails. they will weep coolant and when the coolant drys you will see it. On a Toyota it is a pink powder you see on GM it is an orange powder. What ever color Honda is using today is the color you will see or what ever the color of the coolant you have in it.

Or you see steam slowing coming out of the hood. Mine lasted around 160k on 2 cars and they both have slow leak from the crack instead of a sudden burst that collapsed.

Radiator don't usually explode and grenade while driving. It is not something that I would do preventive maintenance on unless a small leak is seen.