New radiator…..does this look normal?

[Zack1978]

Hi everyone,

I received a new Nissens radiator for my car today from Rockauto.

The radiator was very well packaged and there is basically no damage to the fins, etc.

However I did notice that there are four slits in each of the corners of the radiator. The slits seemingly were done intentionally since there are four.

Does this look normal or did someone damage this radiator?
I would hate to go through the trouble of installing it only to find it that it’s leaking.

Any ideas?

Thank you!

 

[slo town]

Hmmm. I agree with you that those cuts look like they were intentionally made for some reason. It's not going to leak because the water passages aren't cut, and the minor damage to the fins won't hurt anything. Does the OEM radiator have those cuts? If not, I'd return it and ask for another.

Scott

 

[bullwinkle]

I’ve seen those before, I’m pretty sure those are relief cuts, done to allow thermal expansion when the radiator gets hot.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Pressure test it before install. You really should anyway. If its good, its good.

 

[Zack1978]

My only option was the Nissens radiator since they are the only company that still makes a manual transmission specific part. I know I could have used an auto trans radiator, but for originality purposes I wanted the manual transmission radiator.

 

[bullwinkle]

My only option was the Nissens radiator since they are the only company that still makes a manual transmission specific part. I know I could have used an auto trans radiator, but for originality purposes I wanted the manual transmission radiator.

That’s where I’ve seen them, on the Nissens one I put in my old ‘82 300D.

 

[Chris142]

The aluminum core will expand about 1/4 inch between cold and hot. Those are expansion joint... Normal and there on purpose.

 

[Chris142]

I’ve seen those before, I’m pretty sure those are relief cuts, done to allow thermal expansion when the radiator gets hot.

Exactly

 

[Nukeman7]

The aluminum core will expand about 1/4 inch between cold and hot. Those are expansion joint... Normal and there on purpose.

Not disagreeing with you, but why don't other brands of radiators have these expansion relief cuts? Is it model specific or something else?

 

[Jim_Truett]

Not disagreeing with you, but why don't other brands of radiators have these expansion relief cuts? Is it model specific or something else?

Almost every radiator I have installed the last few years have had the cuts. The two that didn't were pricy Mishimoto units, and both started leaking where the core tubes were brazed to the tank. The core tubes see more heat than the upper and lower ribs, and in turn expand at a greater rate.

 

[Chris142]

Not disagreeing with you, but why don't other brands of radiators have these expansion relief cuts? Is it model specific or something else?

They should have some kind of cuts. Might be in the corners where not easily seen

 

[joegreen]

Yes i have seen this on denso radiators. Even returned one because I thought it was damaged. Turns out its there for thermal expansion reasons.

 

[Urshurak776]

Done a little sloppy, but yeah, they're supposed to be there. You should be fine.

 

[burbguy82]

that is a big radiator

 

[KrisZ]

Those do not look like they were done at a factory, these cuts look like a reciprocating saw cuts to me.

This could be a return and whoever tried installing it might’ve made the cuts to solve some fitment issue. Perhaps it didn’t work out and the radiator was returned.

 

[Chris142]

Those do not look like they were done at a factory, these cuts look like a reciprocating saw cuts to me.

This could be a return and whoever tried installing it might’ve made the cuts to solve some fitment issue. Perhaps it didn’t work out and the radiator was returned.

I worked at a radiator shop nearly 20 years. It's normal, nobody cut it after It left china.

 

[Chris142]

Normal

 

[KevinMalone]

Another source: https://help.summitracing.com/knowledgebase/article/SR-04916/en-us

Curious why some radiators have it and others don't. The Nissens radiator for my BMW E90 didn't have them