How reliable are OEM radiators with plastic end tanks? Has yours failed? - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

Pat · 08-03-2018, 02:04 PM

Radiators with plastic end tanks have a reputation for cracking and leaking. Often this happens around 100,000 miles or less. Not a lot of twins have this many miles on them, so maybe that's why I haven't heard of this problem yet with twins. Has anyone experienced leaking plastic end tanks? If so, how is your car used and how many miles are on it?
I'm wondering if it makes sense to replace my OEM rad before it fails and use it as an excuse to buy the Jackson Racing unit that doubles as an oil cooler.
Thanks!

Spuds · 08-03-2018, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pat

Radiators with plastic end tanks have a reputation for cracking and leaking. Often this happens around 100,000 miles or less. Not a lot of twins have this many miles on them, so maybe that's why I haven't heard of this problem yet with twins. Has anyone experienced leaking plastic end tanks? If so, how is your car used and how many miles are on it?
I'm wondering if it makes sense to replace my OEM rad before it fails and use it as an excuse to buy the Jackson Racing unit that doubles as an oil cooler.
Thanks!

The real question is why do you need reliability as an excuse? Go for it!

Silvermk2 · 08-03-2018, 02:32 PM

I've had multiple cars with 2-300k miles on the original plastic radiators. I would trust oem over aftermarket imo

CoolHandMoss · 08-03-2018, 03:14 PM

Age as well as mileage plays a role in how long the plastic end tanks last. I'm curious to see how they hold up too though. I intend to have this car quite a while.

mav1178 · 08-03-2018, 04:19 PM

no different than OEM hoses vs "high performance" hoses... they are only as reliable as how well you maintain the car.

the vast majority of coolant system failure comes from stuck thermostat or radiator caps, which overpressurize the system and contribute to premature cracking of hoses or plastic.

Tcoat · 08-03-2018, 04:27 PM

100,000+ miles and have never lost a drop of coolant (beyond the expected).

and...

What Spuds said.

Tcoat · 08-03-2018, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silvermk2

I've had multiple cars with 2-300k miles on the original plastic radiators. I would trust oem over aftermarket imo

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoolHandMoss

Age as well as mileage plays a role in how long the plastic end tanks last. I'm curious to see how they hold up too though. I intend to have this car quite a while.

Thread crossover:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showp...ostcount=46822

finch1750 · 08-07-2018, 03:42 PM

147k miles here and radiator is fine. I do have coolant evaporation when driven hard but it's done that since I first got it essentially

Ernest72 · 08-07-2018, 05:56 PM

Got a leak on my 04 WRX at about 120k. Put another radiator on with plastic ends. Cooling is likely not an issue for the BRZ unless you go FI or tracking.

finch1750 · 08-07-2018, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ernest72

Got a leak on my 04 WRX at about 120k. Put another radiator on with plastic ends. Cooling is likely not an issue for the BRZ unless you go FI or tracking.

Yeah, the GD radiators go out between 100-120k miles like clockwork it seemed. My old STi broke at 107k lol

But even tracking the oem rad is very efficient (for NA and even some FI set-ups)

MrDinkleman · 08-08-2018, 02:16 PM

I think it is more than just mileage and age. Environment, # of heating cycles, how long it stays hot each cycle, etc., could be factors. I've only had my FRS for 3yrs and 78k miles so my radiator looks fine.
I also have a 99 Miata on which I had to replace the radiator due to cracked end tank.
Assuming all plastic end tanks are made of the same stuff, you don't HAVE to randomly, preemptively buy a new radiator. The tank on my Miata started to turn green before it cracked. This is a known issue/symptom with Miata OEM radiators. And, it's not like it just exploded, spewing coolant everywhere. I just noticed dried coolant around the filler neck (where it cracked) one day and upon closer inspection, saw the crack.

Irace86.2.0 · 08-09-2018, 12:44 AM

Mine started leaking on my 2003 Lancer at 180k miles. I knew it was dripping because it was dripping. I replaced it for a new unit for like $43 bucks, and it took 30 minutes to install.

Sapphireho · 08-09-2018, 12:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irace86.2.0

Mine started leaking on my 2003 Lancer at 180k miles. I knew it was dripping because it was dripping. I replaced it for a new unit for like $43 bucks, and it took 30 minutes to install.

That must have been tough spending twice the blue book value of the car.

Sorry, can't help myself tonight.

Irace86.2.0 · 08-09-2018, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sapphireho

That must have been tough spending twice the blue book value of the car.

Sorry, can't help myself tonight.

Actually it was three times the value, but at the time a running car is a running car.

08-03-2018, 04:27 PM	#6
Tcoat Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Drives: 2020 Hakone Location: London, Ont Posts: 69,841 Thanks: 61,656 Thanked 108,295 Times in 46,456 Posts Mentioned: 2499 Post(s) Tagged: 50 Thread(s)	100,000+ miles and have never lost a drop of coolant (beyond the expected). and... What Spuds said. __________________ Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar, because Racecar.

08-07-2018, 03:42 PM	#8
finch1750 Undisputed El Presidente Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: Zenki 37J ZN6 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 11,593 Thanks: 9,403 Thanked 9,411 Times in 5,270 Posts Mentioned: 374 Post(s) Tagged: 33 Thread(s)	147k miles here and radiator is fine. I do have coolant evaporation when driven hard but it's done that since I first got it essentially __________________ "Just like how a strut bar somehow enables you to corner 20MPH faster around a cloverleaf on-ramp, when the reality is, you can do it already but you just don't have to balls to do it." - CSG David

08-09-2018, 12:44 AM	#12
Irace86.2.0 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Drives: Q5 + BRZ + M796 Location: Santa Rosa, CA Posts: 7,884 Thanks: 5,668 Thanked 5,810 Times in 3,300 Posts Mentioned: 70 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Mine started leaking on my 2003 Lancer at 180k miles. I knew it was dripping because it was dripping. I replaced it for a new unit for like $43 bucks, and it took 30 minutes to install. __________________ My Build \| K24 Turbo Swap \| K24T BRZ SOLD

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08-03-2018, 02:32 PM	#3
Silvermk2 Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Drives: Toyota Supra 2JZGTE VVTi Location: United States Posts: 51 Thanks: 0 Thanked 33 Times in 21 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I've had multiple cars with 2-300k miles on the original plastic radiators. I would trust oem over aftermarket imo

08-03-2018, 03:14 PM	#4
CoolHandMoss Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Drives: 2013 FRS Location: VA Posts: 305 Thanks: 1 Thanked 87 Times in 55 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Age as well as mileage plays a role in how long the plastic end tanks last. I'm curious to see how they hold up too though. I intend to have this car quite a while.

08-03-2018, 04:19 PM	#5
mav1178 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Drives: 2005 Toyota Camry Location: 91745 Posts: 6,562 Thanks: 493 Thanked 6,099 Times in 3,030 Posts Mentioned: 95 Post(s) Tagged: 3 Thread(s)	no different than OEM hoses vs "high performance" hoses... they are only as reliable as how well you maintain the car. the vast majority of coolant system failure comes from stuck thermostat or radiator caps, which overpressurize the system and contribute to premature cracking of hoses or plastic.

08-07-2018, 05:56 PM	#9
Ernest72 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Drives: 16 Silver BRZ, 04 Silver WRX wagon Location: Rockland county, NY Posts: 1,429 Thanks: 186 Thanked 776 Times in 446 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Got a leak on my 04 WRX at about 120k. Put another radiator on with plastic ends. Cooling is likely not an issue for the BRZ unless you go FI or tracking.

08-08-2018, 02:16 PM	#11
MrDinkleman Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Drives: 2016 Oceanic, "base" model Location: Gardena, CA Posts: 398 Thanks: 129 Thanked 179 Times in 128 Posts Mentioned: 5 Post(s) Tagged: 2 Thread(s)	I think it is more than just mileage and age. Environment, # of heating cycles, how long it stays hot each cycle, etc., could be factors. I've only had my FRS for 3yrs and 78k miles so my radiator looks fine. I also have a 99 Miata on which I had to replace the radiator due to cracked end tank. Assuming all plastic end tanks are made of the same stuff, you don't HAVE to randomly, preemptively buy a new radiator. The tank on my Miata started to turn green before it cracked. This is a known issue/symptom with Miata OEM radiators. And, it's not like it just exploded, spewing coolant everywhere. I just noticed dried coolant around the filler neck (where it cracked) one day and upon closer inspection, saw the crack.

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