Aluminum radiator install and impressions - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

Tye300 · 10-24-2013, 05:49 PM

I recently installed an oversized aluminum radiator. Here are some pics and impressions. Quoted from my build thread.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tye300

JC Racing Aluminum Radiator and SARD thermostat Install

My previous post mentioned addressing the car's stock cooling system. I feel this is the way to go mod-wise because not only will it prepare the car for the track while NA, these mods will also be great supporting parts in my upcoming supercharger install in a couple of months.
The stock radiator does a good job if you drive it spiritedly on the street and winding back roads, but you can see its shortcomings on the track. To show you an example, I took some shots of my water temp/oil temp gauge to show you how the stock radiator behaves.
Normally, I would be at 90degC for water and 100-105degC on oil temp during my daily drives.

On spirited drives, water temp usually is at 100degC and oil temps reach 115degC. On the track, water temp goes to around 110degC, and oil temps spike to as much as 135degC. Pretty alarming tracking the car with no oil cooler. I also noticed an AT safeguard that makes the car shift softer when water temps reach 100degC, not a good thing when going for that time attack lap on the track.
Deciding to upgrade the radiator is a no brainer, and I went with the JC Racing aluminum radiator.

Construction seems nice, fins are good quality, the welds are clean, and the core is three times thicker than the stock one.

Stock and JC Racing side by side:

Install is a PITA! You almost have to remove everything on the front end to get to the radiator.

I also took out the stock thermostat and replaced it with the SARD 68degC cooling thermostat.

The stock thermostat is set at 88degC shown here:

The SARD is set at a lower 68degC here:

The JC Racing radiator is a drop in, with all the stock parts bolting on to it with no problem.

Mounted on the car:

I used Toyota coolant mixed with distilled water:

Testing the car after the install, I noticed that the water temp and oil temp has gone down significantly. Water temps on the street usually sits around 80degC, and the oil temp has gone down too, usually around 85degC.

Temps rise when the car is still, like in traffic, but when the fans kick in, temps go back down quick.

I tried driving it hard and the most I can get is this:

Definitely the radiator and thermostat has given the engine more room to operate temperature-wise. I have to see how this fares at the track. Oil cooler is on order, hopefully arriving ahead or with the supercharger.
I also changed the AT fluid after logging 15,000kms. Dealer was skeptical at me for wanting to change the fluid which was scheduled at 40,000kms. I'm glad I did, because the junk that came out of the transmission was scary. The service reps were surprised how 15,000kms looked like that. Glad I did not tell them I was tracking the car.

I used Toyota WS AT Fluid:

finch1750 · 10-24-2013, 06:18 PM

Great info. Thanks a ton

Tye300 · 10-25-2013, 02:48 AM

No problem. Just wanted to share.

xsuperbeex · 10-25-2013, 04:13 AM

is there a link on the product for the radiator?

Tony Mac · 10-25-2013, 05:05 AM

How much did it cost for you to change the ATF?

Tye300 · 10-25-2013, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xsuperbeex

is there a link on the product for the radiator?

Sorry bro, no link. Just got it from a local shop here.

Tye300 · 10-25-2013, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony Mac

How much did it cost for you to change the ATF?

Hey bro, got the can for roughly $58 each. Used 1.5 cans for the tranny.

TopGearSolutions · 10-25-2013, 12:24 PM

Nice write up. I know Mishimoto has an aftermarket radiator offering.

wootwoot · 10-25-2013, 02:06 PM

Thanks!

cantholdanymore · 10-25-2013, 02:32 PM

Do you have the weight difference between new radiator and the OEM?

Tye300 · 10-25-2013, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cantholdanymore

Do you have the weight difference between new radiator and the OEM?

Unfortunately not. I did not get to weigh them.

Tony Mac · 10-26-2013, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tye300

Hey bro, got the can for roughly $58 each. Used 1.5 cans for the tranny.

And what instructions did you follow to change the ATF? It seems complicated to do yourself.

Tye300 · 10-26-2013, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony Mac

And what instructions did you follow to change the ATF? It seems complicated to do yourself.

I had the dealership do it.

72widebody · 10-27-2013, 09:01 AM

I'd like to see a comparison of the effect of this approach to simply changing to the lower-temp thermostat.

10-24-2013, 06:18 PM	#2
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)	Great info. Thanks a ton __________________ "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

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10-25-2013, 02:48 AM	#3
Tye300 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Drives: Toyota 86 TRD Version AT Location: Manila, Philippines Posts: 883 Thanks: 548 Thanked 599 Times in 283 Posts Mentioned: 20 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	No problem. Just wanted to share.

10-25-2013, 04:13 AM	#4
xsuperbeex Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Drives: Toyota Galaxy Blue Silica 86 Location: Indonesia Posts: 76 Thanks: 5 Thanked 20 Times in 18 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	is there a link on the product for the radiator?

10-25-2013, 05:05 AM	#5
Tony Mac Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Drives: SWP BRZ Location: San Francisco/Santa Barbara Posts: 54 Thanks: 14 Thanked 35 Times in 15 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	How much did it cost for you to change the ATF?

10-25-2013, 12:24 PM	#8
TopGearSolutions Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Drives: C6 Corvette Z06 Location: NJ Posts: 1,348 Thanks: 2 Thanked 35 Times in 30 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	Nice write up. I know Mishimoto has an aftermarket radiator offering.

10-25-2013, 02:06 PM	#9
wootwoot Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: FRS Location: Cali Posts: 1,558 Thanks: 188 Thanked 462 Times in 264 Posts Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Thanks!

10-25-2013, 02:32 PM	#10
cantholdanymore Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Drives: FR-S Very Hot Lava Location: VA Posts: 95 Thanks: 71 Thanked 22 Times in 19 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Do you have the weight difference between new radiator and the OEM?

10-27-2013, 09:01 AM	#14
72widebody Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Drives: 2015 Subraru BRZ Limited Location: Chapel Hill, NC Posts: 13 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I'd like to see a comparison of the effect of this approach to simply changing to the lower-temp thermostat.

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