Suggestions for new radiator

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Yaut
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Posts: 120
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2019 5:34 pm
My tercel:: 1985 Toyota Tercel 4WD automatic, lifted 1.5", 15 inch wheels

Suggestions for new radiator

Post by Yaut »

Does anyone have suggestions on a radiator I can get with more cooling capacity than the OE one? I see several on RockAuto but can't tell if they're any better than OE.

Thanks!
'88 Toyota Tercel SR5 4WD (red)
'87 Toyota Tercel DLX 4WD (white)
'86 Toyota Tercel DLX 4WD (white)
'85 Toyota Tercel DLX 4WD (tan)
'85 Toyota Tercel DLX 4WD (white)
'85 Toyota Tercel SR5 4WD (white)
'84 Toyota Tercel SR5 4WD (dark orange)
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Petros
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Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Suggestions for new radiator

Post by Petros »

There are two radiators that fit in the Tercel4wd and some suppliers list them as interchangeable. the FWD hatch back version of this car uses a single row radiator, it is identical except the cooling capacity, and sometimes is listed as interchangable. Make sure you get the double row radiator.

The Tercel4wd should have come stock with the double row core radiator, that one should give you plenty of cooling capacity. the single row radiator core is about 5/8" wide, the double row is about an inch or more (depends on the brand). The aluminum radiators actually cool well, most parts houses only stock the alloy radiators. There may still be a few suppliers of bronze core radiators, which is the factory type, but I do not know if it cools any better.

One other thing you can do since you have the auto trans Tercel4wd. You can buy an after market auto trans cooler and by pass the cooler in the radiator, so the trans has its own cooler, and that leaves more cooling capacity in the radiator.

It might be possible to adapt a larger radiator to the Tercel, but that could be a lot of messing around with hose routing, mounts, etc. There are no larger capacity radiators available for the Tercel4wd, but the double row radiator for the T4wd, with an auxiliary auto trans cooler, should give you all the capacity you need.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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Yaut
Top Notch Member
Posts: 120
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2019 5:34 pm
My tercel:: 1985 Toyota Tercel 4WD automatic, lifted 1.5", 15 inch wheels

Re: Suggestions for new radiator

Post by Yaut »

Thank you for the suggestion Petros. My radiator is definitely single row and less than an inch thick so perhaps my car has the wrong radiator. Probably doesn't help my cooling issues.
'88 Toyota Tercel SR5 4WD (red)
'87 Toyota Tercel DLX 4WD (white)
'86 Toyota Tercel DLX 4WD (white)
'85 Toyota Tercel DLX 4WD (tan)
'85 Toyota Tercel DLX 4WD (white)
'85 Toyota Tercel SR5 4WD (white)
'84 Toyota Tercel SR5 4WD (dark orange)
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