radiator

General discussion about our beloved Tercel 4WD cars
stolib
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Joined: Tue Nov 15, 2022 3:24 pm
My tercel:: 83 sr5s

radiator

Post by stolib »

looking for a radiator
napa and rock auto saying NA
any ideas on replacement?
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dlb
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My tercel:: '87 sr5, '83 dlx parts car
Location: bc, canada

Re: radiator

Post by dlb »

They seem to pop up on rock auto occasionally so you can keep checking there every so often.

Is yours leaking? I have had excellent results using cooling system flush tools that you hook up to a garden hose and air compressor. They clean out radiators, blocks, and heater cores by means of pulses of high pressure water. Like a water hammer basically. If your rad isn't leaking I would get one of those off of amazon and revive your current rad. Or I would get a used rad from a wrecker and do the same.
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NWMO
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Re: radiator

Post by NWMO »

Spectra premium CU813. It looks like they’re available again. Typically plastic tanks and not as wide, but it’s worked great for me.

Chris
Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart"

In remembrance of my friend ARCHINSTL:

T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"

"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
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dlb
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My tercel:: '87 sr5, '83 dlx parts car
Location: bc, canada

Re: radiator

Post by dlb »

Where did you see the Spectra rads available, Chris? I just checked rock auto and they don't have any rads at all.
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rer233
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My tercel:: Multiple

Re: radiator

Post by rer233 »

I googled the Spectra part #- EVERYBODY said they were out of stock...
if it aint there, there's a good chance it won't break!
83 SR5 Silver/Blue (Snowmobile/work beater)-totaled but drivable
85 SR5 Blue
88 SR5 White (the 'good' one)-not anymore-totaled
87 fwd silver wagon a/t
87 4wd dx Cream (a/t- not anymore- now m/t)
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BaileySims
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My tercel:: 1983 Tercel SR5 4WD
Location: Texas
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Re: radiator

Post by BaileySims »

I remember awhile back about a few guys using radiators from a
90's Honda civic. I'd assume you would need to use a different fan though.
WAGON MAFIA.
Blood, sweat and beers.
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NWMO
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Re: radiator

Post by NWMO »

Sorry about that stolib,

The last one I got was through a local auto parts (rebranded), but Spectra. It looks like O’Reilly AP maybe has some.
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Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart"

In remembrance of my friend ARCHINSTL:

T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"

"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
Paul
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Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 8:14 am
Location: Columbus, Ohio

Re: radiator

Post by Paul »

I recently installed that MHT 433813 from O'Reilly and was happy with it. It has welded aluminum tanks. I used the 20% off offer and got free shipping too. That was in January, todays offers may vary.
20230317_115728.jpg
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Nordical25
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My tercel:: 2 4wd 1987's. One with 4a, other with 3a
Location: Finland

Re: radiator

Post by Nordical25 »

It looks just great! Hopefully they will continue making them. There is still some demand for good quality Tercel radiators out there.
Paul
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Location: Columbus, Ohio

Re: radiator

Post by Paul »

Thanks! Packaging indicates its made in China, but the the build quality on mine was good. I'm grateful someone is still making them. When I finished installing, I wiped the radiator lightly with a shop rag and the ink came off the warranty sticker... ingenious. No trouble with it so far tho.
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Nordical25
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My tercel:: 2 4wd 1987's. One with 4a, other with 3a
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Re: radiator

Post by Nordical25 »

Paul wrote: Sat Apr 15, 2023 6:33 am Thanks! Packaging indicates its made in China, but the the build quality on mine was good. I'm grateful someone is still making them. When I finished installing, I wiped the radiator lightly with a shop rag and the ink came off the warranty sticker... ingenious. No trouble with it so far tho.
You are welcome. I think that material and welding quality are most critical factors in this case. So you can weld it if there are leaks. The same does not apply so well to plastic radiators. So that material should be safe choice anyway.
Phatcat
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My tercel:: 1984 Toyota Tercel 4WD
Location: Issaquah, WA

Re: radiator

Post by Phatcat »

I just picked up a radiator from oreillys here in Issaquah Wa. I’m installing it tomorrow, so no word yet on fitment or quality. However, while the images on O’Reillys showed plastic tanks aluminum core, I was greeted with an all aluminum tig welded unit from Murray. That’s cool for $150. We’ll see..

JJ
Phatcat
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My tercel:: 1984 Toyota Tercel 4WD
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Re: radiator

Post by Phatcat »

As noted above, the Murray aluminum radiator fit and works well so far.
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NWMO
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Re: radiator

Post by NWMO »

Fantastic!
Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart"

In remembrance of my friend ARCHINSTL:

T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"

"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: radiator

Post by Petros »

ohh! I want one of those all aluminum welded radiators. Every time someone gets one, by the time I go to buy it they are all gone. I have come to the point on not trusting the al and plastic ones, the plastic has a limited life, and unlike an all metal radiator, the plastic gives up all at once and blows apart. leaving you stranded. our honda civic came with the plastic head tanks from the factory, it gave up at about 17 years old without warning, it massively overheated the all aluminum engine, resulting it needing a completely new head and a major effort to replace it (removing and replacing the head on a honda is WAAAY more effort and trouble than on a Tercel). The new radiator, same as the factory one, I got at Autozone, and it leaked after a year at the seal between the aluminum fins and the plastic head tank (there is a gasket there), they replaced it under warranty. and 8 months later that one leaked too. another warranty replacement. Decided they are just not trustworthy. If you have no choice, you should consider preemptively replacing the plastic head tank radiators every 10 or 12 years, or you risk severe engine damage like I had.

So I am going to sell the darn civic anyway (they are in high demand right now for way more than they are worth AFAIAC). And I want an all metal one for my tercel daily driver.
'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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