Best source for a radiator?

[Rumrumm]

I have an '87 2WD Tercel wagon with manual trans. Any suggestions where to buy a new radiator? I installed one from Crow-Burlingame a year ago, but the plastic top tank has cracked, and I've found no product that will seal it up. If you have any suggestions for the best price/quality, I'm all ears!

[Petros]

The factory plastic header tanks hold up pretty well, if you can find a good factory rad in a wrecking yard I would buy it. Otherwise check with your local suppliers, there are several aftermarket radiators that are all metal. I think Autozone can order an all metal one, they cost the same as the aftermarket ones with the plastic header tanks. Just shop around from all your local suppliers and specifically request an all metal radiator, no plastic. The all metal ones hold up well.

I have seen normal radiator sealant work on cracks in plastic radiators, though if the crack is in a place that flexes when the pressure goes up, it likely would not work. A large crack would be impossible to seal.

It failed after only a year? Did something impact it, or it just popped open? I would go back and complain to the place you bought it, they will likely say too bad the warranty is over [loud buzzer sounds "wrong answer!"]. And than I would chew them out in a way they will never forget, and demand to know if they thought it was "normal" to have to replace a new radiator from their store every 12 months, and if they would shop at a place like that. If they will not offer to help you with a steep discount on an all metal radiator, I would tell them neither you, nor the hundreds of people on this forum (and any other forums you might be on) will ever buy from them again because you will post their response on the internet for everyone to see.

Unfortunately being unreasonable is the only way to get them to do the right thing some times. I have had to do that more than a few times after trying the nice and reasonable approach. Once for a brand new fan belt that failed after only about 15 min, their wrong answer was "belts have no warranty"-was I fit to be tied!!!, their junk belt left my wife and daughter stranded on the hwy, I lost work time and their response was too bad?. After a temper tantrum in front of the other store customers (that always helps) he gave me a full refund credited toward buying their premium belt that cost about twice as much. I told them if I owned this store I would not sell that crap belt anymore. Another time an expensive digital camera failed when it was only 4 months old, with a phony 1 year warranty, that would cost more to repair than the camera was worth. Their repair shop came back after almost a year of screwing around with it, not fixing it, and than wanted to charge for fixing it. The idiot clerk just made me more angry with his stupid "helpful" comments, and the even bigger idiot regional manager who tried to appease me with more stupid "wrong answers". I cleared the whole store of customers telling him very loudly what I thought of their fraud of a warranty, their incompetent employees and their sham of a repair shop. And I was coming back every day until they either fixed it, refunded our money, or replaced it. They fixed it the next day, no charge.

Good luck.

[danzo]

I got a plastic tanked OEM from Rockauto a few months ago for $89 including shipping. They have the same one now for $90. It's listed as a Spectra with part number 433813, but it's made by Kyoshi or whatever the OEM is (don't have it in front of me). Autozone at the time had the exact same part for $110 + tax (non temper tantrum price). I haven't slapped 'er in yet but there's no reason to think it won't last awhile.

[Rumrumm]

Thanks for the input! Autozone said they can't get one to fit the wagon, and after checking eBay, doing the Google thing, and several stops at part stores, I went with O'Reilly's. Plastic tank, unfortunately, but with a lifetime warranty, for $150. A little more than many others, but no one else had a warranty like that. Never located one with a metal tank. Wish I had kept my original now...

[blade]

well i just bought a metal ra from autopartsay an it has a lifetime warranty for $100 and it is a two core wow.

[Rumrumm]

"autopartsay". What is that, please?

[blade]

it is a canadain online stor and it is awsome site www.autopartsway.ca

[scotisha]

Hay Blade, was it the one for $125? It has 2 cores?

Do you get an extra discount on it somehow?

It is weird, there are 2 rads avaible for an 83 wagon and 1 for the 86. Is one a dual-core and the other a singloe core? If you search for 1986 tercels you only get this rad:

Radiator
Brand: OEM
Part # W0133-1610762
Fits: /
Product Weight: 9.90 lb
Minimum Order Quantity: 1
Leaves Warehouse: by 9:30 P Tomorrow
Engine ID: 3AC

MSRP: $602.25 Your Price: $126.18

Copper/brass core C0146 (MT) has been replaced by C0813 (AT) per Koyo.

But if yousearch for a 1984 you get the above rad along with this one:

Radiator
Brand: OEM
Part # W0133-1610762
Fits: / CSF cap # 4502, metal tank, 1 row
Product Weight: 9.90 lb
Minimum Order Quantity: 1
Leaves Warehouse: by 9:30 P Tomorrow
Drive Type: 4WD
Body Type: Wagon
Production Date Range: From 08-1982

MSRP: $538.23 Your Price: $126.18

Copper/brass core C0146 (MT) has been replaced by C0813 (AT) per Koyo. CSF cap # 4502, metal tank, 1 row

[blade]

yes it was the one for $125 and yes i had a 10% discount coupon so that is y. but having the 2 core is awsome.

[scotisha]

Where did you get said coupon?

and they are both $125, was is the $600 one that has 2 cores?

Thanks!

[Rumrumm]

What years of wagons have interchangeable radiators? Will that '84 one fit my '87? Can't seem to find a reliable source for such info...

[Petros]

All the years should be interchangeable. I suspect the single row one was for the 2 wheel drive hatch backs, but it too will interchange with the 4wd wagon.

[hberdan]

All the years should be interchangeable. I suspect the single row one was for the 2 wheel drive hatch backs, but it too will interchange with the 4wd wagon.

I'm not sure about that. Once I ordered a Tercel radiator for my 87 wagon (made in 86) from RadiatorBarn.com, and didn't specify the Tercel wagon vs. sedan; ended up with the wrong radiator; the size was the same, but the inlet/outlet was on the opposite sides from the wagon's. I'd verify you're getting a wagon radiator for your year of manufacture--the year shown on the door plate, not the model year. Just to be safe.
RadiatorBarn has very good customer service, btw, they graciously accepted my return of the radiator and swapped it for the correct wagon radiator without a restock fee.

[Rumrumm]

Did they have an all-metal radiator?

[Rumrumm]

I appreciate all the previous responses!
Update on my situation... Ordered a radiator from O'Reilly's (local & lifetime warranty). They ordered, and came up with the wrong one twice so far. Now they have ordered one that, from their pic, looks exact, but it's listed for a 1986 Tercel. My car's build date is August '86, but is a '87 model wagon. Anyone know if their number 433813 (CU813) is right for a 2wd wagon w/standard tranny and AC? Can anyone verify if this is the right one that's coming? Or an alternate source? EVERY contact I've made in person or on the internet either say they are unable to get one, or can't verify if it will fit for sure. Even the Canadian company suggested above were unable to say if theirs is correct. I'd really like to find an all-metal one, but everything I've investigated so far only offer plastic tanks.
Even having the right part number would be a big help, in case O'Reilly's '86 one isn't right! If no one has a part number, anyone know where I need to go on the internet to get detailed information on radiators, or a seller that you may have ordered from before?
Thanks again...