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Stock copper radiator works just fine. Mine uses a AC copper radiator and I haven't had to turn the fans on unless im trying to cool it after shut down. Even when pro charged with a single 14" fan it never got hot?

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51 minutes ago, slydog said:

Stock copper radiator works just fine. Mine uses a AC copper radiator and I haven't had to turn the fans on unless im trying to cool it after shut down. Even when pro charged with a single 14" fan it never got hot?

 

funny thing is, the copper ones are twice the price of an ebay alloy lol. 

 

mine has never gotten hot. but yesterday decided to pop 😕 

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1 minute ago, slydog said:

Copper is worth alot more than ally. Mine is a stock AC falcon sedan rad I paid $50 for.

haha second hand bargain? 

 

im also considering running a narrower XD radiator, so i can pass intercooler pipes around the driver's side end tank. i cant do that with the XF radiator, its 100mm wider than an XD radiator 

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49 minutes ago, Panko said:

haha second hand bargain? 

 

im also considering running a narrower XD radiator, so i can pass intercooler pipes around the driver's side end tank. i cant do that with the XF radiator, its 100mm wider than an XD radiator 

i had a 3core copper radiator in the narrow width in one of My cars, it was excellent. better than the wide 2 core ..

 

can your one be repaired? if it's not rotten it might only have rubbed through one fin, simple solder job by a pro will have it good as new(or as good as is was)

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14 minutes ago, deankdx said:

i had a 3core copper radiator in the narrow width in one of My cars, it was excellent. better than the wide 2 core ..

 

can your one be repaired? if it's not rotten it might only have rubbed through one fin, simple solder job by a pro will have it good as new(or as good as is was)

 

yeah but as i said above, if i can narrow it down, i might have a good chance to run pipes through for intercooler. currently there isnt much space, if at all, to pass through pipes. 

 

also if i go narrower, i might be able to run the original HKS intercooler next to the radiator like its meant to. make it look a little more original under the bonnet when the turbo kit goes in 

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10 minutes ago, Panko said:

 

yeah but as i said above, if i can narrow it down, i might have a good chance to run pipes through for intercooler. currently there isnt much space, if at all, to pass through pipes. 

 

also if i go narrower, i might be able to run the original HKS intercooler next to the radiator like its meant to. make it look a little more original under the bonnet when the turbo kit goes in 

not going to look as original with an alloy radiator with fans on it either though

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1 minute ago, deankdx said:

not going to look as original with an alloy radiator with fans on it either though

 

no. but the black ones are more discrete at least. I could also run with the clutch fan still 

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XF had the option of the skinnier radiator, but AC automatically got the wider one, same if the car was optioned with tow pack from new.

You'll need different top hose if going the skinnier one, mounts need to be moved (just change the bolt location, there from factory).
Shroud won't fit the skinnier rad, they only had a guard at the top.

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There is a worldwide shortage of copper at the moment, hence prices are through the roof,

and still rising.

The cost of new x-series OEM style copper/brass radiators could soon get expensive,

if you can even find one.

 

My recommendation is to pay the $100-$200 or so, and have your original copper/brass radiator cleaned out/re-soldered.

(unless you can re-solder yourself) ie, preserve it, at all costs.

 

From yrs of reading other peoples experiences,

the aluminum radiators are nowhere near as efficient or long-lasting, as the copper/brass units.

 

edit -

I just checked the Cooldrive Distribution online system - wow...

ZERO radiators available for x-series at the moment.

Not even for XG, XH or EA-EL, for which OEM style is copper core, with plastic end tanks.

There's seriously nothing there... 😮

 

@Mr Polson, can you check with Adrad, and see what their system says?

 

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Just now, slydog said:

I run a cooler around mine??? 

 

where do you run the pipes? 

 

The only way id get an intercooler pipe around there with the battery in situ is if it was silicone and squished down a tad. 

 

otherwise if i go a narrower radiator, i could potentially run the original HKS intercooler from the original turbo kit, which actually mounts to the driver's side of the radiator and mounts vertically. 

 

its probably not that efficient, but if i want the HKS kit to look period, the narrower radiator should allow this. 

 

Chris, if i went that path, id probably be inclined to run thermos anyway, so shroud wont be an issue. 

 

Ill keep the copper radiator and store it to repair at a later date, but going aftermarket gives me options to make some more room for piping etc. 

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28 minutes ago, Mr Polson said:

Shroud won't fit the skinnier rad, they only had a guard at the top.

there was a shroud available at least for the narrow ones, i had one.. i assume it was on XF with no air con. 

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1 minute ago, deankdx said:

there was a shroud available at least for the narrow ones, i had one.. i assume it was on XF with no air con. 

yeah XD V8 are also narrow shrouds. 

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There is a worldwide shortage of copper at the moment, hence prices are through the roof,
and still rising.
The cost of new x-series OEM style copper/brass radiators could soon get expensive,
if you can even find one.
 
My recommendation is to pay the $100-$200 or so, and have your original copper/brass radiator cleaned out/re-soldered.
(unless you can re-solder yourself) ie, preserve it, at all costs.
 
From yrs of reading other peoples experiences,
the aluminum radiators are nowhere near as efficient or long-lasting, as the copper/brass units.
 
edit -
I just checked the Cooldrive Distribution online system - wow...
ZERO radiators available for x-series at the moment.
Not even for XG, XH or EA-EL, for which OEM style is copper core, with plastic end tanks.
There's seriously nothing there...
 
[mention=21]Mr Polson[/mention], can you check with Adrad, and see what their system says?
 
Can get them, crazy expensive, retail would be around the $1k mark.

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22 hours ago, deankdx said:

there was a shroud available at least for the narrow ones, i had one.. i assume it was on XF with no air con. 

 

Can confirm.

My XF nissan ute, has the non-aircon radiator, with dealer-fit aircon.

The full plastic shroud is smaller, and the fan has metal blades rather than plastic.

 

My non-aircon XE wagon, has the small radiator also, but just has a small metal top-hat style fan shroud.

It also has metal fan blades.

My factory aircon XE has a full plastic fan shroud, and plastic fan blades.

 

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Sorry to drag this topic back up.. I have a ZK EFI with disused AC that has the wide radiator with angled top fitting, core dimensions about 660 x 460 x 46. It's beyond repair.

 

On eBay the same radiator in alloy recently jumped in price to $335:

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/274577645969

 

I assume I can fit the narrower and cheaper one, like the below, and just use a different top hose and shroud?

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/154553831901?fits=Plat_Gen%3AXE|Model%3AFalcon&hash=item23fc2051dd:g:edoAAOSwOINeqox3

 

Then there's ones that are just as wide as mine with a straight fitting, which would mean the top hose will hit the battery:

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/393696221074?hash=item5baa1f9792:g:GxIAAOSwLfxeIpob

 

Advice on what will fit appreciated

 

Cheers

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Hi chobbb,

 

I reckon which ever one you choose, you're going to have to modify the Ford mounting brackets/rubbers. Those aluminium radiators simply aren't the same shape as the old copper radiators. The copper radiators have those protruding flanges at the tank edge that the rubber mounts couple to and the flanges nestle into.

 

I would pick the radiator that is the same core dimension with the angled top inlet, then play with the mounts and fit the fan shroud.

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Thanks XCeed I hadn't thought of that but it will definitely be an issue.

 

I might get a quote on recoring the old one as well because I don't want to be mucking around with it too much. Thinking that will be $$$

 

Cheers

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The eBay radiators are fine if you do your research and sizing. I've bought 8 now, even for the big block AMG I had. The stock one from AMG was $2k, and adrad one was $800, second hand one was $500, new one from eBay, $180. Had that in there 2 years, not an issue. Do your research and you'll be fine.

 

As for the XD-XF, the eBay ones won't bolt straight into the brackets, no but it's easily modified depending on the radiator you go with. 

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I have said this elsewhere, but I'll repeat it for this discussion... I have an eBay alloy one in my V8 XE, so far going ok. I'd read up on them and longevity doesn't seem to be an issue if you run an earth lead from the core to the chassis. The biggest issue seems to be electrolysis (stray voltage in the coolant) also they say use water and plain inhibitor rather than glycol-based coolant. I would use rainwater if possible.

Mine did have major fitment issues, not only dimension-wise but with quality of manufacture. The core was warped so that one tank was 20mm twisted from the other between the bottom tank ends, requiring one the bottom mounts to be shifted by that amount for the top tanks to sit ok.

I got the one with pressed/stamped tanks which look nicer but I think the fabricated tank ones might fit better.

Sent from my CPH1920 using Tapatalk

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This radiators not in X series but anyways, I have just gone thru replacing the the copper nipon denso radiator in my 3.5lt  v6 Pajero.

I took my ND and a triple core core one that i brought from a swap meet to a mob called Pasino Radiators, theyve been around for over 40 years and absoulete legends in the game.

 

They tested both and said the ND was beyond repair and the swap meet one they would clean and replace the top tank $160.00 but no warranty on the repaired one.

For a new copper radiator i was quoted $850.

 

So i got an Ebay one,i did some research and found a listing that kinda only did radiators, it was $125.00.Ive bush bashed ,towed caravans  and tandem loads of firewood.

The needle has never gone over half.

Would i buy another one ? for sure.

 

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