[anDy86]

Hi Guys,

Noob question here.

I am running a radiator from an old toyota corolla with the dimensions 300x455x32 (holds approx 4.37 litres of fluid). been doing some homework on eBay with different radiator types and stumbled across a Hyundai Getz Rad 385x495x16 (holds approx 3.05 litres of fluid) which has roughly the same hose locations.

Even though the radiator is larger in size, it is not as wide and doesn't hold as much fluid in there. Will i be running into cooling problems if i installed this rad? my theory is it should be fine as the radiator has a larger surface and would be easier to cool? i'm not familiar with the 2 core 3 core thing and would like to be told that i'm wrong before going ahead and buying the rad.

some points to consider:
* I'm running my current corolla rad with the engine fan & no shroud, it usually stays cool but gets a little hot if i am giving it a hard time going uphills etc (still pretty rare)
* Hyundai rad has a thermo fan and rad shroud which i will be intending to hook up with an switch to turn off for water crossings etc if i ever do it.

[droverdave]

This is how you get multi cores in a radiator

(end cap has been removed)

http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/images/Pg12-11-ZX.jpg

The corolla one sounds like a multi core one (if it is an old full metal radiator then it will be multi core)

The hyundai one sounds single core, and they have had to make it wider to compensate for this.

its all about surface area like you say, i prefer multi cores as you get a smaller overall radiator.

check out the honda radiators, they are half the width of most radiators, and twice as thick!

[fordem]

Just be aware that a dual core radiator is not as efficient as single core with twice the area - or to put it differently - a single core radiator with twice the surface area will provide more cooling than a double core of a given size.

Your Hyundai radiator is 136,500 mm squared, the Corolla one is 190, 575 - if the Hyundai is single cored, and the Corolla double cored as suggested, the Hyundai one will probably work.

Another approach is to look at the engine size/power output of the vehicles the radiators came out of.

[jdk81]

fordem wrote:

Just be aware that a dual core radiator is not as efficient as single core with twice the area - or to put it differently - a single core radiator with twice the surface area will provide more cooling than a double core of a given size.

Your Hyundai radiator is 136,500 mm squared, the Corolla one is 190, 575 - if the Hyundai is single cored, and the Corolla double cored as suggested, the Hyundai one will probably work.

Another approach is to look at the engine size/power output of the vehicles the radiators came out of.

With a double core, as the air passes through the first core, the air is heated.
This warm air, is now less efficient at cooling the second core as the delta T is smaller.
I CBF doing the calcs on it.
Also a single core will restrict the airflow less.
Id suspect both cores would have very similar overall cooling capacity.

Just basing it on the car it came out of could get us into trouble.
Your corolla engine is a 5k? 1.5L
Hyundai is 1.1-1.6L

Work out a way to get a shroud on it, and the hyundai one would be fine.
I personally wouldnt spend any money, unless you can get a shroud on it.

[droverdave]

Just as a side note,

i bought a brand new radiator for my g13a (its a dual row i belive), new water pump, new thermostat. no shroud at the moment (yes i should have one, but no i dont have one)

The cooling system is so efficient, on the high way, 5th gear, towing a trailer, full throttle up a hill, i can watch the temp guage slowly creep up to about the midle of the guage, then i see the thermostat open, and i watch the temp slowly creep back down a few mm. This happens every 5mins or so on the highway.

So id be inclined to think that your current corolla radiator is on its way out and either needs to be overhauled or repaired, rather than the physical size of it being a problem.

Also i prefer the older style full metal radiators, not the plastic end tanks. I have seen too many plastic end tanks leak. And i suspect the hydunai raditor has plastic end tanks and an alloy core.

[anDy86]

Thanks for your input guys, i'll add it to the list of things to be done!
My radiator isn't dead - there is just no shroud on it and is mounted funny.
i am too a fan of all metal radiators so might need to spend a couple of hours at pick a part to check some out.

[BlueSuzy]

I had an aftermarket civic one on my old swb. Think it was triple core, smaller surface area than a stock sierra.

All alloy. Cooled a lot better than my copper core rad. Even to the point when my fan blew from mud and i drove home with no fan for 1.5hrs and kept cool while driving. (just dont stop for too long )