Aluminum Radiator Options

[themitchster359]

I need to replace my radiator asap, mine is not doing very good when I'm stuck in traffic in the Texas heat. I have found the Mishimoto and Godspeed brands off ebay. They both look descent.

Any of you guys have much experience with either of them??? I would go buy a stock one, but I figure since I gotta do the job, I might as well upgrade.

Oh, other options of radiators will be helpful. Thanks!

PS - I searched and found little info other than the Mishimoto group buy on e30tech.com, which seems to be on back order.

[bostonbmw]

No radiator is going to do well when you are sitting in traffic. Are your clutch fan and aux fan working properly?

When I swaped motors I looked into getting an Aluminum radiator but it was almost double the price of a stock radiator.I think a few people run the MZ3 radiator which is larger and only $20 more than a stock radiator. Search in the 24v section for more info

http://www.autohausaz.com/search/product.aspx?sid=ismpyw55t5paec5500i5xca3&makeid=800003@BMW&modelid=1376265@Z3%20M%20ROADSTER&year=1998&cid=16@Cooling%20System&gid=2172@Radiator

[themitchster359]

yes, my fan is working fine, so is my tsat and i have fresh coolant/water mixture with water wetter. the car runs very cool on the freeway, but it tend to start getting hotter in the stop and go driving. the radiator is 20 yrs old and I think it is getting "clogged up" and "dirty from the years of driving.

[e30trooper]

head gasket?

[themitchster359]

head gasket?

lol, no. it has a brand new head and gasket less than 20k, and i am not loosing any coolant, or burning anything out of the back.

[ethree]

I got one of the IE pieces used and it's a nice radiator but I don't really know what they cost new these days.

[e30trooper]

see its not getting good cooling when you stop, only when you drive, could be the fan , the fan clutch, radiator its self , the coolant protection level, your water pump , you said no leaks. you check the radiator cap? it could be alot of things. my car gets hot when im in the high rpms going slow due to a bad HG and a seeping radiator.

[themitchster359]

fan and clutch work perfect, water pump is brand new, no leaks. it progressively gets hotter. like it will take 30 mins of city driving/stop and go to get it really hot.

[surebimmer]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/GODSPEED-88-92-BMW-E30-325-325is-325i-ALUMINUM-RADIATOR_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ72Q3a1205Q7c66Q3a2Q7c65Q3a12Q7c39Q3a1Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a1Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem45ec4ad6adQQitemZ300317071021QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Better then the over priced crap Ireland sells.

[e30this]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/GODSP...Q5fAccessories

Better then the over priced crap Ireland sells.

That ones the same as the Mishimoto one, I have heard good things about both.

BTW OP I sent you a PM...

[themitchster359]

ill get with you about it tomorrow. thanks!

[mattdk318i]

gah.....the welding looks like 3 shades of shit....

[surebimmer]

gah.....the welding looks like 3 shades of shit....

So what one do you recommend? Ireland sells the same thing for $300. I would happily pay the $497 for the nice zionsville