Radiator - What's recommended?
 

So my radiator needs replacement and I've been looking at the options which seem to boil down to:

1) OEM ~480 eur
2) NRF ~290 eur
3) Worley ~210 eur
4) Unknown brand, last piece ~200 eur
5) Chinese <200 eur

It's for my stroker NA. Which one would you go with?

I took the risk and went for a China Special....

So far so good...

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/56MM-...08.4.22.PI86KZ

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...14dc32f7ac.jpg


R

Thanks R!
What about fitment?


My research showed that there are two different sizes:
2.5l models with 500x327x45
Turbo & 3l models with 500x356x45

There seem to be different versions for automatic cars, too.
Some sites claim that a radiator is not suitable for cars with AC, though I can't confirm such a difference.

Could anybody help me out? Cheers!

No difference in radiator AC or not.
Some Euro-spec AC delete cars only had a single rad fan though!

Automatic radiator is almost the same as the manual NA radiator but has an integral transmission fluid cooler in the passenger (RH) radiator end tank, with brass threads in the tank for the trans lines.
944S used the regular 944 NA radiator so it must be good for at least 190 hp :)

Turbo/S2/968 radiators are all the same - the only difference turbo vs 3.0L is one coolant port is blocked off on the 3.0 radiator that would otherwise be used on the turbo model.

My engineer fitted it, and reported no fitment issues...


It's this one off UK Ebay listed for a 944 2.5 Turbo / S2 3.0


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/56MM-ALUMI...AAAOxyOeBR2lWf


R

Thanks Spencer!

But I am right in that the Turbo/S2/968 rad is taller (356 mm) than the NA one (327 mm)?


Edit:
Using a late model NA radiator means that I have to use the late style hose from the water pump to the rad, right? Is there anything else?

make sure you use the OEM lower rad hose if you do the late rad, the cheap ones get cut by the power steering pulley due to clearance issues. Ask me how i know.

Yes the 951/S2/968 radiator is about 1.25"/3cm taller than NA.

The NA radiator is the same for all years 1982-1989 - the difference in the lower rad hose is due to the revised radiator mounting (chassis sheetmetal) when Porsche went from 924/early 944 radiator frame to late 944 radiator frame (so they could add an intercooler for 951).

No problem, as I've got a manual steering rack. ;)

OK, but will my fan assembly mount to the late style radiator? I haven't noticed a difference there, yet.

Any NA fan fits any NA radiator.
Turbo/S2/968 fans have a different shroud to accomodate the larger radiator.

Any updates thoughts on this topic?

I need to buy a new radiator for my 86 951

Check out the link below for 951 radiators - if you have any questions, please feel free to give us a call at 888-280-7799 and one of our Porsche part specialists will be happy to help you out.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/..._pg1.htm#item3


-Dmitry

I went with the Worley which turned out to be the same as the chinese one.

There are some poor welds around the mounting tabs but it looks good where it matters. It also works fine.

Fitment was a different story though. Took ~30 hours for my mechanics to do it right. So overall a direct replacement OE radiator is cheaper. This one is full aluminium though and will not leak between the metal and plastic parts like the OE.

30 hours for a radiator install?
..the f***

The entire car had to be disassembled, then reassembled around the new radiator.

At shop rates local to me that would be a $4,500.00 radiator install job. Seems legit.