My 2006 Chevy z71 1500 Suburban needs a new radiator. After looking on Amazon I see loads of choices and hoping for some recommendations for the very best. I do not want to have to replace this radiator again and I really have trouble understanding why it is leaking since I always have taken care of my vehicle and all coolant parts and accessories are changed out regularly. Thank you for any advice and suggestions!
I really have trouble understanding why it is leaking
It's probably a cheaply-made aluminum radiator with crimped-on plastic tanks that's given up the ghost after 18 years. Amazing it's lasted this long if that's the case.
I agree with you! What quality radiator do you recommend?
How long did your radiator last? If it truly lasted 10+ years, then I would just replace it with the same one. Look on RockAuto for recommendations.
Okay, I thought radiators should last lots longer when the vehicle is well taken care of to begin with. I guess not - thank you!
Okay, I thought radiators should last lots longer when the vehicle is well taken care of to begin with. I guess not - thank you!
Nothing lasts forever, and more and more parts are designed for “Planned Obsolescence”. I’ve even had leaf springs fail on me after 9 years!
Radiators aren't made to last, anymore. They're mainly plastic, and the only metal is in the actual cooling fins. They're also made of aluminum, not copper. My '79 Pontiac still has the original radiator, because it's all copper. Get one with a limited lifetime warranty if possible. Plastic gets brittle over time because of the numerous hot/cold cycles that engines undergo and it eventually "dries out" the plastic enough to crack it.
I totally agree and you make some good points in your comments! Thank you and do you have any suggestions as to what would be a good brand of radiator for me to consider?
What quality radiator do you recommend?
I've had old-style brass and copper type radiators last decades when the cooling system is properly maintained. However these days those cost a small fortune when available.
A couple of years ago I finally had to replace a brass/copper radiator that was nearly 30 years old. Since the same type is so expensive, and I'm not going to last another 30 years let alone the car, I installed a Champion all-aluminum radiator (no plastic tanks). It's too soon to know how long it will last.
I bought an all aluminum radiator for my truck on two occasions, and the stupid thing leaked on me. It was very expensive too, so I went back to the OEM radiator (plastic/metal) and that’s served me well.
I'm sure there are bad ones out there. The Champion brand seems to have a pretty good reputation, to the point where there are counterfeits out there. So far mine has been OK, but we'll see how it holds up.
For my all aluminum radiator the brand I bought from was CSF. It was disappointing both times they failed in less than 2 years.
Link: https://csfrace.com/
OEM for the 50-year-old car I installed the Champion radiator in was a brass/copper job. (Virtually all cars used that kind back then.) I don't think anyone even makes a modern-type aluminum/plastic radiator for it.
Great information so thanks so much! I really appreciate the help as I never even thought about the plastic "cheeks" being an issue which makes total sense. After reading all of these helpful comments I begin to wonder in amazement how my radiator lasted this long (since 2006) Lol. Thank you again!
My 5 cents out of my own experience: for my 5,5l V8, a new OEM radiator with plastic "side cheeks" would cost like half of the Bay-Bridge. And would be approximately as old (and brittle) as my original one, since afaik they do not really manufacture them anew as long as old supplies last, and old plastic is just old plastic, even if stored on the shelf.
The aftermarket third-party "full VIN-compatible equivalent" I ordered was 20% of the OEM price, but did not fit at all geometrically, and was even optically 50% thinner, so I had to give it back.
End result: I found guys who know alu welding, and they gave my original radiator a new life by cutting off its old brittle plastic "cheeks" and welding new aluminium "cheeks" to it. That at a price less than an aftermarket 3rd party radiator which did not even fit. So now I virtually have a custom-made all-alu-radiator with zero plastic in it, which fits my car 100%, and should it ever leak - that same guys will just find the leak and use their alu welding skills to fix it.
Thank you for sharing this information with me. Now you're making me wish I was into welding! I never even considered the plastic "cheeks" being an issue which makes total sense. Thanks again!
go to rockauto.com. The parts are graded by quality.
I will do that. Looks like based on these comments that Champion might be a good make for a radiator. Thank you.