Looks like I have a leak coming from the lower portion of the radiator. Called Lexus Dealer and was quoted $607.00 I decided to go aftermarket and found a new, all metal radiator with all the neccessary fittings and mounts for $180.00. I'm going to put it in tonight. The top of the radiator had small cracks in the plastic, so I figured it was just a matter of time before it went. I guess 10 years for a radiator is good though. I already replaced the hoses and thermostat a few months ago, so I'm good there.

 

Koyo's are under $500. Radiator.com or other places have em for bout what you paid, for a full metal one. Good deal, where did u find that one at?

 

The place was called Performance Radiator, I found them through their website. I didn't think KOYO had an application for the 1UZFE V8?

 

I dunno if it would be direct fit for hoses, but nothing that couldnt be easily solved.

 

Finished the radiator install and took it for a test drive - no more coolant smell and everything is dry. The new radiator seemed to be fairly well built, all the proper mounting holes, trans line fittings, and temp sensor bung. I did have to modify the rubber in the factory top mounting brackets - the rubber was too thick for the new one.

 

post pics if you can. i would like to see this radiator.

 

It's already in the car - between the condensor and the fan shroud - pics wouldn't show too much. . .I might still take some anyhow.

 

Can you possibly (if your even still on this board over a year later from when you first posted this issue) tell me more about what happened the first (and successive) time your coolant sprayed out?

My car just moments ago had burning coolant smoke rising from all around the hood cracks at a stop light. No overheating, no weird engine performance - nothing. I drive the car directly home and when I looked in the bay, I found water resting in the FRONT of the lower area on top of the cowling that protects the bottom of the radiator, fan and pulleys/belts from road trash that are made out of plastic on the very bottom of the engine bay up front. Also I saw what appeared to be boiled spray that must have been thrown from the fan all across the front of the engine, on the pulleys, on the fronts of both leading edges of each valve covers plastic cover. My SC400 is a 1992 V8, 107K miles with FULL 3k mile service history from original Lexus dealership mech shop for service - the car is BEYOND cherry so this troubles me to no end.

I seems as though coolant maybe spurted out of the radiator's back side in between the radiator wall and the fan? And that's what caused i to be sprayed all across the front of the engine like that?

 

I just upgraded radiator in my SC300. Mine is for sale. Are they the same?

Chris

 

Anyone? An SC300 radiator the same as the SC400? There's a possibility of course that they are and simply use different hoses to connect to the head and block....but I don't know myself. Also - it would have to be shipped from Chicago IL to Tampa FL and it's pretty big. Add to that the fact that it's used.... Opinions on if this is worth it or not? Or should I just go new like Nomis did for 180 (or there abouts).

This is all considering of course that it's the radiator at all and not a hose because I haven't had a chance to really look at it all yet.

 

Performance radiator is a good company. I believe their tank and core are brass tank and copper core. What I would recommend to people is oem replacement Koyo's supra tt radiator for sc300. The core is 1 3/4 inches, I believe the stock sc300 core is 5/8. It's plastic tank and copper core. Upper and lower tank is the same; it's a drop in. In regards to fitting for Performance, it's good no worries.

 

sc400 and sc300 have different radiators.