80datson Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 What radiators are you guys using for ur ka swaps? Trying to find one to work. I've herd the vw rabbits work? Is this true.. is it good enough to cool a 2.4 even though it's made for a 1.6? Quote Link to comment
71DIMER Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 Unless you're going to turbo up your KA, a rabbit radiator is good enough (is for my NA-KA24DE). You can also use a Pontiac Fiero radiator as well...look for Gus-Gus's post on his Fiero radiator install. I think he got it brand new from ebay for around $100 or so. Quote Link to comment
FiveTenzo Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 I read i post about rabbit radiator not being good, that the guys in arizona (or somewhere hot) used the stock radiator instead, ill try to look for it. Im using the stock one with 2 9"fans for my ka24de, until i save up enough money for a aftermarket aluminum one. Quote Link to comment
Uber Deaf One Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 I had a Rabbit or a Scirocco radiator in mine..... ran waaaaaaaay too hot. I got one of those KA 510 radiators off of ebay, with the hose outlets on the right side of the radiator. Shroud, two electric fans..... works great. Little pricey, but well worth it. Quote Link to comment
Stupid_fast Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 I've got a Fiero one with my L20b, runs really cool but no idea how it does with a KA. I heard from Troy Ermish there is something about the fins and its not as effective as one of the aftermarket ones at speed or on a track. He has one I think they make but its pretty expensive. Fiero rad is pretty easy to make some mounts for, I just got some angle brackets from the hardware store and bolted them together working as clamps ... Added some foam in for anti-vibration mounting and it holds in nicely. Here are the bottom ones, I didn't take a pic of the top mounts but they are similar. The fiero one really fits perfectly in the engine bay, its just the right width and height for the front of the 510. Not pretty, but it works. Quote Link to comment
jesusno2 Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 Ive had the vw radiator in my ka wagon for 2 years now with one 10 inch fan works fine. maybe in a hot climate that may be a different story. ka motors in 510's trap air in the system very easy, and is a big pain to get it out Quote Link to comment
Creepy Cruiser Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 The one i use in mine and my customers is a (Spectra - CU1557) for a 98 jetta. It seem to fit the best and be the biggest one I could find without buying a custom one for big money. It's quite a bit bigger that the rabbit one. You'll need to get the factory rubber mounts for the bottom from a wrecking yard or the vw dealer since it doesn't come with them. You have to shave the lower mounts just a tiny bit to fit between the rails and then I just bolted it all the way through the core support. The two prong VW temp sensor fits also. I pay about $85 or so new for them. I run one 12" puller fan, and it stays super cool even on the hottest days and through the canyon roads. (the other fan is in there just for looks, lol) Quote Link to comment
80datson Posted November 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2011 What engine size is that radiator for the Jetta Quote Link to comment
ggzilla Posted November 29, 2011 Report Share Posted November 29, 2011 The VW 2-liter radiators work fine -- unless you use an electric fan. It can work if you do the fan correctly. It always works if you use the stock fan. Quote Link to comment
DISLEXICDIME Posted November 29, 2011 Report Share Posted November 29, 2011 i like the fiero rad cools better then the vw rad. Quote Link to comment
H5WAGON Posted November 29, 2011 Report Share Posted November 29, 2011 Don't mean to thread jack, but what sway bar are you using in this pic.?....... Creepy Quote Link to comment
DISLEXICDIME Posted November 29, 2011 Report Share Posted November 29, 2011 looks like a dgr sway bar. Quote Link to comment
jesusno2 Posted November 29, 2011 Report Share Posted November 29, 2011 the fiero radiator has left to right inlet outlet I think routing hose may be tight. That radiator in the pic looks exactly like mine in my wagon. also gotta remember the coolant flow is reversed in a ka compared to a L engine. so making sure your sensors (if inline) are in the right hose. Quote Link to comment
DISLEXICDIME Posted November 29, 2011 Report Share Posted November 29, 2011 o yah i forgot about that. Quote Link to comment
Creepy Cruiser Posted November 29, 2011 Report Share Posted November 29, 2011 Don't mean to thread jack, but what sway bar are you using in this pic.?....... Creepy Yep, DGR (and love it btw) Quote Link to comment
80datson Posted December 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 The one i use in mine and my customers is a (Spectra - CU1557) for a 98 jetta. It seem to fit the best and be the biggest one I could find without buying a custom one for big money. It's quite a bit bigger that the rabbit one. You'll need to get the factory rubber mounts for the bottom from a wrecking yard or the vw dealer since it doesn't come with them. You have to shave the lower mounts just a tiny bit to fit between the rails and then I just bolted it all the way through the core support. The two prong VW temp sensor fits also. I pay about $85 or so new for them. I run one 12" puller fan, and it stays super cool even on the hottest days and through the canyon roads. (the other fan is in there just for looks, lol) Is that radiator the one for with AC? I called autozone and ordered the one without AC which I think is a bit smaller and cost 50 dollers more.. what's the major difference??? Should I return and get the one with AC?? Quote Link to comment
Creepy Cruiser Posted December 6, 2011 Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 I do believe it is the one for A/C. The part # is Spectra - CU1557. It's only $71.79 at Rock Auto. http://www.rockauto....&partnum=CU1557 It's the biggest one I could find that didn't require any mods to the car itself. (And it cools awesome.) Quote Link to comment
80datson Posted December 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 But is there a difference between one with AC n without and also is there a filllerneck on it? It do i have to put a inline Quote Link to comment
Creepy Cruiser Posted December 6, 2011 Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 Sorry, I can't confirm the A/C thing or not. There is no filler neck, so yes you have to put on in somewhere in the system. (mine is tapped into the heater hose) Quote Link to comment
bananahamuck Posted December 6, 2011 Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 My kitchen table isn`t even close to this clean.. Quote Link to comment
80datson Posted December 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 Do Yu have pics of that? Quote Link to comment
Creepy Cruiser Posted December 6, 2011 Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 My kitchen table isn`t even close to this clean.. Neither is mine, lol, (but the cars we build are.) Do Yu have pics of that? Not at the moment. I just went to the local "pull and save" and looked around till I found something that worked from another car. Many newer cars fill from the heater hoses now a days. Or just run something like this. http://www.summitrac...parts/SME-2202/ Quote Link to comment
DRIVEN Posted December 6, 2011 Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 I'm using the same Jetta radiator as Creepy. Same inline filler as in the above post too. I used 2 rubber donuts under the lower mounts and the uppers are simply a piece of flat stock with a peg welded to the side then a short piece of rubber hose slipped over the peg. Instead of 2 fans I'm using one 16" puller. The fan is mounted to the core support and doesn't actually even touch the radiator. It's not actually a KA but the displacement is the same. I HIGHLY recommend this radiator. I ran it through July and August and had no overheating issues whatsoever. It fits, works great, it's cheap. Whats not to like? Quote Link to comment
Laecaon Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 Reason for no filler neck on the VW radiators, they all use remote overflow/expansion tanks and you just fill there. Quote Link to comment
newto510 Posted January 16, 2012 Report Share Posted January 16, 2012 This is probably a stupid question butt... Can you use a stock s14 radiator? Quote Link to comment
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