Good point for discussion but based on the links posted in the OP I would think he isn't going name brand.

What makes yours work so well? Better radiator core? Better ducting?

Luck I guess. you know.....because it wont work.

I'm just genuinely curious. With all the overheating issue that plague even stock miatas are you doing something better/different? Or is it a secret :)

Ok lots of good advices here. Let me rephrase my goals then. It just want a better cooling system than the oem one. That will be ok for a once a month track day. So is it safe to say that with a coolant reroute it would be safe to use a half core for a daily drive?

Obviously you're gonna get differing opinions on that.

One thing to look into is "water wetter" additive. I'm sure someone will crap on that idea too, but I've used it in the past with some success. Don't need it in my miata auto-x racecar. Running an oem radiator and a single high cfm fan and getting by fine.

Fuck me, dont be an idiot, stop.

Side by sides can of course be done, all sorts of shit can be done if you are clever enough to design and test a system that actually works using the right components.

But for fuck sakes OP, just put a reroute and a cheap ebay radiator in and stop with this BS.

Dann

^ Will be ordering my flee bay radiator and will get back to you guys after I do a reroute and install it.

V mount and be done with it.

I second the V-Mount, you'll be cool. Get it? Heheh

Hopefully OP doesn't mind me "piggybacking" his thread since it could help him and others. So my brown/green oem ticking time bomb of a radiator has finally decided to "blow" or rather seep from a small crack in my case. I had planned on getting a SuperMiata crossflow radiator($350) when they get another batch in since they usually sell before/by the time they get stocked but obviously I can't wait so I wanted to get experience from other Miata owners with the options I provide or others but please provide the information in the following format to make it easy to identity details:

Year of Miata:
Aspiration w/ list of engine modifications:
Primary use:
Brand of radiator:
Mileage/length of time since installed:
Comments:

Here are the options other than the SuperMiata crossflow($350, that isn't in stock):

$525- Flyin Miata crossflow 32mm core
Flyin' Miata : Engine/Drivetrain : Cooling : FM crossflow radiator

$279- Koyo 37mm core
Miata KOYO Radiator 37mm V1139 ALL Aluminum for Miata 1990-1997

$259- CSF 42mm core
CSF Miata 42mm Two Row Radiator for Miata 1990-1997

$255- Mishimoto 52mm core
Miata Mishimoto Radiator for Miata 1990-1997

$165- Sonic Motor 57mm core
Sonic Motor Aluminum Radiators - Sonic Motor - Power and Performance

You may ask why I didn't include the Track Speed Engineering crossflow radiator...well because it is overkill for my application/use and I'm not willing to slap down six Benjamin's for it, great as it might be.

Now I will be using mine, stock '97, as a daily in the normally warm to hot Texas days and hope to have it turbocharged by this summer. I also plan on doing a coolant reroute with the radiator replacement or before the turbo install. I appreciate everyone's assistance with this! :)

Chad


FYI: I have done research on the subject and found a good deal of helpful information, especially in the cooling thread on here, but was hoping to get a collective of responses to aid myself and others. My apologies if I missed such a thread.

Year of Miata:94 Miata, 97 miata
Aspiration w/ list of engine modifications: 94(Begi S1, 10PSI, No AC, Begi racer reroute), 97(MKturbo setup, AC/PS, no reroutes of any kind)
Primary use: Street and Autox
Brand of radiator: Original ebay radiators from 2008 mt.net group buy
Mileage/length of time since installed: 4 years before it started leaking on original one. Other 2 have been great for years.
Comments: I am a huge fan of the cheapest all aluminum ebay radiators you can fine as long as you are not doing heavy track days. I currently have 2 installed in 2 of my miatas. They work great and have decent fitment for the cost. The only way I would spend more money then that is going to a 949 or TSE radiator.

Thanks for the feedback Lars! I am considering this route, I don't suppose there is a "popular" cheap eBay radiator that you or someone else has a link to? Someone on cr.net said the Cx Racing is a popular choice on here?

Yeah cxracing is the way to go.

Chad if you werent having heat issues with the stock radiator put another stocker in. It'll last another 20 years before breaking. Things might change once you go turbo, if you go turbo, but since the radiator you want cant be had right now then $50 or so might make sense.

CXRacing is good for the cheapest non-plastic option, but while their customer service is OK, their quality control is poor at best.

Out of all your posted options Chad, I'd go this route:
Same manufacturer as the 949 one *very high quality*, same B-tube fin tech, with a more conventional configuration and a $100 lower price tag. If you can't wait for the next batch of 949's, this would be my choice.

-Ryan

A valid point Jonathan but as you stated if I do forced indction, which is in the works and hopefully life will ccooperate this time, the stocker probably will not cut it, though with the hood louvers and reroute I would be inclined to say it would but I TRY not to spend money twice and I'd rather not purchase a radiator with plastic end tanks, so the CSF unit looks like the winner in my eyes, thanks again Ryan for that information that I probably would have overlooked. :)

I really appreciate everyones quick responses and not brow beating me for continuing with a subject that probably gets beat to death! :blah:

Year of Miata: 1993

Aspiration w/ list of engine modifications: FMII stroker (GT3071R)

Primary use: Street; Autocross; Track (HPDE)

Brand of radiator: FM Crossflow rad

Mileage/length of time since installed: 20,000 km; 2-3 years

Comments: I can finally run a 20-30 minute track session without getting hot (or tackle a mountain pass with A/C running). It took the following:

• FM Crossflow radiator
• M-Tuned coolant re-route
• FM airflow kit
• FM oil cooler
• 20/80 coolant/water ratio
• Ducting that forced all incoming air to go through the heat exchangers
• Probably some other stuff that I can't recall right now

Mine's probably an extreme case, given that I wanted a modicum of comfort on the street (I actually added air conditioning to my car). To the OP: If you want to maximize the efficiency of an intercooler-before-radiator setup, add ducting. It's near free and it works.

I don't mind at all your info was very helpful.. Now it's either.. 3 row half core radiator or... mishimoto from a buddy of mine for $150.

I run a half width ebay ASI Performance 3 core radiator on a fairly serious built 1.8. I haven't had any issues on dyno, autotests or track work with temp. I didn't really research it much before I bought it but I figured if my stock radiator was good enough then a thicker 3 core with half the width would be fine. Glad i didn't read this thread before i ordered it!

I run a large oil cooler mounted in front of the radiator and the radiator is boxed in on all sides to half of the front mouth. I haven't driven it in the street but it would be fine as it ran on the dyno for hours without any issues. I also have a hot side reroute and no thermostat.

Having said all that... why bother with a half width unless you have serious plans for the other half? I had to make custom hangers to support the radiator and oil cooler. You can get the cheap ASI full width bolt in for not much more.