Shooting for 300whp, need recomendations for a rad. Current one is stock. eBay special? FM Crossflow? Koyo? Fan and shroud kit too, or overkill? Car has no coolant reroute and will be running an EFR6258.

Price is not as important as quality, but if I don't NEED a $500 radiator, I won't get it. Make some recomendations please. I was going to get the FM Crossflow and Stage 2 fan kit but it's a LOT of money

 

Many will tell you to get the trackspeed crossflow that's supposed to be the best.

Then you will have to decide for yourself based on how much money you wanna spend and how much track use the car will see whether you will be ok with any of the cheaper alternatives.

 

Track time limited, mostly street cruising, highway drives, some occasional hard driving. Thats why I dont wanna get something too expensive, overkill.

 

Alex,

I'm starting to push the boost on the 16G in my car (15psi +) and the heat created from the extra boost shows it self easily. Even after one dyno pull, the coolant temp would go from 195-215. When I go on canyon runs it stays warm (~200) and when I'm running up tight, steep mountains like Palomar Mtn, lots of boost and not a lot of air flow, I will be fighting with the flashing check engine light the second half way up the hill.

Yes I have pretty good ducting and like you, no reroute, street use mostly, occasional track/weekend mountain hammering fun.

As per the "ebay vs MSM radiator" thread, I just ordered one of these.

Dual Core Bolt on Racing 2 Row Aluminum Radiator JDM 98 05 Mazda Miata MX5 MX 5 | eBay

Now that I think about it, I'm actually surprised it keeps it as cool as it does. When I rebuilt my motor, I put in a 180 thermostat. Also have done the gauge mod for our car. So my gauge moves around a lot now. 180-210 it's got a pretty good size sweep.

Will have it installed maybe next week and have some results in a week or so after that. Trying to get car ready for MRLS.

 

Why in the world does neither of you have a re-route? I mean if its only mild street duty I can understand, but the occasional track day and lots of spirited twisty driving pretty much mandates a reroute

 

Internet legend says that the MSM doesn't really need one for some reason.

I don't know the reason, but i won't bother doing it on mine.

 

msm rad is bigger and more efficient than a regular. There's tons of info on this including FM's testing both in addition to the ebay rad.

 

Luckily for the aftermarket companies, they still explode about as often as normal Miata radiators.

I need to figure out what i'm going to put in mine as well.

 

plastic tanks + alum core = failzors

 

So what's the solution? FM?

 

You can do a $380 Koyo and risk overheating in hot weather on track, or you can do our dual-row NB unit and never have to worry about it. The choice is yours

 

TSE radiator is so nice that it gave me a powerful lust to go back to women. Seriously, the nicest rad I've ever seen even considering my days back when I was coaching Vetel.

 

The extent of my spirited driving is maybe minute long spurts in boost, I never stay on it for more than that because it is the street after all, usually run out of space or run into other cars

That said, do I really need a big fat radiator? Will my MSM one perhaps suffice, as long as I keep my eyes on the endtanks? Shroud and fans?

I'm weary going to Mishimoto because I hear its basically ebay brand glorified, with less fit problems.

 

Sounds like you just want us to tell you to stick with the stocker

Stick with the stocker

lol

 

Sounds like you want to put words in my mouth

I'm not opposed to spending the money, just want to do what's best for the car without blowing money needlessly.

 

I already answered your question.

Your stocker is probably better than the ebay ones.
The fm stuff is overpriced like crazy.
TSE is serious business cooling that you likely don't need.

so either get the tse or keep the stocker?

 

Don't add a re-route without first changing the head gasket out for the older design or you will cook #1.

Buy the TSE rad and have it shipped to me. I'll send you my stocker at no charge and then you can have two radiators. 2 > 1.

 

With TSE, just use stock fan and no shroud I guess? I want to build a piece for the mouth later regardless to block air from going into the sides of the bumper, its like a metal mouth (don't know technical name).

Thanks for the tip for the reroute, I read that before, its a decision I made when I was building the motor.

 

I found your "Ebay vs MSM Rad" thread and it's link to the m-s forums where Keith says 'the MSM one is better than some aftermarket rads' but nothing else. That thread didn't have any testing either. Anyone have a link to FM's actual testing?

 

FM didn't release specifics on the MSM rad but the rest of them are right there on their site