In the current market, Automotive Radiators seem to be available from a number of alternative sources rather than the more traditional “radiator specialist”, on whom we have always relied.
The quality of some products now available in the market place is unquestionably inferior to the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) design and specification for which a replacement is sought, according to ADRAD Pty Ltd, one of Australia’s biggest supplier groups.
ADRAD Pty Ltd is an Australian family owned business located in Adelaide, SA. ADRAD branch warehouses are located in NSW, VIC, QLD & WA with a manufacturing facility in New Zealand. ADRAD employs almost 200 staff and has been involved in the design and manufacture of radiators for 20 years, also supplying Air Conditioning products with the ADAIR brand. ADRAD offers quality products and is an ISO9001:1994 accredited company. ADRAD Radiators meet and often exceed OEM specification.

Things to look out for

Specifications of materials used – materials of poor quality or thinner gauge are often used in inferior quality radiators to reduce cost. Cooling fins, for example, will not last as long if you live near the coast or visit the beach frequently, as the salty sea air will corrode thinner fins very quickly.
Incorrect header plate material (where the radiator tank joins the core) or thickness – the header plate is a vital radiator component and if the incorrect material grade or gauge is used, the headers may split, resulting in a failed and unrepairable radiator.

Wrong tank size  – this means that the header plate is also the incorrect size. This leads to problems with inter-changeability in the future. If a new tank needs to be fitted, one may not be available, so yet again you’ll need to purchase the entire radiator rather than simply replacing the damaged part.

Will the fan and shroud fit correctly to the replacement radiator? Are you left with gaps around the shroud, or holes that don’t line up? Poorer performance is almost guaranteed.
A smaller than original internal transmission cooler may result in the ultimate towing nightmare – your vehicles transmission runs hotter, increasing the likelihood of premature transmission failure.

Grade of plastic used in plastic tank radiators – does it meet or exceed OE specification? In order to reduce costs, recycled plastic has been used. This again compromises the units strength – fittings will break, cracking will occur and the products overall durability is significantly reduced.

Incorrect material used in radiator core construction – again to reduce base cost of a radiator. But how well suited to the car and its cooling system is the change of core material? Metals do react!

What kind of warranty is available with the new unit? Read the small print. Who wears the cost of a blown transmission or a cooked engine? ADRAD offers either a 2 or 5 year conditional warranty on its products depending on where you purchase.
Please also consider – “Do I need a new radiator”? Taking the damaged radiator to a “Radiator Specialist” may lead to discovering that perhaps a new tank need only be fitted, or a minor repair carried out as opposed to the necessity of purchasing a brand new radiator.

Did you know?

Cheaper products usually mean that somewhere during the manufacturing process, corners have been cut. It may be something as simple as fitting a non-turbulated transmission cooler like the pictures. This has a dramatic effect on the transmission oil cooling and can lead to premature transmission failure.

Heat is the major contributing factor in the premature failure of Automatic Transmissions.

Towing or stop start city driving increases the operating temperatures of modern transmissions and reduces the effective life of the transmission fluid.
The heat generated causes the transmission fluid to oxidise and decrease the lubrication properties?
Today’s sophisticated transmissions are very expensive to repair?