Champion 3core aluminum radiator failure

[ninethings]

I pulled back in to work after lunch and saw a little drip in my parking spot. I didn’t park in exactly the same position in the spot, so I was looking around to see where it came from. I assumed oil, but it was yellow-clear. The radiator isn’t even 9mo old, didn’t even cross my mind it was coolant. Didn’t even look at it, I was focused on the engine and didn’t see any leaks

Come out a couple hours later to grab something and there’s a basketball sized puddle under the drivers side of the rad. Crept under then I noticed the drip lines on the underside and coolant in the fins all along the bottom (really hard to get a camera up there and get a good picture). All hoses and connection points were clean/dry

I read somewhere that these all-aluminum radiators are prone to failure at the welds from excessive vibration, especially when installed without rubber bushings/washers. When researching I didn’t see or read anything about anyone needing or using bushings

Has anyone else had similar issues? I got this rad because it doesn’t hang below the frame like OEM and had a higher coolant capacity than OEM. Seeing about warranty replacement tomorrow.

 

[brillo_76]

Isn't your coolant red? Yellow clear oil might be AC PAG oil from the condenser and not your radiator as your condenser sits in front of the rad. Mostly Toyota coolant is red or pink. Yellow or green could be antifreeze as well if the wrong coolant is used. However, I never seen PAG oil puddle before. Mostly just hangs on on to things where it leaks.

 

[ninethings]

Isn't your coolant red? Yellow clear oil might be AC PAG oil from the condenser and not your radiator as your condenser sits in front of the rad. Mostly Toyota coolant is red or pink. Yellow or green could be antifreeze as well if the wrong coolant is used. However, I never seen PAG oil puddle before. Mostly just hangs on on to things where it leaks.

These champion radiators take Yellow, per manufacturers specs. PAG oil isn’t a bad guess but as my radiator took 2gal to get back up to level I’m pretty confident it’s coolant lol

 

[brillo_76]

These champion radiators take Yellow, per manufacturers specs. PAG oil isn’t a bad guess but as my radiator took 2gal to get back up to level I’m pretty confident it’s coolant lol

Interesting... That yellow meet toyota spec? as I hate to see it eat your head gaskets, water seals and water pump up. Its differently a leaking radiator if it was down 2 gallon That's a shame. :-( At least you caught before you baked the head and cracked the aluminum. So that's a plus..

 

[phattyduck]

These champion radiators take Yellow, per manufacturers specs. PAG oil isn’t a bad guess but as my radiator took 2gal to get back up to level I’m pretty confident it’s coolant lol

Toyota Red is designed for aluminum parts - and the specific seals and bearings in engine portion of the cooling system... I'd stick with the OEM Red coolant.

The color of coolant didn't have an effect on this issue though, it was either mechanical damage or a manufacturing defect.

-Charlie

 

[ninethings]

Toyota Red is designed for aluminum parts - and the specific seals and bearings in engine portion of the cooling system... I'd stick with the OEM Red coolant.

The color of coolant didn't have an effect on this issue though, it was either mechanical damage or a manufacturing defect.

-Charlie

All valid points, but a bunch of engineers at champion say they’re radiators CANNOT take red so I went with that. Bunch of folks who have been running them for years and run them way way harder than I ever would in conditions harsher than where I live (boardering the Sonoran and Mojave deserts) and theirs are holding up great, zero issues ??*

Hoping it’s a manufacturing flaw and replacement will solve the issue. Warranty is underway ??

 

[Twisted Sid]

Something tells me that the "bunch of engineers" at champion radiators dont know more about toyota cooling systems than the Toyota engineers

 

[ninethings]

Something tells me that the "bunch of engineers" at champion radiators dont know more about toyota cooling systems than the Toyota engineers

Something tells me y’all are incapable of responding to the actual problem I'm experiencing and going off on coolant formulation opinion.

Respectfully, stick to talking about the issue I’m posting about, all aluminum radiator failure points, or just keep it movin. If you want to discuss different types of coolant and how they may or may not affect our systems, feel free to start a thread.

 

[phattyduck]

Something tells me y’all are incapable of responding to the actual problem I'm experiencing and going off on coolant formulation opinion.

Respectfully, stick to talking about the issue I’m posting about, all aluminum radiator failure points, or just keep it movin. If you want to discuss different types of coolant and how they may or may not affect our systems, feel free to start a thread.

Toyota mounts the stock radiator (a much less robust plastic end tank with crimps) without bushings. Have you found the actual leak source on the radiator? Also, Champion didn't supply bushings or alternate mounting method - so they also think it is an acceptable method.

My CSF has only been on the truck for 5-10k miles, though 400+ of those have been high speed off roading (Rally advance/safety vehicle) that beats things up plenty - no issues/leaks there. I did mount the trans cooler with rubber isolation just in case, using the same mounts as the AC condenser.

-Charlie

 

[brillo_76]

Something tells me y’all are incapable of responding to the actual problem I'm experiencing and going off on coolant formulation opinion.

Respectfully, stick to talking about the issue I’m posting about, all aluminum radiator failure points, or just keep it movin. If you want to discuss different types of coolant and how they may or may not affect our systems, feel free to start a thread.

What are you talking about yall? Your all aluminum radiator that you paid big bucks for is junk. [These things happen ] So please don't include everyone in your comments .

I was thinking your pag oil was leaking which is a legit question. I was sticking to your issue. You clarified your running yellow and you coolant was low. No biggie. Perhaps other people have seen damage from using green and other coolants in previous head gasket failing and components failing prematurely. No reason at all to have a comment like this on a thread. You can always do what ever to with you want to with your rig.

Folks were most likely just trying to save you money down the road but if you want to act like this I am done with this thread. No reason to waste my time on it.

The warranty on champion is limited lifetime and not transferable. I guess they determine if there isn't a microscopic hole in it from road debris as that is all it would take to void the warranty.

Best of luck to you..

 

[Malcolm99]

Something tells me you guys never owned a pre 1999 4runner as they ALL (1996-1998 5vz-fe) came FACTORY FILLED with GREEN Ethylene Glycol, the yellow ethylene glycol is fine aswell. I owned quite a few of these over 25 years, some of which have original water pumps and still use green ethylene Glycol and over 300,000miles, even my 99' I swapped for green rad fluid in 2011 with 86,000miles now on 190,000miles, due to corrosion at T-stat housing flange caused by red radfluid. Aluminum heads, waterpumps with bearings and components isn't new that requires red rad fluid. This red rad fluid thing on these forums is a bit compulsive tbh.

The red crap causes corrosion when it leaves the system turning into an acidic pink powder by design to locate leaks, you will never see glycol do that!, anywhere that old red stuff leaks eats aluminum soaking up contaminants and salt causing the acidic condition if it wasn't already acidic. Even the new pink crap in my 2016 highlander and 2011 taco isn't great, but they are all aluminum I guess and originally came with it, but the 5vz-fe did not.

 

[T4R2014]

Something tells me you guys never owned a pre 1999 4runner as they ALL (1996-1998 5vz-fe) came FACTORY FILLED with GREEN Ethylene Glycol, the yellow ethylene glycol is fine aswell. I owned quite a few of these over 25 years, some of which have original water pumps and still use green ethylene Glycol and over 300,000miles, even my 99' I swapped for green rad fluid in 2011 with 86,000miles now on 190,000miles, due to corrosion at T-stat housing flange caused by red radfluid. Aluminum heads, waterpumps with bearings and components isn't new that requires red rad fluid. This red rad fluid thing on these forums is a bit compulsive tbh.

The red crap causes corrosion when it leaves the system turning into an acidic pink powder by design to locate leaks, you will never see glycol do that!, anywhere that old red stuff leaks eats aluminum soaking up contaminants and salt causing the acidic condition if it wasn't already acidic. Even the new pink crap in my 2016 highlander and 2011 taco isn't great, but they are all aluminum I guess and originally came with it, but the 5vz-fe did not.

Pretty sure red is also much harder to source now. On IH8MUD the recommended coolant for 1FZs as a result of this is now green coolant. I personally use Peak Long Life yellow in mine, though my 4Runners use Peak Toyota red/pink. That pink powder is some nasty stuff, I had to fill the pits in my thermostat housing with Permatex #2 to get it to seal. I personally think frequent coolant changes and avoiding mixing coolants is far more important to cooling system performance than sticking to OEM coolant. And at the age of these trucks it should be changed every two years minimum.

 

[JZiggy]

Agree that top priority is not mixing coolants

A great option is Peak Global Lifetime coolant. I have used that in Hondas & Toyotas with success for years and years. I currently run OEM "Long Life" red in my T4R because it was dealer-serviced and was rocking it from day 1. No issues in 10 years...

 

[2TH4IST]

I'd say a pin hole leak. Either a flaw or road debris cause this. I'm running a aluminum koyo radiator, but also ran the csf aluminum too. Both of those do not have any bushings used to absorb vibrations. I've done high speed dirt roads with zero issues/leaks for well over 7 years now.

 

[nissanh]

I use Denso radiators off of Rockauto and no leaks.. I replace radiators every 10 years, that's $15 a year ! They has never failed in that 10 year period. Life moves on....

 

[brillo_76]

I use Denso radiators off of Rockauto and no leaks.. I replace radiators every 10 years, that's $15 a year ! They has never failed in that 10 year period. Life moves on....

I do the same thing. If i see a radiator starting to turn brown or slightly discolor its reaplaced with new denso. Just keep an eye on them and I am wondering if Denso acutally fixed the milkshake issues in the newer ones.