Got a TYC Rad in a KOYO Box... Tomorrow the phone calls begin.

[mrtucker80]

So I have been searching for the perfect radiator for my 3rd Gen and after exhausting the all aluminum route I went to the KOYO website and did a ton of research as to what my options were. I settled on a KOYO C1774 which is a 2 row radiator for a Tacoma that is 2 inches shorter than the stock T4R rad. I then called KOYO directly to find out how to get my grubby little hands on one. They directed me to my local 1800 Radiator location and I called them up.

Apparently KOYO isn't a big seller because they had to call KOYO directly to find the unit I was asking for, but they did and got me a price and I said here's my CC order it.

SOOO they called on Saturday to tell me it was in and I made arrangements to pick it up today. I go in and pick up my big KOYORAD box, sign the paperwork and load it up and head home.

As soon as I got home I excitedly opened it up to take a peak inside and take a few measurements and several things started to jump out at me.

First the metal staples had already been pulled thru, indicating the box had been opened previously...

Second, after noticing that I examined the tape and noticed that the tape was different on the top than the bottom. There were about 3 additional runs on the top than the bottom

Third, The packaging was very minimal, a couple pieces of bubble wrap and that was basically it.

Finally, I pulled the radiator out to actually examine it and find that it has a small "TYC" stamped right on the top and in what looks like paint pen it has 1774KO and some other misc writing on it (can't remember right off hand but will get a couple pictures later).

So now I come to the apparent conclusion that someone, at some time swapped a TYC Rad in the KOYO box, closed it up and probably got a few dollars back for it. And for the time, I am now stuck with not what I asked for. :frusty::frusty::frusty:

I want to clarify that 1800 Radiators has been very good to deal with and I put ALL the fault on the KOYO distributor. I intend to call tomorrow and see if they can chase this down and make it right. I went to great lengths to ensure that I received EXACTLY what I wanted and in the end it appears that the manufacturer is the one at fault.

I will post some pictures and keep you folks updated but the moral of the story is apparently you can't trust anyone anymore.....

Stay tuned

 

[zooroadbaja]

I had the same experience. Order a Koyo off of Egay and emailed the seller to verify the box and radiator said Koyo. UPS shows up with a box that says Chicago something I believe. I call the company and they tell me they sent the wrong radiator and ship it back and they'll send the right one. I ask one mroe time to verify it's a Koyo. He says yeah. So the UPS guy shows up with the new one pulls the package out and the box says TYC. Called and returned it. Waiting a while to find one locally where I could physically go and see it before purchasing it. Best of luck with the radiator.

 

[BrianSD_42]

I want to clarify that 1800 Radiators has been very good to deal with and I put ALL the fault on the KOYO distributor.

Sounds to me like the store you bought it from is at fault.

Why is Koyo at fault? They didn't sell the TYC off as a Koyo so I don't get it.

 

[jeff88]

It sounds like the middleman just ordered on his behalf and had it shipped out. Chances are, they never actually physically held the box in their possession, so the distributer messed up. This is pure conjecture, we'll probably never know why it happened, as they probably won't know what happened.

Strictly tangential here, why did you choose this particular radiator?

 

[mrtucker80]

Sounds to me like the store you bought it from is at fault.

Why is Koyo at fault? They didn't sell the TYC off as a Koyo so I don't get it.

If the guy I have been talking to is being straight with me then the chain of events went something like this.

I called KOYO asked for model x. They said please call this guy, he is your local distributor. Mind you at this point I had no idea it was 1800rad. So I call the number he gave me and tell the guy what I want. He says they don't keep them in regular stock and will have to contact KOYO about availability.

He (the guy at 1800rad) calls KOYO (or their distributor, but the implication was he was contacting KOYO since they, 1800radiators, don't keep those rads stocked) and they say they have superceded that with model y (C1774 in my case)

He calls me back and says he can get C1774 for $$ and I said order it. He calls and confirms availability and calls me back and says the Rad will be coming from California so it will take about 5 days.

I say cool, no hurry.

He calls me Saturday and says it is here and I can come get it.

Show up today and it is sitting in the front office with my paperwork.

I guess they could have opened it up when it arrived and swapped it out, but based on my conversations, I don't think they cared enough to go to that kind of trouble. I guess it could have been 1800radiator who sent out a re-box to another location, but as I mentioned, all my interactions with 1800rad lead me to believe this was direct thru/from KOYO, or as mentioned above, some middleman distributor for them.

Either way, I am not satisfied and I want somebody to take this TYC and get me a legit KOYO since that is what I paid for. My intention is to let 1800rad give it a whirl and if they can't sort it then I will go direct to KOYO and see what I need to do to get a real deal unit.

I just want what I paid for. My primary grip is that I went to such lengths as to call the manufacturer directly to make sure I got the right unit and after following their direction I still managed to end up with a knock-off.

 

[mrtucker80]

Strictly tangential here, why did you choose this particular radiator?

I was looking for an all aluminum unit to replace my stocker. I have a red/green mix in the system now and I need to do the T-belt, so I figured that would be as good a time as any to replace the 200k mile OE one. After exhausting all my all aluminum options and deciding that was for another day I started looking at other options.

I remembered that a buddy of mine had recently had to replace his rad in his 4cyl tacoma and remembered him talking about the multiple core heights, so I started looking into it. I honestly was looking for a shorter unit that did not have the trans cooler since I am going to install a B&M either before or at the same time as the rad replacement. I ended up on the KOYO website which has a great database of the various radiators available for the different makes and models.

After looking over the optoins I settled on this unit because it is 2" shorter than the T4R original, it is a 2 row instead or a single row but is only 1/16" thicker. So I figure the additional row will help offset the shorter core. This will also let me make a skid plate that doesn't have such a fat lip look and will tie into the lines of my SW front bumper.

I know that is a long way around and a lot of work for a couple inches, but I like the idea of it not hanging down so low in the front and giving it better angles.