installing an S13(89-94 240sx) radiator

[fastivab6tg25mr]

ive been looking for a dual core radiator for my BF for quite some time and it seems like the dont exist(unless you want to have a custom one made for ~$400) my buddy told me to keep searching by the overall dimensions and make a universal one fit. so as i was searching i kept coming across radiators for an S13 so i thought why not. checking my local junk yards i found one and picked it up for $50 to use as mock up until my aluminum one gets here.

the only draw back i see immediately is that the upper radiator hose connection is on the passenger side. i have not made hoses yet but i will post my progress as they are being made.

the first order of business was to cut a 1"x1" square tube long ways down the middle to make a 1"x1/2" channel. i marked where the mounting pins were and make holes for the radiator to fit into and put bolts with fuel line around them for the bracket to fit snugly into the stock radiator mounts.


after the lower mounts were made i flattened then re-bent the stock S13 upper mounting tabs to make them about 3/8" longer. they lined right up to the holes in the core support that normally have the plastic clips that hold up the wiring harness. the fitment was a bit too snug so i took the radiator back out and lightly bent the core support with a crescent wrench to give me a little more space up top. i have plenty of room up front for my pusher radiator fans and plenty of clearance from the turbo heat sheild.

[jay]

I'm trying to remember if there are any significant differences tween the bf and bg protege rads. I don't recall any (not that that means much... been awhile since I had a bf car here). I bought my last all alluminum doublecore on ebay for a70 bucks and it hasn't done anything bad to me yet.

[fastivab6tg25mr]

just ordered the 2 core s13 rad for $95. i looked everywhere but couldn't find a reasonable radiator swap write up for a BF. this motor/turbo/trans setup im my last car worked fine with the 2 core civic 1/2 radiator but the fan was on constantly if it got above 95 deg F. im going to be "sealing" the radiator to the front of the car to minimize air flow around the radiator.

[AmmoJammo]

I thought the automatic radiators were 2 core...
Although I'm in Australia (so it might be different), but I'm pretty sure I've seen 3 or 4 different radiator dimensions listed for the BF (And KE Ford Laser)
The largest of which was for an automatic (thicker, and physically bigger)

[azgtx]

BF's certainly came with the large 2 row cores...just not on the turbo cars. If you are relocating the intercooler then yes put one of those suckers in there. I have one and they are 30% larger that the stock turbo radiator. It does not have to necessarily be from an automatic car but most aftermarket pieces will have the cooler lines on them anyway.

[FE3-323]

nicely done!

[fastivab6tg25mr]

For the upper hose i used a dayco #72085. The lower hose is a dayco #71028.

[fastivab6tg25mr]

BF's certainly came with the large 2 row cores...just not on the turbo cars. If you are relocating the intercooler then yes put one of those suckers in there. I have one and they are 30% larger that the stock turbo radiator. It does not have to necessarily be from an automatic car but most aftermarket pieces will have the cooler lines on them anyway.

i have looked at every single BF in every wrecking yard within 50 miles from me(Roseville, CA) and i have never seen one with a dual core. ive also looked online for any bf dual core and found nothing but single cores. do you have a link to one?