DIY: Radiator

Mazda_Power · Post by **Mazda_Power** » December 8th, 2005, 6:06 pm

Mazda MX-3 and Geo Prizm... cousins? Nope. But some how I was able to get the radiator to fit.

I pulled the radiator out of a 1994 Geo Prizm w/ 2,000,000,000,124 miles on it. Dusted it off (it was in good shape). The Prizm radiator is about 4 inches taller than the MX-3. It's also a thicker core. I was able to get the radiator to fit by tilting the bottom side closer to the engine (about 6 inches). I had to notch a couple places in the top radiator support... you'll see. I used the lower hose off the Prizm, it fit perfect. The other hose had a long stretch. I went over to Javan's, looked to make sure no one was looking and yanked a hose off a 94ish Accord. I cut it to fit (a little too short, but it works). The biggest issue so far is the EGR tube (the hose rests against it, but luckily it has a protector of some sort on it). Next the "end tanks" are different. The MX-3 is a Scirocco style radiator with endtanks on the sides, where as the Prizm has them on the top and bottom. It works... it does leak, but I don't know if it'll stand up to the test of time. I have yet to wire up the fan.

ariesdude · Post by **ariesdude** » December 8th, 2005, 7:08 pm

Is this a radiator upgrade - does it cool the engine better than the stock radiator?

Used mx-3 radiators are available at junkyards all over the states from $250 - $50 (http://car-part.com).

Also,

Used radiator for 9.99 on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/RADIATOR ... enameZWDVW

New radiator for 144.81 on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/92-95-MA ... enameZWD1V

You have done excellent work fitting it - but if it doesn't do any performance improvement and might lead to trouble down the line (due to leaks) then it might be wise to get another mx3 rad IMO.

azazel95 · Post by **azazel95** » December 9th, 2005, 6:04 am

Is this your current daily driver? If so that leak will become a huge PITA. My waterpump leaks (finally getting new one on Sat) and I have spent a small fortune keeping coolant in it. Especially with the winter hitting hard here and I imagine it hits harder in MN. No coolant equals no heat. Constant spending on coolant because just water will freeze (ah, the summer when my engine coolant was free...memories), not to mention with the coldness of winter the engine may read normal operating temp when really there is no coolant (cold weather keeps engine cool enough) but it is horrible to have no coolant running.

Last winter I had a small leak in my Taurus radiator. Well soon after heat went out my engine locked up from being too hot. Guage read normal. An engine has to be really hot to completely lock up. Wouldn't even turn over until I let it sit for about an hour. Then it only drove about 10 minutes before overheating and dying again. I'm lucky I didn't blow the engine.

Anyways, head my warnings. And stop-leak isn't worth the label on the bottle it comes in. Save a buck, crack an egg.

Mazda_Power · Post by **Mazda_Power** » December 10th, 2005, 11:56 pm

I miss-typed it. There are no leaks is what I ment to write.

It isn't keeping the car cool. I think it has to do with the MX-3's Scirocco style radiator and the way the tubes go into the new radiator...

Which side pulls the coolant in, the front or back side of the motor?

hgallegos915 · Post by **hgallegos915** » December 11th, 2005, 11:55 am

eadiatorworld.com has one except no hole for fan sensor... hey that mx3's front looks all busted... just like mine thats why i mentioned it lol

good job!! im sure this will help alot of mx3 owners in the future..i assume bigger coder more cooling

jimishadow · Post by **jimishadow** » December 11th, 2005, 1:39 pm

you can get a brand new lifetime warrent one for about 140 delivered to your house.1800 252 0333,i got one for my daughters gs and it was 140 delivered the next day.

Mazda_Power · Post by **Mazda_Power** » December 12th, 2005, 12:40 am

Thanks for the advice. I bought the radiator that was linked to in the first couple replies.

For some reason the car is getting hot constantly. It doesn't stay cool. I have a feeling that the front of the motor sucks the coolant down and it's tough to pull it from the top where there is some air... if that's not it, I don't know I'm tired with screwing around with this car.

Yep, the front end is all smashed up... I bought it that way.

jimishadow · Post by **jimishadow** » December 12th, 2005, 8:14 am

i think i see your problem...i think you have the hoses reversed,,,in other words you are trying to draw coolant from the top of radiator,,,you must hook up hose to water pump on bottom of radiator and return on top.let us know if thats it.

atlantamx3 · Post by **atlantamx3** » December 12th, 2005, 8:53 am

I agree with jimishadow... the hose to the waterpump is on the bottom and to the thermostat is on the top.

Reverse the hoses and you should be fine...

But that wont solve the problem of it looking TERRIBLE, man.

Why did you butcher your car up instead of just getting the right radiator?
I bought my all-metal radiator from CSF a few years back and I love it. It was right around $130 or so... but its going to last forever.

Mazda_Power · Post by **Mazda_Power** » December 12th, 2005, 1:43 pm

I butched the car because it deseved it. Nothing works...

I have no money. The Prizm radiator was free there was no junkyards around here.

I don't have money to spend to get new hoses. I can't just switch them, they aren't the right lengths.

Like I posted before, I bought that one on EBay.

Oh and even if I did have the money for a new one I wouldn't have bought it. I paid $150 for the car... and it wasn't worth that.

Hopefully I can just take care of this mess and sell it.

atlantamx3 · Post by **atlantamx3** » December 12th, 2005, 2:18 pm

Your MX-3 hates you because you dont care for it.

New hoses are like $10 and it should work fine.

jimishadow · Post by **jimishadow** » December 12th, 2005, 6:12 pm

send me your address and ill send you some used hoses i have off wrecked mxand you can link them with yours somehow to make it work,,,it will not work drawing from the top

Focal · Post by **Focal** » December 12th, 2005, 8:57 pm

so very ghetto. You should be nice my mx-3 knows when i talk bad about it.

Mazda_Power · Post by **Mazda_Power** » December 13th, 2005, 12:18 am

Focal wrote:so very ghetto. You should be nice my mx-3 knows when i talk bad about it.

Ghetto? Nothing is more ghetto than having to stick a wire in a headlight relay harness to get my lights to come one every night.

That is my MX-3 in essence.