Does anyone have any thoughts on this radiator on ebay?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/333723246442

I am pretty new to the k-bikes, but it doesn't look like it has a thermostat spot?

Any help is much appreciated!

Have a look at the current thread 'New K75 Project' post 20,  the OP might be using the same radiator?

Both radiators have thermostat housings. The aluminum radiator has a cover that screws into the thermostat housing rather than a cover that is bolted onto the housing. The worth of that system is hard to determine without reviews from reliable sources.


 

I have one on my k100 of an older spec than this one which wasent great, but this model appears to address most of the issues I have with mine.

My radiator (same design) has a different seal for the radiator housing, it uses a flat rubber washer that is not contained in any way, thus it can be pushed outward by various means(pressure from cooling system, or rotation of the cap when you tighten it for ex)

This model you show in this listing has been updated to use a round o-ring and chamfer on the body of the radiator thermostat housing. This is definitely a better sealing method than is present on my model.
It also appears that they have taken into account the depth issues on the previous models and remedied it, so I would like to change my answer, this does look like a potentially good replacement and I think i might purchase one myself.

Wiz

I just purchased one, I will post back here when it arrives and let you guys know if it's worth it's salt.

Wiz

Wiz wrote:I just purchased one, I will post back here when it arrives and let you guys know if it's worth it's salt.

Wiz

Thanks! Keep me posted.

The ad says there is but one left....

brickrider2 wrote:The ad says there is but one left....

. . . until that one's sold, then there will be another one for sale. 

My radiator came today, I will be installing it soon as the coolant is drained and will let you guys know how it fits. The bar isn't very high right now, as the current aftermarket radiator fits poorly.
It lacks the cut out that is present in this model on the rear. This radiator also has a much more reliable seal for the thermostat housing as I had suspected due to the chamfer on the inside edge of the housing.
It is of note that its probably a good idea to make a small mark on the thermostat housing cap as shown in the first image to ensure the holes for coolant flow are lined up.

The welds are not pretty, it is definitely not the same quality that the BSK Speedworks radiator seems to be, however it does look structurally sound. Overall I would say its an upgrade from what I have now, and at the price point
its hard to beat assuming it works as intended and fits properly. 

I will update you guys again when I install it. Below are some pictures for your inspection if you choose to buy one yourself.

Cheers
Wiz

Thanks for the update, Wiz!! Look forward to hearing the install results.

Ditto!  

So I installed it, and its not perfect, but it does work. Bear in mind that I don't have the stock bushing for mounting the radiator at the top (was missing when I bought it) so I am using a 1 inch aluminum spacer for now. It seems to fit fairly well, better than the other radiator I had anyway. I cant really speak for the placement of the mounting holes on the sides of the radiator as I don't have the pieces that would be affixed there from factory, but I can say that the body panels I do have seem to line up fairly well. (the factory spacer would probably help too). As a cheap replacement for the factory radiator it looks pretty good, I would recommend tryin it if you need a radiator.


Here are some photos of it mounted, and a radiator cover in place as a bonus.

Okay okay, game's up - what's the wire/hose running from the Hall sensor casing?

chris846 wrote:Okay okay, game's up - what's the wire/hose running from the Hall sensor casing?

That is the wire going to the VR sensor for the crank, I am using an ms3 pro for the ecu now and opted for a toothed gear crank sensor so I can have full control of the timing in my tuning software.

Wiz

The photos give the appearance of the alu radiator being "thicker" than the OEM item.  Is that an illusion?

brickrider2 wrote:The photos give the appearance of the alu radiator being "thicker" than the OEM item.  Is that an illusion?

Not sure of the exact core thickness, but it does have the cut out that the OEM item comes with I believe, at least mine did.

Do these pictures answer your question?

If I remember correctly, the description on fleabay stated the amount of coolant in those radiators is greater than the OEM equivalent.  If that is so, then I imagine the core is wider (?).  I mention this because of my experience with my old K100.  It would happily sit at stop lights without the temperature gauge moving more than a tad.  My K1100 immediately registers higher temps in those situations, and soon the fan comes on.  I'm lead to believe that the OEM radiator has not a lot of cooling capacity to spare.  That, and my distrust of radiators (any radiator) with those plastic tanks crimped on the sides leads me to consider this aftermarket radiator as a good upgrade. I'll be grateful for thoughts stemming from you experience with this radiator. 
On the other hand, maybe I'm just indulging in my inner Nervous Nellie.

brickrider2 wrote:If that is so, then I imagine the core is wider (?).  I mention this because of my experience with my old K100.  It would happily sit at stop lights without the temperature gauge moving more than a tad.  My K1100 immediately registers higher temps in those situations, and soon the fan comes on. . . . my distrust of radiators (any radiator) with those plastic tanks . . .

The K100 and the K1100LT have radiators with identical capacities. The difference between them is in their weight, engine size and how fairings affect air flow. A periodic and thorough cleaning of the core fins and flushing of the cooling system might settle down Nellie. 

The OEM radiator in my moto has given no trouble after 80,000 miles, much of which has been pounding over Vermont's quaint class 3 gravel road pothole fields.

I've never had a problem with my cooling system even on 40C + days on high speed runs. Over a 175,000 K's and 20 + years of ownership. The key is running the correct coolant and distilled water and changing it at the recommended intervals and the occasional bug vacuuming of the fins. I have given it a flush a couple of times but it was really not necessary as no contaminants found. I have also been using the OEM coolant as it is about the same price as the aftermarket coolant. I'm not sure if there is a side benefit to what I have been doing but I am still on my original water pump seal. It has however been fitted with a Davies Craig fan motor with override switch for the last 20 years and this is exercised every couple of weeks.
Regards Martin.

Laitch is correct about cleaning bugs out of the fins. My first K100 had a problem with overheating. The only time it was really happy temperature-wise was going down the road in cool weather. Stopping, low speed traffic, and hot weather was sure to turn on the fan(which had melted brush holders when I got the bike).

Several cooling system flushes removed the lime buildup from a previous owner who probably used well water in the cooling system, but the real improvement came when I soaked the whole radiator in vinegar over night and flushed a very large amount of marinated bugs and dirt from the fins.

Following the flush and the installation of a Spal fan I never had another problem with temperature, even in stop-and-go traffic on 95F days.

My K1100LT radiator is largely bug-free.  Maybe I need to flush it again.  
As for the service life, I had a leak in the K100 RS radiator I owned in the the past.  It was repaired but it soon failed again.  The plastic tanks have absolutely nothing to recommend them, except that they probably save manufacturers a few cents. In a brand that has positioned itself on the "premium" end of the spectrum I expect better.

brickrider2 wrote: It was repaired but it soon failed again.  The plastic tanks have absolutely nothing to recommend them . . ..

Corrosion wouldn't seem to be a problem anyway 

An update on the ebay alu radiator.

I finally have my bike running (alot of time now that im off work for a while) and I have been working on getting my tune dialed in enough that I can start to take it up and down the road and get my ve table roughed in for all rpm ranges. 

Regarding the radiator I have had the biked up to temp (and over, up to 225) and the thermostat housing is not leaking like the old ebay radiator I had. My ecu is set to turn on the fan at 200F and off at 180, this radiator easily keeps the bike operating in those margins with the fan on when idling, and from the point the fan turns on it takes about 2 minutes to return back down to 180, no big tests of rpm at speed yet.

And Here is a quick video of one of the first fire ups since getting the new ecu wired up for anyone interested, bearing in mind its not tuned yet. First Start

Horrible looking welds but if it’s functional I wouldn’t care as it all would be hidden due to having a 1985 K100RS. I wonder if the seller knows whether or not the RS body parts would fit properly or if it’s designed for a naked K100.

Yea, the fact it Is aluminum dosent really help, it's hard to make aluminum welds look as good as steel, but it is functional. As for the holes on the side, I think it is intended to be the same as factory, my aftermarket panels line up well with those holes, as they did with the stock radiator, but that's as much as I can tell you.