Sciracco Aluminum Rad?

tigeravg

tigeravg

True Classic
Seen lots of references. What year Sciracco rad fits our car? Sick of repairing 45 year old radiators. Seems pointless when I see sciracco rads all over the interweb for $120 or less. The last aluminum rad I bought had to be repaired out of the box. Marginal quality at best.

I simply (and only) need the requested info, and any helpful followup info for this mod from those who have done it. Good links also appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
 
Check out this thread, as well as the thread cited in it.

My Vdub radiator install

Hi everybody this is my version on the Volkswagen Scirocco Radiator replacement for the factory Fiat unit .When I first saw the discussion thread on it I thought wow that is so cool but when I noticed that it hung 2 inches lower than the factory radiator Oh that’s no good no disrespect to anyone...
xwebforums.com
 
Here's my write-up, part numbers are in it.

Yet another VW Scirocco radiator story

Hey all, Last weekend I completed my Scirocco radiator conversion on my 87 X. I wanted to drive it a bit before posting about it, so I could detail not only the install, but also the effects, positive or negative. I'll save you the wait and tell you now that I am greatly pleased. I sourced...
xwebforums.com
 
My raceX has a Scirocco rad in it that hangs very low, I will have to look up and see how the top is installed.
 
Actually it isn't necessarily a Scirocco radiator. VW used the same units on lots of cars. But there are some options; length (all are about the same height), type of tank (some have a filler cap, others don't), and even the number of rows in the core (some have an additional row). Unfortunately if you start shopping by year and model of VW it may not be accurate. Go by the dimensions (length and width) for a better idea of what you are getting.
 
Last edited:
Couple more radiator links that include discussion of the VW option, in addition to the two mentioned already:

Radiator Roulette

Was seeing some suspicious cooling system behavior, so last night I got under the front of the car to look. As it turns out, I smelled the problem before I saw it. Had some seepage coming from the upper corner where the nipple for the inlet hose is welded to the tank. Could be a failing weld...
xwebforums.com
www.tapatalk.com

Xweb-Radiator...VW Scirocco install (dial up warning!!!)

I finished my own VW Scirocco radiator install today!!!! It took me a few weeks, mostly due to not having the right tools on hand and a few odd parts
www.tapatalk.com www.tapatalk.com

There are different approaches to mounting it and connecting everything. Personal preference how you go about it, afterall it is a modification.

One suggestion I'll make is to use better hose clamps. The VW radiator has slightly smaller diameter necks for the hoses to attach. Depending on what hoses you use, there could be a little 'looseness' to them. Some clamp styles work better than others, so using good clamps will allow sufficient tightening to ensure no leaks (although I only saw one example where that was a concern).

Another comment I have is the type of mounts fabricated to install the rad. Be sure to give it a nice surface area to sit on, with some cushioning to prevent chafing - top and bottom. And make sure the rad isn't put in a bind when the lower support is tightened.

Also I do not like any of those "tie wrap" style of fan mounts that go through the rad core, they can also chafe the tubes. Which brings up fans; electric radiator cooling fans differ significantly in terms of CFM (amount of air they move). Their performance varies accordingly.
 
Wow gents, Couldn't ask for more! Thank you all for the input. And if one or more of you have used one of the aftermarket "fiat" aluminum rads, I'd be curious to know how it worked out. The "T.H." rad was of very questionable quality. Had to have it fixed right out of the box.
 
tigeravg said:
Wow gents, Couldn't ask for more! Thank you all for the input. And if one or more of you have used one of the aftermarket "fiat" aluminum rads, I'd be curious to know how it worked out. The "T.H." rad was of very questionable quality. Had to have it fixed right out of the box.
Click to expand...
I have owned 3 different aluminum radiators for my X1/9. The first one sprung a leak within weeks. The second one (different source) looked perfectly fine, but I never installed it. And that was because Midwest-Bayless came out with their CSF-sourced unit. The CSF radiator was a good fit, and has worked well since I installed it in September 2019. I wanted the CSF units, as SCF is an actual radiator company, presumably skilled in the design of radiators (anyone can make a part that looks like and fits like stock, but it takes expertise to make it work like stock).
 
tigeravg said:
Wow gents, Couldn't ask for more! Thank you all for the input. And if one or more of you have used one of the aftermarket "fiat" aluminum rads, I'd be curious to know how it worked out. The "T.H." rad was of very questionable quality. Had to have it fixed right out of the box.
Click to expand...
I installed one of the Lone Star variety last year with the dual fan kit, so far, so good. Examined closely before install, I didn't like some of the design choices, what is and isn't welded together, but the welds were good. fit and functions well, temp stays right at thermostat, never climbs. I did use an Amazon vacuum radiator filler tool, that was great, no air at all.
 
Datsun Guy said:
I installed one of the Lone Star variety last year with the dual fan kit, so far, so good. Examined closely before install, I didn't like some of the design choices, what is and isn't welded together, but the welds were good. fit and functions well, temp stays right at thermostat, never climbs. I did use an Amazon vacuum radiator filler tool, that was great, no air at all.
Click to expand...
Based on the discreet PM's I have received, you are one of the lucky ones. Glad it has worked out.
 
I have a Winner Racing radiator since s couple of months and finally got rid of my heating problems. Stock radiator didn't cool my UT engine during heavy load and ambient temps above 15 deg C. Winner is not the cheapest radiator on E-Bay but the quality is probably higher than average The radiator is a little bit taller than stock but fits good. Stock fan(s) fits perfectly but I decided for two modern SPAL fans instead.
Screenshot_20210521-091610.png
 
Janis said:
OK, who has part number of scirocco radiator?
or which year, which engine...?
Click to expand...
Sorry I don't have any part numbers off hand. But keep in mind it really isn't a "Scirocco" radiator, but a Mk1 VW (Golf, Jetta, Scirocco, etc) one. Meaning the same one was used on lots of models - the Scirocco being the least common on them. So don't limit your search that way. Also realize that there were a few different ones used depending on several factors; gas vs diesel, AC or not, region of the world the car was made for, etc. Therefore it is better to look at the dimensions rather than the model it comes from. They are all roughly the same height, but different widths (lengths). However some may have 2 row and others 3 row cores. And some will have a larger side tank with a filler cap on it - but that's not what you want. Compare the dimensions with those of the car to see what fits best. Unfortunately not all makers use the same points to measure them. Some give the dimensions for just the core while others give for the overall outside size - with or without the mounting tabs, etc. Therefore see if they show a diagram to find where they measured it. And if all that isn't enough, you will find that some sources give the wrong part numbers for what they are selling. Which is why it may not be good to just look for one by the number. It can get a bit confusing. Thankfully you can search online to find the better choice before buying.
 
Bjorn Nilson said:
Stock radiator didn't cool my UT engine during heavy load and ambient temps above 15 deg C
Click to expand...

Quick question - was your stock radiator the original? or a fresh recore? I would reallllly appreciate if you could post a picture of your charge cooler up front with the radiator. :)
 
myronx19 said:
Quick question - was your stock radiator the original? or a fresh recore? I would reallllly appreciate if you could post a picture of your charge cooler up front with the radiator. :)
Click to expand...
It was the original radiator in good condition. Unfortunately, I have no good picture. I moved the lower part of the rad 30mm inwards to be able to fit the package behind the grill. -Huge improvement in cooling.
IMG_20210623_115643.jpg


This is the package with the stock radiator. The alu rad is about 5-10 mm thicker so it is a tight fit.
IMG_20200902_202436.jpg
 
@Bjorn Nilson Oh wow!! That's a very nice heat exchanger!! You integrated it very nicely - Thank you so much for the photos, it serves as an inspiration so that I can finally finish my project! (more like start on it!) My heat exchanger is similar, but has hose barbs instead of unions. I think mine is a little smaller. Yours is properly done and I love your intercooler setup! It must really fly! :)

My radiator is original on my stock fuel injected motor. At idle the temperature keeps going up and it takes longer than it should for the fan to kick in - this to me tells me the rad is plugged up pretty badly. At highway speed, the temperature is perfectly fine.

I am tempted to buy the new and improved Midwest-Bayless CSF radiator - it looks like it's nicely made.

Thanks once again!!
 
myronx19 said:
At highway speed, the temperature is perfectly fine.
Click to expand...
I also didn't have any issues during normal driving, nor when standing still. However, when pushing hard on track the temp increased way to much even at 15 deg C ambient. With the alu rad I have no problems even at 30 deg C ambient.
I noticed that that the rad from MWB is out of stock. My "Winner" rad (eBay) looks exactly the same and fits good so that is an option if you are in a hurry. I bet both the rad from MWB and eBay are made in China. -They may even come from the same factory.
To make room for the heat exchanger I extended the mounting tabs on the lower radiator support bar.
 
Bjorn Nilson said:
bet both the rad from MWB and eBay are made in China
Click to expand...

Their original aluminum radiator was indeed from China, however the new ones are from CSF - which are not made in China (but not necessarily made in the USA either) CSF appears to be a decent company, producing quite a few units per year of all types of radiators - interesting history behind that company! I thought they started in the US, nope! - but an impressive history to say the least. Very cool! (pun intended).

csfrace.com

The Classic Fiat X1/9 Keeps Cool With CSF

[...]Read More...
csfrace.com csfrace.com

My rad is for sure plugged. My X1/9 will mostly be driven on the street with the UnoT, but even that will be stock with boost turned up to 1 bar or so (after engine break in period is complete).

I am debating buying the CSF rad from MWB or recoring my original radiator. It's hard to quantify which is "better" - recore or aluminum. In the end, they probably work just as well - but like you, I will have the charge cooler up in front of the radiator slowing/blocking air into the rad.

Thanks for the info! I love your car!! :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top