Avoid Mishimoto Radiators...

[TheLion]

Just an FYI for anyone with a base model EB that is upgrading their radiator, go with the performance pack OE radiator unless you really need an extreme amount of cooling capacity (circuit track use on a highly tuned big turbo car).

I originally chose the Mishomoto unit because it was the same price as the PP OE radiator and was all aluminum with higher cooling capacity, supposedly a drop in upgrade.

Problem arose that the radiator was over cooling the engine significantly in cooler weather, thermostat couldn't compensate enough and I had to block off the upper 1/3, which wasn't a huge issue, but far from "drop in".

However, just in the past two weeks the radiator itself has sprung a leak by one of the welds. Did some digging and found out there are quite a few people on various forums with leaking radiators from them, F-150's, ST's etc.

Contacted their CS and they told me to go to the vendor I purchased it from. I went to the vendor and they told me to go to MM. So in a nut shell, they flipped me the bird and have refused to refund the cost. This is a manufacturing defect, so I shouldn't be going to vendor.

Got a PP radiator PN: FR3Z-8005-E on the way (use D at the end of the PN instead of E if have a build date pre-Oct 2015).

MM is the only game in town for aftermarket radiators for EB's currently if your setting up for circuit track use, so just be sure you purchase directly from them or you may get shafted if you have issues with it leaking that require a replacement / refund :(. For everyone else with a base model that needs a bit more cooling, go with the OE PP radiator.

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[Ronstar]

Where did you order your OE PP Radiator from?

 

[NHEcoboost]

I too had an issue with a Mishimoto part. The welds on my catted downpipe cracked after only a couple days after I installed it, maybe 50 miles....I had the speed shop repair it since they had my exhaust in pieces anyway for other work and at that point I only thought there was a loose connection somewhere. I ate the repair costs. Mishimoto only offered me a marginal discount on a future part. There will be no future Mishimoto parts on my car. I would have preferred they help offset the cost of repair, not ask me to give them more of my money.

Maybe the same guy who welded your radiator welded my downpipe bracket, LOL!

That being said, a couple "bad" parts are certain to make it into our hands even though companies, Mishimoto included, send out thousands of parts that are defect free.

We just got unlucky with ours.

I hope the PP radiator serves you well!

 

[solodogg]

That being said, a couple "bad" parts are certain to make it into our hands even though companies, Mishimoto included, send out thousands of parts that are defect free.

While I would agree 100% with this statement, the way they are handling the correction of this bad part is enough to keep me from wanting to use any of their products on my car (and I had been looking hard at their intercooler).

Stuff like this is why I like to hang around the forums and read what others have experienced with parts before making my own decisions...so thanks to both of you for shining a light on the situation

 

[Mishimoto]

To the OP,

Sorry to hear about the issues you were having with the radiator. We'd like to look into this more, so I've sent you a PM so we can get some more information. Thanks!

-Diamaan

 

[Chez]

While I would agree 100% with this statement, the way they are handling the correction of this bad part is enough to keep me from wanting to use any of their products on my car (and I had been looking hard at their intercooler).

Stuff like this is why I like to hang around the forums and read what others have experienced with parts before making my own decisions...so thanks to both of you for shining a light on the situation

I wouldn't waste my time with their IC, it is just a made in china part with an upcharge for the name.

 

[Turbong]

Got a PP radiator PN: FR3Z-8005-E on the way (use D at the end of the PN instead of E if have a build date pre-Oct 2015).


Interesting, what difference is there after September?

 

[WHITTB]

I recently upgraded my radiator when I added a super charger. I almost purchased a mishimoto radiator but decided to stay with the Ford performance at the last minute.
I did a lot of reading on other forums and google searches only to find so many failure complaints about Mishimoto radiators that I gave up on reading them all. Stripped out drain screws and failed welds were the most common.

Why fix something that’s not broken

 

[Ronstar]

For an update on the pre oct 2015 Date, just got off the phone with Varsity Parts Ford, and the cut off day in Oct is 12th.

So if your vin shows Oct 12th, 2015 or earlier, mine is 9th of oct, then you use the D. If your build date is on Oct 13th, 2015 then you use the E.

 

[GJarrett]

.

 

[wmsky33]

How can a radiator overcool? If the thermostat is working properly, it will just stay closed, and *no* cooling occurs until the water is too hot, then it opens to pass water to the radiator to cool it. Sounds more like a thermostat problem to me.

 

[menaecoboost]

never owned anything from MM, but its funny how some companies shaft you until you go on a public forum with your experience, and then they reach out to you to help.. how about fixing your customer service to fully cover defects even if its sold through a third party vendor.

 

[Cobra Jet]

never owned anything from MM, but its funny how some companies shaft you until you go on a public forum with your experience, and then they reach out to you to help.. how about fixing your customer service to fully cover defects even if its sold through a third party vendor.

You do know why this is, right??

Because before "Social Media", Customers had no real way of knowing if inventory being sold to the masses had similar or common defects. Same is true with trying to figure out if a Company would stand behind its product if/when a failure occurs.

Now, TODAY, if a Customer so much as leaves any bit of "negativity" anywhere on the internet about Company-X, Corporation-X, their products OR their Customer Service dealings - that Vendor finds out and immediately wants to quell the dissatisfied Customer to protect their business "positive" ratings, so their "Thumbs Ups" don't get ruined via their Facebook, Twitter, or ANY OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA outlet responses.

I disagree with the fact that any Customer has to resort to Social Media to get the necessary response from any Vendor, as it should have been handled correctly the day the Customer called or emailed.

I also disagree with people who blast vendors on social media BEFORE even reaching out to the vendor for assistance or those who make wildly absurd claims just to do it or gain something from a false claim.

If the Customer does not get the satisfaction at the Phone or Email level, then everyone has the right to hit up social media - IF and ONLY IF the customer did reach out to the Vendor AND the complaint is backed by factual and legitimate representation - not prematurely hitting the Vendor before getting the Vendor involved.

Here's a friendly tip for any of the large Vendors:
The folks who work your Customer Service or Call Centers need to be RE-TRAINED on how to deal with Customers who do have legit claims - instead of just reading the 'script'. Those folks who represent your company should be elevating common product failures to your level so you (as a Business owner) can perform the necessary research to determine the what and whys of failure and how to better manufacture the product or improve the processes that get that product to the consumer. Also, your Call Center folks should be made aware of and be given product notices when such common product failure points exist so folks like TheLion can be told "hey, we are aware of an issue with the product, don't worry, we'll take care of it".

 

[Cobra Jet]

Some other points:

*first, this is not vendor bashing.... And second it goes back at least 10 yrs.

For the SN95 Mustangs, upgrading to an all aluminum Fluidyne or Mishimoto radiator was common place. However, many folks (including myself) were having similar issues of premature radiator failure within months of ownership. I myself went through (3) Fluidyne radiators - all purchased from Summit Racing. Each box arrived with no damages to the actual boxes OR the radiators packed inside.

Mishimoto customers were having the same experiences as documented on a few Mustang forums.

Come to find out, the issue was not a Vendor or brand issue - it was the mere fact that:

1) The SN95 radiator support was very rigid and the stock and aftermarket radiators fit INTO the structure, unlike the 79-93 Fox design, where the radiator sat OUTSIDE of the core support.

2) The factory OEM stock radiators were aluminum cores with plastic end tanks.

3) Ford manufacturing tolerances were not as precise on the SN95's, so not every radiator support was dimensionally exact as the vehicle built before or after. Such variants in tolerances does make a difference when installing any aftermarket part.

4) When an all aluminum radiator was installed into the same SN95 factory location, into the same factory mounts, it was not as flexible as the OEM stock counterpart. Meaning, if there were tolerance inefficiencies that a Customer could not see or did not know about, sure the aftermarket radiator would "fit", but maybe after it was seated and top mounts installed, the core was flexed ever so slightly, causing an unforeseen bend in the core rows, which would also cause added pressure at the end tank interception.

What was happening over time after installation of an all aluminum radiator into an SN95 is due to how the vehicle was being used, if the road surface had bad imperfections (that would shock the core support), if the car experienced extreme launches during race events, or if the installation was a tight fit, each instance caused tweaks to the radiator core where the ends of the core rows intercepted the welded end tanks. Over time, the core rows would become weak, fracture and start to seep coolant, which would be seen either on the tanks, or the front or rear face of the radiators.

Mishimoto was the ONLY aftermarket company to come up with a redesign of how their radiator would get mounted into the SN95 rad support structure. They came up with (if I am remembering correctly), new top mounts to be used in conjunction with their radiators. This allowed just slightly more play when the radiator was installed into the factory core support - just enough so that the radiator was not being tweaked, preventing premature failure.

I don't know what Fluidyne did to fix their issue, but I do know that the 4th unit I had received, I did not have any further issues and it is still functional in my Cobra today 10yrs later...

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The S550 aftermarket rad issue *could be* a similar issue where the design of the unit or the mounts needs to be revisited.


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Other Aluminum Radiator Notes:

1) Research "electrolysis" and the effect it has on all aluminum radiators when the aluminum is not isolated, grounded and is in constant contact with steel.

2) Use proper coolant and water ratios.

3) If installing aftermarket fans, be sure mounting points of fan unit is not rubbing or chafing against the rad core or end tanks.

4) If aftermarket radiator is much larger and far more efficient than the OEM stock unit, use the stock thermostat and be aware of factory and aftermarket electric fan CFMs.

5) Along with #4 above, if using an electric fan, make sure it's either tapped into the factory fan wiring OR use a safely rated fan turn on relay that has adjustable fan thermostat capability.

 

[Dirtleg]

Some other points:

*first, this is not vendor bashing.... And second it goes back at least 10 yrs.

For the SN95 Mustangs, upgrading to an all aluminum Fluidyne or Mishimoto radiator was common place. However, many folks (including myself) were having similar issues of premature radiator failure within months of ownership. I myself went through (3) Fluidyne radiators - all purchased from Summit Racing. Each box arrived with no damages to the actual boxes OR the radiators packed inside.

Mishimoto customers were having the same experiences as documented on a few Mustang forums.

Come to find out, the issue was not a Vendor or brand issue - it was the mere fact that:

1) The SN95 radiator support was very rigid and the stock and aftermarket radiators fit INTO the structure, unlike the 79-93 Fox design, where the radiator sat OUTSIDE of the core support..

**Edited for brevity**

Thanks for taking the time to be sane and rational. Your points are valid and we as car owners often forget the level of inaccuracy that is designed nto these cars so they don't slow down the assembly line.

Perfect example being the body panel gap issues we've all heard about.

Also there are manufacturing tolerances on aftermarket parts too. So if the cars tolerances are offset one way and the aftermarket part offset the other direction it is not uncommon for there to be fitment or reliability issues. Just a fact of manufacturing.

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