Engine cooling

Radiators

Engine cooling radiators that pass the heat of the coolant to the air stream: aluminium cores with plastic tanks, made to the dimensions and the connections of the original, for European and Japanese passenger cars, identified by OE reference.

KRONTEK radiators: two aluminium cross-flow radiators with plastic side tanks and their hose connections

A radiator is the main heat exchanger of the engine cooling system. Hot coolant from the engine flows through a core of thin aluminium tubes fitted with fins; the air drawn through the core by the cooling fan, and by the motion of the car, carries the heat away, and the cooled coolant returns to the engine. Most passenger-car radiators are cross-flow units with a plastic tank crimped onto each side of the aluminium core; the tanks carry the hose connections, the mounting pins and, on many automatic vehicles, a gearbox oil cooler.

Radiators fail in two ways. The core corrodes from the outside, in road salt and dirt, and from the inside when the coolant is old and its inhibitors are spent; the thin tubes then weep. And the plastic tanks age with heat cycles until a crimp or a hose neck cracks. Both show as coolant loss and a temperature gauge that climbs when the car stands in traffic, where the airflow is lowest.

KRONTEK radiators are made to OEM-compliant quality and as aftermarket spare parts: the core dimensions, the tank connections and the mounting points of the original, so the radiator fits the original brackets, hoses and fan shroud.

The range covers European and Japanese passenger cars. Each reference is identified by the OE number of the original part; send that number and the vehicle identification number (VIN) and we confirm the matching KRONTEK reference.

For availability and OE cross-references, contact us by email.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know the radiator is the right one?
By the OE number of the original part and the vehicle identification number (VIN). Radiators for the same model differ by engine, by gearbox (automatic versions often carry a gearbox oil cooler in one tank) and by air conditioning. Send both numbers by email and we confirm the matching KRONTEK reference.
What are the signs of a failed radiator?
Coolant loss without a visible hose leak, a white or coloured crust along the tank seams or on the core, a temperature gauge that climbs in traffic, and coolant on the tray under the radiator. A radiator that has been overheated repeatedly can also crack a plastic tank at the crimp.

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