Has anybody found a company that makes a thicker radiator for the 03 to 06 navigators and expeditions? Looking at the one in my 03 navigator, both the top and bottom tanks have room for a thicker core, but i cant seem to find anyone who makes one with something besides the 1.25 inch thick core. I know on the older f150s and expeditions they were readily available. I plan on doing some towing with my navi and i want the extra insurance of having a thicker one. A buddy down the street has an 03 expedition and his runs hot even when hes towing 4k. He maintains his vehicles religiously so i know its not lack of maintenance.

thanks
Andy

 

I've been looking on and off for a few months and haven't found anything, either.
I think there was a factory radiator with a 2 row core, but the aftermarket ones these days are 1 row.
The tanks will easily take 3 rows and I think the 4 row in my old '89 Class C 460 had the same width tanks, so they might actually take 4.
Mishimoto makes a stock type replacement for our Excursion with 2 row cores, but they don't have one for a 2003 Expedition..

 

I know what you mean, its almost embarassing to have such wide tanks only to have such a pathetic skinny core. I have been half tempted to try and find a thicker side flow radiator with similar dimensions and have a radiator shop flip it sideways and mount the core onto my tanks, but even though theres lots out there and none seem to be the right dimensions. There are tons of these trucks out there and i think its strange to equip a vehicle with towing capabilities but leave the cooling system marginal.

 

Are you having a cooling problem? Do you have any radiator build shops in your area that you could talk to about re-coring your current radiator with a new thicker core? I'm not sure they even do that with the new plastic tank models but maybe they could fix you up with something heavier duty than stock.


-Mike

 

No, not having a cooling problem, just trying to prevent one when towing up a long grade when it's 118 deg or up a winding mountain road at low speeds when it's 105.
Recoring my current plastic tank radiator would not be good since the few times I've had one of them fail it's because the plastic tank split.
Not sure if radiator shops can even crimp a new core onto the tanks.

 

What about this one? Kinda cryptic the way they tell fitment but "Expedition, F150, F250 99-10" sounds like it should cover 99 to 2010 Expedition.

Forgot the link:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3-Row-Alumi...FZ6p2t&vxp=mtr

 

The radiator in the pic for that link is a cross flow, our 2003 5.4L Expedition has a down flow.
I sent a question to them.

 

Let us know how it goes. Seems like they do a lot of custom radiators, so I'd assume they have something that fits.

 

I don't know if this will help you guys but, I have always purchased from US Radiator, but when the radiator plastic part began failing on my wifes 97 Cougar Sport (which lasted 17 years with an anode), called them and it's too new of a car and they recommended:
Radiator Expresswww.radiatorexpress.comIrvine, CA866-723-3977I was very pleased with the product, it was built exactly to the oem specs. What I liked about this place is when I spoke to their support staff, the person I spoke with had definitely experienced getting their hands dirty on a car.......when I asked questions, I got answers....no hesitation. What I also liked is they track installation issues that both mechanics & customers have so when you place your order, they order the brand/mfg that has the least amount of reported issues.

 

Ill have to contact those places. Im in southern california and irvine is about an hour away, and champion radiator is about a half hour away.

hell i still have my old leaky one from the navigator, maybe i could talk one of those companies into making a thicker one using my old rad as a template. Never hurts to ask.

If the end tanks were metal id see if i could chop down a super duty rad core and have it welded to my tanks, because they are downflow also. Well at least my 05 is.

 

The 2 row is 1.25 core thickness. Common aftermarket part is 218254.

 

Coolingmaster on ebay from the link in post #6 replied the do not have a radiator with more than 1 row for a 2003 Expedition.

 

I do find a Radiator Express radiator with part no. 218254 that states it is 1 1/4" thick 2 row.
Most of the stock 1 row radiators I've seen are 1 1/4" thick.
The Mishimoto 2 row for my Excursion is 2.25" thick.
Something is not right with those numbers.

Unrelated, but am I seeing things? Most of the pics I see online for a radiator for a 2003 Expedition have the top tank hose exiting the tank on one side and the bottom hose exits on the opposite. Don't both radiator hoses connect to the radiator on the same side - front vs back ? I think this pic has the top tank reversed.
Also, my stock radiator has the outrigger supports, but most of the pics show those deleted. Was that a running model change? I have a very early 2003.


The above pic is from: https://www.oreillyauto.com/shop/b/c...rd/expedition?
I searched O'Reillys for a 2004 Expedition and it shows the above radiator and two cross flow models.
#432671 has a 1"/1 row core, #438203 has a 2-1/4"/1 row core - just keeps getting weirder.

 

As far as i know, none of the 03 and up expeditions and navigators used a cross flow design. They were all downflow. Some of the expedition radiators i have seen do not come with the out riggers. The stock replacement one i have now from autozone didnt come with them. They are held on with 2 8mm head bolts, 2 on each outrigger on the top