Keeping cool with a new Terrain Tamer aluminium radiator

The minor weep from my 11-year-old factory-original radiator wasn't a massive issue while driving around the ’burbs. The small stain on the ground was hardly noticeable, but it presented a possible major problem down the track.

Given the remote use this HiLux will be used for, along with the daily bump and grind, I opted for preventative maintenance over an emergency trackside dramathat could be caused by an overheated and damaged engine.

Given Terrain Tamer’s penchant for manufacturing products that are better than OE parts, I’ve opted to try the company’s heavy-duty aluminium radiator. Yeah, I know the horror stories of aluminium products cracking under stress and vibrations, but given the correct manufacturing procedures, mounting process and quality hardware, I have no doubt the Terrain Tamer unit will be fit for purpose, both around the ’burbs as well as on remote, rough tracks in hot weather.

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Ancillaries

Making the installation process a breeze are the identical mounting points to the OE radiator.

The swap involved simply unbolting parts from the OE unit, reattaching them to the Terrain Tamer radiator and hey presto – no custom fabrication, no sourcing extra components and, most importantly, no stress.

Once the radiator was fitted and pressure tested, it was time to drive – no other work was necessary.

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I also opted for the Terrain Tamer hose kit and low-coolant alarm. The kit provides every hose needed for the radiator replacement, while the alarm sounds an audible buzz to alert for loss of coolant.

Notably, it's not a temperature-related alarm but a low coolant alarm. Each time the engine is started, a short buzz, plus the lighting of the LED light, tells me the system is working and correctly filled.

I haven’t had the alarm alert me for any loss of coolant, so that’s one parameter that can’t be tested until something awry happens – which hopefully doesn’t!

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What's aluminium and what's not?

While the top and bottom tanks, the fins and the tubes are all aluminium, the side-mounting brackets are steel, which are mounted in such a way as to avoid vibration and shock.

The fins’ pitch returns an improved cooling effect, as does the increased tube count.

The two tanks are fully pressed to prevent the need for any welding, which is historically the weak point of most aluminium products that spend their life in arduous conditions.

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How cool?

We cannot prove how much cooler the HiLux engine runs compared to the factory original radiator, not that it should under normal driving conditions.

It's when the going gets tough, driving with heavy loads in hot climates, towing and in off-road conditions, where I’d expect the HiLux to keep its cool better and longer than the replaced unit.

The added strength and durability should allow the HiLux’s new radiator to dissipate the engine-produced heat more efficiently in all driving conditions.

To date, other than when I pop the bonnet and see the shiny new aluminium radiator, there is no way of telling if there is anything different with the HiLux. That's a good thing; I'll be sure to note the future workings of the new Terrain Tamer aluminium radiator as it is tested, so stay tuned.