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Especially strange/troubling? is that Honda would use what seems to be an overly complex and more expensive to manufacture design on the Ridgeline and a few other Honda models.

Our 07 Ody uses connections similar to what every aftermarket to date (that ive seen) uses... similar to Koyo, Spectra, OSC, etc. At least some comfort for some other Honda model owners.

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showpost.php?p=646753&postcount=152
 
some additional reading on the OSC website, including a 35 page pdf comparing "ours to selected theirs" I wish they would have included a Koyorad. From their examples, there are plenty of OSC radiators that use aluminum coolers, so it seems they cherry picked in their video example. Of course that doesn't mean that they don't meet or exceed the OEM design as they say in the OCS literature.

http://oscautomotive.com/resources/

Personally I'm not so concerned with the brazed on input/outputs. Even a sufficiently designed pipe nipple though the radiator tank into the cooler would/should be pretty bullet proof assuming proper compatible materials, and compression and flare nut connections are completely reliable if properly used. It just seems the OEM design was overly complex and the KISS principle should have been used.

I also wonder why none of the aftermarket models have thought it necessary to replace the foam strip across the top of the radiator. If its only vibration management, I can live with that, but if Honda put it there as air flow management, then it seems it should be replaced.

I believe most other OEM's including other Honda models use the similar design that we are seeing on aftermarket radiators and that many of the other non-Honda SMOD cases you read about are internal failures of the cooler, not the connections points. If there is any consolation, we more often experience a catastrophic failure and if you notice it quickly enough the tranny can be saved. Not so with an internal pinhole failure where there is no immediate indication of a problem.
 
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