BTW. It's an 2010 RT

 

Wow......
How weird is it that I find this "new" post first after being gone for several weeks.... and it's just 2 days after your reply! Strange things.......

So this summer has been hectic to some degree...... since May I was doing some travel to the east coast, and a couple of trips to the Sierras camping, fishing, etc. Then we had friends & family visiting us here on a few separate occasions.... I've probably not been on the forum more than 5 times in the past 3 or 4 months.

Anyway, as I read your reply above, I had to wonder if I still had it (the radiator).... we cleaned up things a bit for visitors, & thought I may have tossed it. But I went out to look just now & see that somebody tucked it away with some lumber I have behind a tarp (maybe me, maybe the wife.... she's a good one not to toss things w/o checking).

So I can get it to you Saturday if it works for you. I'll be in Vista area in the morning.... 'could drop it off in the afternoon?
If that's not good for you, just let me know what is. My schedule is generally flexible... but I'm tied up tomorrow (Friday) w/ grandkids visiting from Utah, and doing business Sat. AM.

If you'd prefer to pick it up here, I'm here most of the time.... just let me know when. But me dropping it off is easy-peasy as well.

Looking forward to your next round of research on these bad boys.

 

Anyone knows if the Denso aftermarket radiator (221-3249) is the same as the Denso Honda one (19010RJEA52)?

 

Koyorad.com does show its transmission oil cooler having "5 plates". This application is for a 2011 Pilot.

The 2006 RL application shows "4 plates".

 

Ordered Denso from Rockauto and both time came with bent transmission lines. I have to go with TYC from local supply I guess because Radiator is leaky. Whats funny was I was loosing coolant but also had bad tensioner/alternator/drive belt. I fixed all those and I'm loosing very little coolant. I don't drive far but keeping eye on and was oping to do radiator this weekend.

 

Hi guys!

Coming from the MDX forums here..
Just wanted to know if someone has confirmed that the Aftermarket DENSO Replacement shares a different design of ATF Warmer? I completely by-passed mine to avoid having issues with the red milk of death but last night I noticed my OE Denso radiator is leaking from the Cooling Stacks so its time to replace it.

Looking at the aftermarket replacement DENSO 221-3237 it seems that the ATF Warmer also has a different setup for the inlet/outlet tubes similar to those of OSC.

So if anyone knows anything about this it would be nice to know if Denso has already fixed its inferior design?
Thanks, Skirmich.

 

Yes, that's what we've been seeing so far. Aftermarket Denso is similar to OSC and Spectra. IIRC, the Denso's were sourced from RockAuto. Good Luck and welcome to the forum.

 

Sorry if I missed the answer to my following question. I've tried to follow the many threads on this issue but haven't seen a clear answer to this question, that being:

Has Honda changed the OEM radiator design on the Gen II Ridgeline as well as the OEM replacement radiators for the Gen I Ridgeline? I'm going in for the TB, Spark Plugs, and valve adjustment along with a radiator fluid change. I do have some corrosion but not to the extent of some who have posted pics. I may just have Honda do the radiator as well.

 

This may help:

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/2352914-post770.html

Pics from the above thread:

 

I believe the pic I posted above is the new Denso taken from that thread.

 

Agreed, but if you reread it was sourced from Rockauto.com.

I have to wonder if other mfgs also with the same old design have also switched to the better design?

I have to agree with @bobcat20, if they changed the design, it could be the admission of guilt. Multiple transmissions have been replaced, and associated labor costs.

 

I believe if Honda switched to new style/better connections for Gen1 oem replacement radiators (also earlier mdx,pilot&odys) it might be a form of admission that there was a known flaw in original design therefore opening up a path to thousands of claims/lawsuits related to transmission damage -so they certainly know about it but will likely choose to play dumb.

 

I'm a new Ridgeline owner (3 months) and it's a 2009 RL with 245,000 kms or 152,000 miles.

I was unaware of this whole radiator issue until reading the post last night.

I started doing some research on prices of a new rad.

- Honda Canada OEM rad Denso $649.33 + 13% tax =$733.74 + 2.5 hrs labour $274 labour TOTAL = $1007.00

- Independant local garage $469 rad, $200 labour = $670, plus tax TOTAL $757

- Partssource retail parts store - Spectra rad only, I have to do the install $625 + tax = TOTAL $706.25

I live about 15 mins from US border crossing, so I checked US prices too. I just have to add 13% tax at the border crossing.
- Rockauto USA online - Denso TOTAL $144 Cdn
- Roackauto USA online - Spectra Premium TOTAL $176 Cdn.

I've now got to crawl under the truck and see how mine looks and whether I need to do the radiator swap as a preventative maintenance step.

Any opinions????

 

I have to wonder if other mfgs also with the same old design have also switched to the better design?

 

This is a lot of great information. My 2007 RL has some corrosion, as I've posted prior. My question is, which after market radiator to go with. I'm leaning towards the Denso, but how do I know it's not the Honda OEM design, and who to order from?

If you disagree, tell me which one you prefer and who you would order it from. My plan is to buy the radiator and take it to a shop for installation.

 

Aftermarket Denso has been shown multiple times to have similar "compression type" fittings to the other aftermarket radiators. These type of fittings separate the job of holding the heat exchanger in place / properly sealed from the job of attaching the hose barb fitting to the radiator. A failure of the hose barb connection will not result in the mixing of coolant and transmission fluid.

I would also expect the aftermarket Denso to be similar in quality to the other aftermarket brands and not as well manufactured as the OEM unit. Of course the OEM unit still has the threaded design for the hose barbs. Pick your poison but if you can get an aftermarket radiator delivered in one piece that doesn't have obvious defects and that doesn't leak right after your install it, then you should probably be good to go . . Plenty of people are running on aftermarket radiators at this point and once any "growning pains" are taken care of they seem to be happy with their purchase.

Get the Denso from Rock Auto . . .

 

Sounds good to me. Get it from Rock Auto.

 

I just received my Aftermarket Denso Part Number 221-3237 (Acura MDX 3.7L and ZDX 3.7L Only).

Sooo can you spot the shipping damage? For 40 bucks shipping I would expect better of RockAuto.




Luckily seems that the cardboard piece that was crushed inside was the source of the bent fins while in transit. Doesn´t seem to be any real damage, just cosmetic.


ATF Warmer Inlet and Outlet Tubes are Definitely not the same as OE these are similar to the other Aftermarket Units:




Made in the good´old PR of CHINA!



Just need to replace my 2 gallons of Honda Type-2 that I lost with the leak to make the replacement DIY for the MDX forums..
Thanks for all the Knowledge shared here guys!

 

Did mine last month, had exact same damage as your picture but no damage on fins from, got it from Rock Auto also. I did take a picture just in case I had to return it...

 

Have you thought of pressure checking the radiator prior to install?

You would need to cap off both radiator (coolant) hose connections at the bottom (maybe use rubber Fernco caps from the plumbing department at the Depot?) and then make a pressure adapter using some small hose and cheap valve stem (cut off the sealing nub and slide it into the hose / secure with hose clamp) from an auto parts store. Put this hose on the overflow barb and tighten the main cap and the drain cap. Pump up the radiator using a bicycle pump to 15 psi or so and see if the pressure drops. If there seems to be a leak, use soapy water to figure out where it is.

Alternatively, a radiator shop might be willing to pressure test it for you for a bit of $.

Testing in advance might save you from mess, down time and anguish.

 

Have not thought about this..
The damage seems to be fairly light as the fins were just slightly bent (I straighten them out with a knife pretty easily), I think it was just rubbing from the cardboard part that was crushed inside the box so I have no reason to believe the main core lines were damaged..

In any case I need to replace it ASAP, I am leaking anti-freeze now at the rate of just turning the engine on. Prior it was only leaking when the T-stat opened. But thanks for the suggestion!

 

Well, my suggestion would be find a local radiator shop and have them test it. But it would also be possible to test the radiator with distilled water, or even with the current coolant and a tool such as this, Goplus 18pcs Universal Radiator Pressure Tester and Vacuum Pump Type Cooling System Kit

You might even be able to rent/loan from an auto parts store such as AutoZone

 

So I went for the pressure test at a shop and it passed with flying colors.. Bought the 2 gallons and hopefuly tonorrow I will replace the rad.

Thanks again for the input guys!

 

Well job is completed....
Gotta say though, Changing the radiator on a 2G MDX? Pretty darn difficult, More difficult than adjusting the valves or changing the timing belt (105K) at least from my experience.

The culprit:

On a On-Topic comment.
The ATF Tube washer was indeed heavily rusted but there was no give on the tubes.

 

These are the conditions on my OG radiator ATF Warmer Tubes after 103K mostly in Desert Weather:




The bevel spring is Pretty rusted.. But the tubes were SNUG there was no play in them.





On the plus side the radiator was pristine on the inside:

 

These are the conditions on my OG radiator ATF Warmer Tubes after 103K mostly in Desert Weather:


The bevel spring is Pretty rusted.. But the tubes were SNUG there was no play in them.

Skirmich, that's about how my '07 looked after spending all of its time in the deserts of Arizona and in beach cities of Southern California. Mine didn't quite looks as rusted, but I was starting to see a little more .... we'll call it "warpage" on mine. It was definately on its way out. So I had changed it out when the timing belt work was done. I too went with a Denso from RockAuto but the box came without a scratch on it. For those with damaged boxes, I don't think its a RockAuto issue, but a UPS issue. For years (decades) everything I've ordered from them has always been received damage free...brakes and rotors, Strut assemblies, motor mounts, radiators, etc. Big or small, heavy or light.

 

I installed the Spectra Premium CU13065 in my 2013 Ridgeline over the weekend. Purchased at Amazon for $105.00. Radiator was packed the same as many others have reported, in a flimsy cardboard box with foam on each corner. Fortunately, mine arrived via UPS with no visible damage. Installation was pretty straight forward, and the fit was perfect.

Many on this forum have asked whether 2009-2014's have been affected by the OEM steel washers rusting and causing SMOD. I've attached pics of my washers...Slight rust beginning, so they probably would have lasted 3 or more years. I replaced the radiator preemptively, not wanting to take a chance of it failing later.