Hello, I have a 1999 Impreza Outback sport with the 5-speed transmssion.  Today my radiator started leaking so I swung by NAPA and they had a replacement in stock.  They only had one radiator listed for this car according to their website.  I got it home and noticed that it has the lines for the automatic transmission.  Can I still use it and just not hook those up or do I need to find a different radiator?  I'm guessing the transmission cooler is still present in the stock radiator but the lines just aren't present.

 

Thanks!

Edited April 6, 201411 yr by Husker

You can use a auto rad in a manual car..

You can use a auto rad in a manual car..

 

Thanks! I did some more searching and found my awnser.  Previously I was only finding topics on fitting a MT radiator to an AT car with an external transmission cooler. Looks like most aftermarket radiators are AT. 

you got it, commonly make one radiator to fit both, lines are unused. 

 

your OEM radiator will not have a cooler in it - it'll be completely void, they make 2 different radiators from the factory.

Yep, it'll fit and work the same. Just leave the plastic dust plugs in the cooler fittings to keep crud out of there.

Thanks for the input, managed to install the radiator and new coolant temperature sensor this weekend. However I think I still have air in the system even after following the burping procedure. I get (good and hot) heat in the cabin and the top hose is warm, however the bottom hose is cold to the touch after being driven for 11-12 miles. The car isn't overheating, just running a little bit north of what it did before I swapped out the parts according to the gauge. Perhaps 50-65% of the way up from the bottom. I don't have bubbles in the overflow tank and didn't have over heating problems before I swapped the radiator. I noticed it leaking before it got that far. Could the thermostat have stuck perhaps? Again it's not overheating and the fans are kicking on, it just gets a bit warmer than it used to when driving along in 5th gear.  It seems fine when idling or accelerating.

 

Edit: I replaced the temperature sensor due to a not starting when the engine was warm issue I was having.

Edited April 9, 201411 yr by Husker

If you didnt fill the engine block through the upper hose before filling the radiator you still have air in the system.

 

Fill the block through the upper hose and crack the bleeder screw on top of the radiator open while filling the radiator to ensure no air gets trapped.

If you didnt fill the engine block through the upper hose before filling the radiator you still have air in the system.

 

Fill the block through the upper hose and crack the bleeder screw on top of the radiator open while filling the radiator to ensure no air gets trapped.

 

OK, I'll give that a shot. I've changed quite a few radiators before (other makes) and never had to bother with that.  Should I drain everything and start over? It appears my radiators (both the old and the new) don't have bleeder screws.  I'm guessing leaving the cap loose will accomplish the same thing?  See photo below.  Thanks.

 

http://i.imgur.com/dumntxR.jpg

Oh! That's a different style than I was thinking. I was thinking Legacy Outback, didnt realize the Impreza had that style radiator.

 

With that radiator, there shouldn't really be much air stuck in the system. With the cap just by the upper hose air is more easily able to vent out, which allows coolant into the block without filling through the upper hose. There could still be a large amount of air trapped in the block depending on how fast you tried to fill the radiator.

 

Make sure the radiator is topped off, and idle the engine to operating temp with the radiator cap off to help burp out any air pockets.