All-aluminum radiator replacement?

[reedrs]

The radiator on my 98 Legacy GT (EJ25 with automatic transmission) has begun to leak at the seams in the plastic side pieces, so I've been looking looking for replacements. I've found quite a number of all-aluminum radiators around the internet for WRXs and such, but not so much for this car. I figure if I can find one, I might as well go for it; one less failure point in the future. Has anyone found or installed such a thing?

 

The only one I've noticed so far is this one on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Aluminum-Radiator-Subaru-Legacy-1995-1999/dp/B08QLRXRTX

 

which does not inspire confidence in me for a few reasons. For one, it's a 2-row design, which makes me wonder if it'll fit like the 1-row OEM one (although if it does, 2-row should be an upgrade). The price point ($135) seems drastically lower than all-aluminum radiators for other cars I've been seeing. Also, I can't seem to find any information about the brand or seller of that radiator outside Amazon.

[Brighton96]

The one you linked is identical to the one I bought on ebay but branded under a different name. Not a big deal but either way it's a direct swap and in my inspection, seems perfectly fine. This is the one I bought.

 

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Row-CORE-Aluminum-Radiator-Fan-Shroud-For-Subaru-Legacy-Brighton-GT-L-LS-95-99/132618187252?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

[reedrs]

That's good to hear! How did you connect the AT lines to this radiator? The pictures seem to show some kind of threaded connectors, different from the push-fit lines sticking out of the OE design.

[Brighton96]

They were just threaded bungs on mine, so I found 90 degree threaded barb fittings and put them in it.

[doublechaz]

Usually the connectors on your OE radiator thread out and screw into the holes in the new radiator. I don't know if that applies to our Subarus since all of mine are 5MT.

[reedrs]

The connectors on my OE radiator don't look very similar to the male threaded connectors on the aluminum model; the OE radiator fittings look embedded in the plastic, not screwed on to any threads.

 

Based on the photos of the aluminum radiator, my best guess is that it's a 1/2" NPT thread. The OE hose is just over 1/2" OD, so that would seem to add up. I'll see what fits when I get the radiator.