[Blevinger]

Posted in some other "why does truck randomly overheat threads," LSS I could never find symbiosis with my Stillen 3 row.

It might not have been their fault. Kinda.

TL;DR HERE'S MY LESSON LEARNED
- Run the stock cooling system for less headache
-- Yes, even though the stock rad plastic tanks (mostly lower) sometimes crack.

I didn't have time to fool with it again, so $1200 for a shop to replace:
- OEM rad & shroud*
- water pump**
- clutch fan***
- AC recharge/evacuate

And now I am over the moon happy with the truck again. Finally.

Along with my nearly new aux fan, my whole cooling system has been replaced. (Actually, aside from starter, power steering, in-cabin motors/electrical, and motor/transmission/transfer case, rest of truck is new last 10K miles, LOL. Cool!)

I now have confidence in my cooling system again. 95* weather yesterday, towing, idling, A/C keeping wifey cool, no problems. Big relief.

*** THIS IS MY 3RD CLUTCH FAN
I ordered and replaced my original with a one from Rock Auto ~ 5K miles ago. It was junk from the get go. I had my doubts when I first installed it (was easy to turn by hand when hot) but at the time lived somewhere cold and thought...well, it's new, what are the odds it's bad? (It was a bad unit.)

Also, with my back-to-stock cooling system, the truck roar has returned! OMG I forgot what it was supposed to sound like. YES (anyone on the fence) if your clutch fan doesn't make you sound like a semi-truck, it's likely bad. So much air-suckage now.

** WHY THE WATER PUMP
It was just an additional $215 parts and labor and I didn't want any more excuses or left-turned over rocks. My idea, not the shop's.

* AND ON THE FAN SHROUD
Fellas, this thing is needed for hot weather. I rolled the dice, didn't work.

A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE $500 SITLLEN RAD IS THAT THE SHROUD FITTING IS TERRIBLE and causes contact with the clutch fan. Dudes have done the swap and busted their clutch fan to shreds just pulling out of the driveway.

WAS USER ERROR INVOLVED?
Maybe. I couldn't get the shroud to fit (burned up 5 hours trying when I originally installed the Stillen rad).

I also never could get the bubbles all the way out of the cooling system. Multiple burping sessions. Every time I thought THAT'S IT GOT 'EM ALL I'd overheat again (in FL summer weather) a week later. YMMV

Anyway, this is a long way of saying...

... anyone in the market for a barely-used 3-Row Stillen? :big_grin:

 

[gweasel77]

Man, sorry to hear you had such a tough time w/ the Stillen Rad!

I have a CSF 2 Row all aluminum rad & i had the same issue w/ the factory fan shroud. (fan contacting the shroud)

I ended up cutting the shroud up & pulling it out completely. Been running w/o the shroud for several years now down here in Florida w/ no issues.

If for any reason you ever have an issue w/ the new OEM rad, you can get an OEM style KOYO rad that is a direct replacement. (better quality than the "Visteon" OEM rad)

 

[Pale Rider]

I have the CSF 2 row and have the fan shroud on with plenty of room, no rubbing, cracking, issues. and I still hear the fan roar when it calls for it.

 

[HRTKD]

My fan, shroud and radiator blew all to hell after I installed the CSF two row. I thought I was careful to check for clearance, but not while the engine was being stressed. Mine blew when I hit the gas to get into traffic. Cooling with e-fans was never as good as the OEM setup. Blevinger, I don't blame you for going back to stock. If I had kept my Titan and planned to tow in the mountains I would have gone back to stock also.

 

[cajun56]

Learned that hard lesson years ago about modifying factory setup for cooling!

Keeping the factory stuff on my Titan because I tow two different trailers and the factory system works. The only thing I did was put a new radiator and serpentine belt. The original fan clutch still roars! 183,000 miles on it.

 

[Blevinger]

Man, sorry to hear you had such a tough time w/ the Stillen Rad!

I have a CSF 2 Row all aluminum rad & i had the same issue w/ the factory fan shroud. (fan contacting the shroud)

I ended up cutting the shroud up & pulling it out completely. Been running w/o the shroud for several years now down here in Florida w/ no issues.

If for any reason you ever have an issue w/ the new OEM rad, you can get an OEM style KOYO rad that is a direct replacement. (better quality than the "Visteon" OEM rad)

Good note on the KOYO rad. Nice you've had no problems in the heat and no shroud.

I have the CSF 2 row and have the fan shroud on with plenty of room, no rubbing, cracking, issues. and I still hear the fan roar when it calls for it.

After not hearing it for so long, was surprised to be reminded of how loud it's supposed to be!

My fan, shroud and radiator blew all to hell after I installed the CSF two row. I thought I was careful to check for clearance, but not while the engine was being stressed. Mine blew when I hit the gas to get into traffic. Cooling with e-fans was never as good as the OEM setup. Blevinger, I don't blame you for going back to stock. If I had kept my Titan and planned to tow in the mountains I would have gone back to stock also.

Thanks, man. I remember your install story. Yeah, learned this lesson the hard way, in any case. I'm happy with it now and confident in the truck again, which is all that matters.

Learned that hard lesson years ago about modifying factory setup for cooling!

Keeping the factory stuff on my Titan because I tow two different trailers and the factory system works. The only thing I did was put a new radiator and serpentine belt. The original fan clutch still roars! 183,000 miles on it.

Nice!

 

[TitanBlue]

VERY interesting thread. Different feedback than i heard when these things came out.

 

[dkmura]

Just drained and flushed my OEM radiator to get my '08 KC LWB ready for winter. I considered going to an aftermarket radiator and tranny cooler, but decided against it. After reading all this, it seems like I lucked into the right decision.

 

[Pale Rider]

Just drained and flushed my OEM radiator to get my '08 KC LWB ready for winter. I considered going to an aftermarket radiator and tranny cooler, but decided against it. After reading all this, it seems like I lucked into the right decision.

based on what? the super low % of failures or issues, that is with anything new or old. as long as your OEM is intact, then don`t worry, when it fails, then decide.

 

[dkmura]

based on what? the super low % of failures or issues, that is with anything new or old. as long as your OEM is intact, then don`t worry, when it fails, then decide.

Based on the fact that my Titan is now nine years old, and there's no documented facts on the first four years of maintenance. Yes, I drained and flushed the radiator after finishing the initial inspection, but have been watching useful threads like this for ideas on whether to try upgrading the cooling system. There are some systems that are worth upgrading (like both the radiators on my street and race 350Zs) and some that are not. Since I race across the country, it's not easy being stuck someplace with a blown radiator if a proactive move would prevent it. Now I know to stick with the OEM design.

 

[Pale Rider]

Based on the fact that my Titan is now nine years old, and there's no documented facts on the first four years of maintenance. Yes, I drained and flushed the radiator after finishing the initial inspection, but have been watching useful threads like this for ideas on whether to try upgrading the cooling system. There are some systems that are worth upgrading (like both the radiators on my street and race 350Zs) and some that are not. Since I race across the country, it's not easy being stuck someplace with a blown radiator if a proactive move would prevent it. Now I know to stick with the OEM design.

ah and there lays the quandry, Your preventative maint. I can not disagree at all with your thought, but you are the small majority. Some systems may never fail with the proper maint, while other Nissans are affected greatly also including the Xterra and Frontiers, known for their trans fluid/coolant mixing issues and nissans lack of support, but not to get off the topic. what does most do on a forum, they complain, they fault the machine VS their lack of mech skills, and as we all know most here should not pick up a wrench. For those that do, well we simply read and interpret this info to be correct or incorrect. I find it subjective to the poster`s and end result. True Stillen may have had issues with their product and likewise for other brands. however I can not take it as fact or an assumption that all alum radiators are bad, or all OEM`s are in need of replacement.

so basically we are in control of the maint, or lack of which may increase or decrease the likelihood of a coolant failure. and exactly how many pay attention to the bottom hoses for the oil cooler, not many... or the documented issues with the trans lines/hoses. and the famous hose clamp debate?

also reading many comments on failures, it does seem hit or miss weather the fan shroud touches or not, do not know if it is bc certain years, different depth dimensions of components, aux fan, or installer issues. OR if Nissan simply changed parts along the yrs.

so that worked for you in what you need to do, and for me replacing the OEM which did not fail, but was upgrading bc of other mods made to the Titan, I find zero issues with my set up... he said, she said...

 

[yuengs&wings]

I have owned my 04 Titan for 4 years purchased from a 1 owner that had 107k on the OD, I had the oem radiator fail on me not long after purchase end tank failed so I purchased a aftermarket oem radiator within 6 months end tank failure again( yes I did purge the system) so now I'm in a pickle what do I do buy another plastic end tank radiator? I did and do what others In my situation do, take to the web and do research join forums ect.... I chose a Stillen 3 row radiator and to this day I couldn't be more happier with my choice yes the stock shroud is a little sloppy because it was created to surround a stock radiator I understood that. So I adjusted a bit for better fitment with door seal foam also modified a rubber flap seal for the sides. I had to remove my throttle body spacer because of the thickness of the Stillen radiator other than that i have zero complaints. When incorporating performance products with oem you most of the time have to adjust something for it to work well together. Not long ago while driving home from work i was driving home from work while on the interstate i hear a odd sound truck goes into safe mode do multiple compression tests #7 cylinder was dead zero compression. Within the process of putting my truck back together i made adjustments this is why i commented to this post.

 

[Blevinger]

FWIW I don't think it's right or wrong but just thought my experience would be helpful. Bottom line: Stillen takes (too much?) work to fit with fan shroud, and said shroud is HIGHLY recommended, though some people do fine without it. (I was not one of those people.)

One other note: no one would touch my truck with non-oem rad & no shroud.

E.G. went to two places for AC recharges, and they immediately said NO after popping the hood. "Couldn't test to factory specs." So I had warm AC all summer...

...again, YMMV. I don't take my truck to others too often, but when I needed to, was up a creek.

If this OEM replacement cracks at the plastic tank again, then what? IDK... honestly. Will be pissed but I KNOW my stillen won't fit with a shroud.

 

[Kronos1965]

Stillen radiator installed in '06 with the shroud with no problems. Initial fit caused me to shave down a plastic part on the passenger side.