Looking for the best aftermarket radiator for a Honda Civic Type R? Here’s a selection of some of our favorites.
It might not be the most glamorous modification, but keeping your engine cool is integral to both your car’s performance, and its reliability. The best car radiators do this effortlessly, but with restricted cooling comes restricted performance, which is the last thing you want.
Upgraded radiators will tend to target two key areas: capacity, and construction. The larger capacity radiator you have, the more cooling potential there is. Plus, opting for an all-alloy product (whereas stock radiators can sometimes feature plastic components) will increase durability at high stress levels.
Up to speed? Great. Here’s some of our top picks:
Best Radiator for a Honda Civic Type R EK9
Spoon
The Spoon All-Aluminum 2 Layer radiator ($1012) claims to improve cooling by an impressive 35%. As part of the package, Spoon also throws in an interior temperature gauge attachment (incase you fancy adding a gauge to your dash) and their own design of radiator cap. For the best durability possible, make sure to use the radiator in conjunction with Spoon’s own hose set.
GReddy
If you haven’t got the sort of cash that a Spoon radiator demands, GReddy’s TW-R radiator ($346) might be more appealing. With a 40mm thick core, it still offers a decent cooling improvement. The core and end-tanks are made completely of aluminum and utilize all the factory Honda mountings and connection points, making for an easy bolt-on installation. Like the Spoon part, this GReddy kit also features the attachment for an aftermarket temperature gauge.
Best Radiator for a Honda Civic Type R EP3
Mishimoto
Made with 100% brazed aluminum and featuring polished end tanks, the lightweight dual core Mishimoto radiator ($317) will enhance the performance and health of your modified engine. All Mishimoto radiators come with a high pressure 1.3 bar radiator cap and a limited lifetime warranty. Plus, it not only fits the EU/UK EP3 Type R, but also the EP3 Si model that was available in the States.
Koyo
The Koyo Performance Aluminum Radiator ($373) features precision machined billet filler necks for strength, durability and better sealing, and is individually hand welded to ensure the best possible quality. Like the Mishimoto, it too makes use of the factory fittings and fixtures, so should be a fairly simple bolt-in job.
Best Radiator for a Honda Civic Type R FN2
Japspeed
The Japspeed Aluminum Radiator ($275) makes use of a large twin-core design to provide up to 30% greater cooling capability over OEM. It fits directly into the place of the old standard radiator, so should be a fairly straight-forward installation.
Tegiwa
Albeit with 37mm-thick core (5mm smaller than the Japspeed option), the Tegiwa Aluminum Alloy Radiator is great value at just $217. As well as cooling your FN2’s K20Z engine more efficiently (up to twice as efficient as standard), Tegiwa radiators are also noticeably lighter than OEM units, and fit perfectly with OEM brackets.
Best Radiator for a Honda Civic Type R FK2
Dream Automotive
The Dream Automotive Radiator ($898) features a hand-built core with high flow end tanks and bespoke CNC-finished inlet and outlet flanges.
With a 100mm-deep core, this radiator offers significantly better heat dissipation compared to the standard OEM part, but is designed to slot perfectly into the OEM mountings et cetera.
Tegiwa
On the cheaper end of the spectrum, there’s the Tegiwa Aluminum Alloy Radiator ($296). The philosophies behind this design are largely similar to that of the FN2 Tegiwa radiator mentioned above. However, whereas the fitting for the older car is a piece of cake, installing this part into the FK2 will take a bit of extra handywork. You’ll need to trim the OEM fan shroud/cowl to accommodate the boost pipes.
Intercoolers
Unlike older generations of the Civic Type R, the FK2 is turbocharged, and that means it needs an intercooler to cool down the post-turbo air before it reaches the engine. One great option is the Airtec front-mount ($761), or if your budget can stretch a bit further, there’s the Wagner intercooler ($1053) instead.
Best Radiator for a Honda Civic Type R FK8
Spoon
If you want the best parts possible for your Honda, it’s hard to look past Spoon. At $1126 you’re certainly paying a premium, but that’s the cost of real-world motorsport development (and a bit of brand prestige). The core thickness of this Spoon radiator is 36mm – 9mm larger than stock but smaller than some other aftermarket options. Spoon suggests that this is because they were chasing the perfect balance between performance and lightness. Given their track record, who are we to question them…
Mishimoto
Not everyone can afford to fork out for Spoon parts though. Heck, we certainly can’t. Instead, the Mishimoto Performance Radiator ($640) is one of the more affordable FK8 radiators on the aftermarket. And that’s not to say it’s cheap in quality. Mishimoto has ditched the FK8’S stock skinny core and plastic end tanks for a full aluminum, TIG-welded design. The core, meanwhile, stands at 40mm thick, while the surface area of the external fins is 102% larger (for better heat dissipation).
Intercoolers
To keep temperatures in check from a forced induction point of view, HKS provides an aluminum intercooler kit for the FK8. This design features a straight inner fin for less performance-sapping pressure loss, and a louvred one for better cooling. Regardless of whatever stage of performance your build is in, this intercooler should be able to handle it. HKS has tested and developed this kit at great length, ensuring that it’s primed for circuit use and upgraded turbos. You can source the full package for $764.
If you’ve got a bit more expendable cash, the Mishimoto alternative ($1491) is arguably even more capable, while the Injen front-mount ($623) produces impressive results for around half the price.
Looking for more advice on Honda Civic Type R performance parts? Try these:
