Sorry this may have been beaten to death, but I just need some clarification. I need to replace my rad in my 5.5 gen. A koyo replacement in Canada is about 180 plus tax. But because i have a jobbers account at a local high performance parts shop, I can get an aluminum mishimoto rad for a 4th gen for about 20 bucks more. Now I know people have said that the 4th and 5th gens are compatible. I believe that the main problem is my 5th gen fans won't be a plug and play affair. But is there any main difference in cooling abilities? Is the 5th gen rad just a wee bit bigger because of engine size? Looks like the two main hoses are in the same location. Or is the fan fitment the only con?
So what cons are there if putting a 4th gen rad in a 5.5 gen?

 

From what I have read the fans need to be mounted with straps or some other method of your choice. I just went with a Koyo. My stock OEM lasted 101K (I saw a 2008 sticker but realized that was the fans) and had 80 rows. The Koyo has 100 rows and should last me another 100k. Why not just stick with koyo and have it be a direct replacement. 20 bucks is 20 bucks if you ask me. You'll spend it on things to mount up your OE fans.

 

Actually after posting this I found a thread that says the fans bolted right up.

http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...g-5th-gen.html

And if worse comes to worse i can hit a wrecker and get 4th gen shroud.

According to the koyo website the part number for an 03 koyo replacement rad is A2329. But if you google that you get hits that say it is for 99-01, so I'm not even sure what the part number should be.
Also, the koyo is actually made for an auto, the Mishimoto is made for a 6speed which I have.

 

Go with the mishi. It will cool just fine.

 

The 4th gen rad has a higher capacity as well. LOL it hold 8-1/8 quarts, the 5.5 gen only holds 7-1/4 quarts. I wonder if that is because the manual tranny doesn't need that little space for the trans cooler. Those numbers don;t include the reservoir which are both identical capacity.
Just waiting to see if my guy has it in stock.