Review on TYC 2778 Aluminum Replacement Radiator by Josh Nat

This radiator was advertised as a direct replacement for my 2006 Subaru Outback and appears to be, with some modifications. This radiator has an additional outlet at the top of the radiator on the passenger side which appears to be used on turbocharged models but not on non-turbocharged models. This should be limited to non-turbo models. This would be acceptable to me, except for two things: 1) the heatsink doesn't come with any instructions to explain this or let you know that this might be a problem for your model, and 2) there are no parts that Could allow you to plug in that extra outlet. Both of these issues can be fixed at virtually no cost to TYC, rather than forcing their customers to invest the time and effort to discover the issue and then find a solution themselves. I didn't even pay attention to it because the cooler looked identical otherwise. and as it was advertised as being just right for my car I wasn't expecting any problems. After replacing the radiator and pouring antifreeze into it, I noticed antifreeze pouring out of that extra port. At first I was concerned that the wrong part was being sent to me, but after some research I realized that others had suffered the same fate as me and that this port should be closed. Everyone seems to have trouble finding their own solution - some use rubber/silicone plugs (which seem to fail over time), others connect a hose to the outlet with a zip tie and then add a screw to the end. Hose (a kind of Kluge). I settled on a 3/8" countersunk plug along with a Permatex #3 aviation gasket (great stuff!). I just finished installing it so only time will tell how well this solution works, but I'll put it this way. looks very clean and completely invisible. Based on my experience with Permatex I expect good results, my only concern is the difference in expansion between metal and plastic. I hope Permatex will improve this. I've included some photos showing the final installation along with one of the hex plugs (although I used a coarse thread instead of the fine thread shown - not sure which would be better!). Edit - This solution started leaking after a few days and I had to replace the hex pipe plug with a regular 3/8" hex bolt with a rubber washer. So far this seems to be working. Again, TYC could make things easier for its customers by providing a proven solution. That issue aside, I'm quite happy with the heatsink, even though it didn't have the foam bumper strips that the original had. I would give it 4 or maybe even 5 stars if TYC included information about the additional exit port and instructions and details on how to close it. By taking these simple precautions, they could save their customers a lot of wasted time. I know I spent a little antifreeze and a lot of time looking for the best solution and had to spend another day without a car while getting parts and making modifications.