The Nissan R33 Skyline is one of the JDM legendary vehicles. From GTS to GT-R, people still go wild anytime they see one. Here in the states Nissan GT-R is still of the most popular JDM imports regardless of generation. Import companies like TopRank have been helping enthusiasts acquire these dream vehicles for years. Now they have teamed up with CSF to help bring a truly special product to the market. Introducing the Full Billet High-Performance Aluminum Radiator for the Nissan R33 Skyline.

CSF and TopRank Partnership

TopRank Vehicle Importers is one of the largest importers of JDM specialty vehicles in the USA. They’ve become the go to company for anyone looking for a high quality and excellent condition Skyline. As the local branch of TopRank Global, an international export dealer in Japan, they have access to the best possible selection of classic JDM legends. Needless to say, TopRank has a lot of experience with the R33 Skyline and specifically the R33 GT-R. You’ve no doubt seen some of the cars they’ve imported featured on social media like the first R33 NISMO 400R in the USA. You might have also seen the Midnight Purple Midnight Purple featured on The Smoking Tire.

Why an Upgraded Radiator?

Many of the vehicles that TopRank imports are sent over to the states with most of the original parts. This often includes a 25+ year old plastic radiator. TopRank has many upgrades and services they offer for their vehicles that customers can elect to do before purchasing. One of the items they had been looking for was a replacement radiator they could feel confident about selling and installing on the Skyline models. They tested out all of the reputable aftermarket options and could not find one they felt confident in endorsing. CSF has had a good relationship with the team at TopRank for years. So naturally when this product idea came about, CSF was their first choice to work with.

Combining their in-depth market and technical knowledge of the R33 and CSF’s decades of experience designing and manufacturing high performance cooling products resulted in the ultimate R33 radiator. You won’t find a higher quality or better performance system anywhere else.

Design & Engineering

The inline 6 motors found in the R33 Skyline are quite robust. Whether you have a basic 2.0L RB20 or legendary RB26, you probably don’t worry too much about engine reliability. The R33 GT-R’s RB26 is well know for making big power and being reliable while doing it. However power gains come at the cost of a lot of extra heat. While the factory radiator does a decent job keeping heat in check, it’s always better to have more protection.

CSF set out to develop a premium radiator that would offer ultimate performance cooling while being built to last a lifetime. Since the R33 is becoming a valuable collector’s car, it makes sense to use the highest quality parts when restoring or modifying them. With full CNC machined billet aluminum end tanks TIG welded by hand to the high grade aluminum core, this radiator performs even better than it looks.

OEM vs CSF

The 2-Row 42mm core greatly not only increases the fluid capacity of the radiator, but also improves the cores ability to dissipate heat. CSF’s Exclusive B-Tube Technology increases the heat transfer by approximately 15% over regular oval welded tubes. In addition, the super-efficient multi-louvered fins maximize airflow through the core for the best possible performance. More cooling rows also improve the overall efficiency of the radiator. More cooling tubes means more surface area for the coolant’s heat to dissipate from.

Each end tank is CNC machined billet aluminum giving them incredible strength and durability. CNC machining offers incredible precision and uniformity. The results are perfectly produced end tanks that perfectly match up with the ends of the 42 mm core. Hand TIG welding joins the tanks to the core creating the strongest radiator on the market for the R33 Skyline.

Each radiator includes a 1.4 bar high pressure cap with an embossed CSF logo. High pressure radiator caps raise the boiling point of coolant. This helps protect the system from boiling over at higher operating temperatures. While the radiator is designed to keep the system from reaching such temperatures, it is always good to have extra protection for situations where the coolant gets too hot.