Cheap Ford Sierra Radiator

The Ford Sierra ran from 1982 to 1993 in the UK, with a significant facelift arriving in 1987 that updated the body and some mechanical components. Radiators broadly follow the engine fitted rather than the model year alone, so always confirm your engine code from your V5 or a VIN check before ordering. Whether a pre-1987 radiator crosses over to a post-1987 car is something you should confirm with the breaker against your registration, as mounting and pipe configurations may have changed across that boundary.

Those two cars sit either side of the 1987 facelift, which is a named production boundary for the Sierra, so direct interchange is not guaranteed. The engine code is the most important detail here — if both cars share the same engine code the core specification may be similar, but ancillary connections and mounting points can differ across that facelift year. Confirm fitment with the breaker against your specific registration before purchasing.

Yes, engine code is the single most useful detail for radiator fitment on the Sierra. A 1.3, 1.6, 2.0 OHC, 2.0 DOHC, or 2.9 V6 will each have different cooling requirements and potentially different radiator dimensions and pipe positions. Always quote your engine code — found on the V5 or via a VIN check — when asking a breaker for a quote, as fitting the wrong core capacity can cause overheating problems.

Trim level — whether your car is an L, GL, Ghia, or the sportier XR4i — does not in itself determine radiator fitment; what matters is the engine code, fuel type, and gearbox type. A Ghia and a GL sharing the same 2.0 engine will typically use the same radiator, and you should not pay a premium or avoid a part purely based on trim badge. Do be aware that a radiator pulled from an XR4i or similar performance variant will be matched to that car's specific engine, so again quote your engine code to the breaker to ensure the core and connections match your setup.

Automatic-gearbox Sierras often have an integrated transmission oil cooler within or alongside the radiator, meaning the rad from an automatic car may carry additional fittings not present on a manual car's unit. Fitting an automatic-spec radiator to a manual car or vice versa can leave unused connections or cause fluid-routing problems, so always tell the breaker which gearbox type your car has. Your V5 or a VIN check will confirm this if you are unsure.

The Sierra was sold in petrol and diesel forms, and the cooling demands of a diesel engine differ from those of a petrol unit of similar displacement, potentially affecting radiator size or pipe positions. Engine code is the definitive guide here, and a diesel-sourced radiator should not be assumed to be a straight swap onto a petrol car even if the external dimensions look similar. Quote your exact engine code to the breaker and confirm the part matches your fuel type before agreeing a price.