Aluminum radiators, anyone have any experience?

[Theo]

So my radiator is shot. My original brass one, had several leaks in it, so I bought another used brass one from a memeber on here, that was recored at one point. That one lasted about 2 years, now it needs to be recored.

So i bought this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/161387688124?_trksid=p2060778.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT


I purchased some eastwood radiator paint to paint it black, and im going to throw it on. I spoke with the seller and it has a stock style neck welded on the top, so i can still use a radiator cap.

Anyone have experience with these? or will i be the first to try this out?

 

[Chris Haynes]

What was your best offer price?

 

[Russ B]

The only one I have had was in an unfinished, running car that I used for all the running gear. The radiator, once i took a close look at it, just did not fit properly. The core was too narrow for the shell, and the shell mounting tabs were poorly placed and angled. I bought a new brass/copper one.

 

[Mike V. Florida]

So my radiator is shot. My original brass one, had several leaks in it, so I bought another used brass one from a memeber on here, that was recored at one point. That one lasted about 2 years, now it needs to be recored.

So i bought this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/161387688124?_trksid=p2060778.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT


I purchased some eastwood radiator paint to paint it black, and im going to throw it on. I spoke with the seller and it has a stock style neck welded on the top, so i can still use a radiator cap.

Anyone have experience with these? or will i be the first to try this out?

That sucks! A recore that lasted only 2 years. Let the member know so he will no longer use that shop for recores. A recored radiator should last decades.

 

[Marvin/TN]

I wouldn't use it. Only advantage to aluminum radiators is that they weigh less than copper/brass radiators and are usually a little cheaper. Hard to if not impossible to repair. Only way to repair them is to pinch off the leaking tube and epoxy it and it might work with the operative word being MIGHT.

 

[JOES31]

I wouldn't use it. Only advantage to aluminum radiators is that they weigh less than copper/brass radiators and are usually a little cheaper. Hard to if not impossible to repair. Only way to repair them is to pinch off the leaking tube and epoxy it and it might work with the operative word being MIGHT.

The real advantage of an aluminum radiator is it's ability to dissipate heat. It's cooling ability is far superior to brass or copper.

The down side is repairs are more difficult. However a properly built aluminum radiator should last 10 years+ depending on maintenance of the vehicle. Ever notice when you look at a modern car's radiator how thin they are? You wonder how that small thing can cool the engine? No secret. Aluminum.

Modern aluminum radiators have composite tanks crimped on the core.
Does this A radiator have aluminum tanks TIG'd on?

 

[denis4x4]

15 years on this aluminum US Radiator. Had to install a top filler to use the motometer.

 

[TDO]

Keep in touch with us on how this radiator works. It would be interesting to know.

 

[Marvin/TN]

The fact that aluminum radiators disapate heat better is a myth. Only reason OEM use them is for weight saving. Do your research. Same with horz flow radiators not cooling better OEM use them because of a lower profile.

 

[29closedcab]

I've used his radiators before. They work great.

 

[TerryNJ]

HUH? Copper and Brass are superior at dissapating heat! Aluminum comes in at fourth behind silver, copper and brass. For repairs of aluminum, try Muggyweld. Obscenely priced, but seem to work with aluminum. Google Muggyweld
Terry

The real advantage of an aluminum radiator is it's ability to dissipate heat. It's cooling ability is far superior to brass or copper.

The down side is repairs are more difficult. However a properly built aluminum radiator should last 10 years+ depending on maintenance of the vehicle. Ever notice when you look at a modern car's radiator how thin they are? You wonder how that small thing can cool the engine? No secret. Aluminum.

Modern aluminum radiators have composite tanks crimped on the core.
Does this A radiator have aluminum tanks TIG'd on?

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

Terry, don't confuse me with facts.

I'm glad you mentioned "muggyweld". It's been years since I looked it up, but I've never tried it. I did buy some of the aluminum soldering rods they close up holes in pop cans with. After about 20 tries I finally sealed the leak in my brother's Ford A/C condenser. I do call it a solder because it bonds to the surface of clean aluminum, and doesn't flow into it.

 

[bart78]

There was a thread on this over on the HAMB not long ago. I think it just comes down to some like them and some don't. I say if it works for you then use it.

 

[SteveB31]

Most radiators in new cars are aluminum. MANY street rods use aluminum radiators. Not bad, just no what we are used to in Model A Fords.

 

[Theo]

What was your best offer price?

I offered $355, which equals out to $400 shipping included. The cheapest brass rad I could find was around $530+ shipping. They wanted $600 to recore my current rad...$250 to hot tank it.

That sucks! A recore that lasted only 2 years. Let the member know so he will no longer use that shop for recores. A recored radiator should last decades.

Yeah Im not sure if the guy was lying or if it was just a ****** recore. In the end I spent $400 shipping included on his, and it lasted me 2+ years so i cant really complain too much.

15 years on this aluminum US Radiator. Had to install a top filler to use the motometer.

Looks great!!! Thats one of the things I asked him, if it had a neck on the top. He said this one has a stock sized neck to accomodate a stock size rad cap.

I've used his radiators before. They work great.

thanks for the info!

 

[JOES31]

HUH? Copper and Brass are superior at dissapating heat! Aluminum comes in at fourth behind silver, copper and brass. For repairs of aluminum, try Muggyweld. Obscenely priced, but seem to work with aluminum. Google Muggyweld
Terry

Terry, I should have explained it better than I did. Getting old!!

Yes it is a fact that Aluminum radiators are much more efficient at dissipating heat and here is why.

It has nothing to do with the ability of heat dissipation of aluminum or copper. Well in a sense it does. Its the construction differences between an aluminum core and a copper core.

A copper core radiator has the tubes running through the fins and are secured with solder joints on the fins and at the header. These joints are what causes the efficiency to drop and slows the transfer of heat from the coolant. Basically a two core aluminum radiator can cool the same as a 4 core copper radiator. That is because aluminum radiators are all aluminum and use 1" or larger tubes. The larger tubes create more surface contact to the fins without the solder restricting the heat dissipation. The fins and tubes are welded together in an aluminum radiator so there is no obstruction of heat. The larger tubes clog less than smaller tubes and do not build up corrosion at the inner joints that restrict flow.

Copper radiators by nature of the solder and copper, (dissimilar metals), causes deterioration of the joints. Look in an old radiator and you will see the solder joints that look like white corrosion. This is a chemical reaction between the solder copper and water/coolant. They have a name for this process. I can't remember what the term was. Not electrolysis but something else.

The down side of aluminum is that the tanks are composite and crimped on the core with a rubber ring of some sort. That is usually where they will leak. You can't repair them and that is why I was asking if the tanks on the Alum A radiators were aluminum.

Aluminum radiators were used in race cars for the weight reduction and that is were they discovered the better ability to cool the engines.

Joe

 

[Theo]

update! Radiator is installed! fit is pretty much perfect, just had to drill holes to line up the grill shell, then drilled holes in the bottom to mount it. Even the braces fit perfectly in the groves. I wound up painting just the core, and left the tanks polished aluminum, it looks really nice.

Car runs 1000x better, engine runs ALOT cooler,i can tell by feel and I checked the tempature of the coolant, and I also have a cap on this rad that displays the temp. Overall i am EXTREMELY happy with this radiator, and how good the fitment and the performance is. If anyone has a car thats a driver, and doesnt care about the stock look, and wants to save money, this radiator is perfect.

 

[bart78]

Keep us updated. I have been thinking about buying one for a engine test stand. To try one out.

 

[Barber31]

An you post pics of what it looks like installed?

 

[Theo]

Well i drove for the car for about 3 hours straight tonight. not a single problem. Antifreeze has not lost a drop since yesterday. Car is running noticeably cooler and has more power. I also forgot to add, that I weighed both, and the original brass radiator was almost 3x as heavy as this aluminum one. Everything was spot on. Hoses fit perfectly, clearance between the rad and the fan was good,fits perfectly in the grill shell.