Radiator advice

Grandpa's Huckster

Grandpa's Huckster

Junior Member
I live in Florida and have had issues with my car running hot at speed. I consistently run at or over 190 degrees and am confident that the timing is not an issue. I have a very small leak at the base of the inlet tube on my radiator and wonder if this is a indication of the inside of my cooling system. I have vinegar flushed it and know it was professionally flushed before I purchased the car. I have considered biting the bullet and replacing it with a new one, but have a few options. Both are marketed as heavy duty but one has 8 fins per inch at a hundred dollars cheaper than the one that has 10 fins per inch. Any advice would be appreciated.
 
Hey G.H. Just finished with a personal message to you. See you found the forum.
Welcome aboard.
Does this radiator boil over? How much coolant are you adding? I'm sure alot more knowledgeable guys are going to help you with this issue. Good Luck. Jeff
 
I have never boiled over and never had to add much water after it "finds it level." I am however concerned about the high temperature it reaches when driving longer trips.
 
I would be sure to use antifreeze ALWAYS, and I wouldn't be concerned about the temp unless it went over 200* or filled the top tank and went out the overflow pipe.
 
Is your "A" a 28/29 or a 30/31? The 28/29 have a smaller radiator and do tend to run hotter than the 30/31s. Do you have any obstructions such as a license plate in front of the radiator? If so move them. Do you have engine pans? The engine pans not only were intended to help keep the engine clean of road dirt but were also intended to help guide the air flow and cool the engine.
 
I just read an article on 10 fin verses 8 fin radiators for off road driving. The main focus was air flow (cooling effect) on fluids. One advantage with desert treks (hot and dry environment) was the fluids cooled faster with the 8 fin because air circulated better through the frame in either fast or crawling speeds. I believe the fluids would flow at the same rate for a Model A (since we don't aim for 90 miles per hour while stump jumping) with either an 8 or 10 fin radiator. In your case, the heat of Florida would benefit from more air flow through the radiator, so I think an 8 fin would be your advantage.

A radiator cap replacement and 50/50 antifreeze may need to be looked at before changing out the radiator.
 
10 fins per inch is better than 8. the higher fin count better cooling. It dissipates the heat better. As the air flows through the core the tubes are staggered and it sets up a turbolence around the tubes with cool the water going through the tubes.
 
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