Aluminum Radiator Opinions Sought

I've done most of the recommended improvements to cure overheating issues. I seek the opinion of other members who've taken the (last?) step of installing an aluminum radiator. Did you see significant improvement, some improvement, or no improvement? Thanks in advance for your reply.

 

Don't expect an aluminum radiator to dissipate heat better than a comparable size Copper/ Brass one. Aluminum ones get used on new vehicles and race cars because they are lighter and often cheaper than a quality Copper/ Brass one. It's also more difficult to repair an aluminum radiator in most cases.

You might want to elaborate on the type of car and engine particulars that you are dealing with so others can offer advice on your over-heating issues.

 

Like Don said, what have you done? HRP

 

All aren't built alike. Be sure to get at least a ''double pass'' style or even triple to keep the coolant in there longer for the most heat transfer.

 

This style works good in our dirt car..

 

"Engine overheating" when popularly used as a term, covers a whole lot of ground. Sometimes, to the user it just means the gauge indicates higher than they want to see, and there is no problem at all, except an inaccurate gauge. Not trying to beat up on you, but with stuff like this it's important.

Can we "assume" the engine (radiator) is boiling over with coolant? Right away on startup? After driving on the highway, or stop and go driving?

 

If your radiator is not clogged it's probably something else.

Just what have you done so we don't have to play mind reader!

 

I bought a really cheap China one to put in my 56 F100. It was readily available on line and was made for a 53-56 F100 with a SBC. So it has the lower hose on the right, worked just right for my 300 6. I have nothing to compare it to as truck was in a basket when I bought it, but it works great, though I guess a stock 300 wouldn't be too hard to cool.

 

I used to use the 65 mustang radiator that was made for a 289 in all of my hot rods, they were $139 at the parts house, but i was always dealing with cooling issues. O came to the conclusion that they didn't hold enough capacity. I don't know that I'm correct on that, but i thought it sounded good. Since then i started using the speedway universal aluminum radiator. 19" tall, order by width, cross flow. Knock on wood, I've not had any cooling problems with them.

 

Thanks to all for info and ideas.

 

I did this too, bought a cheap Chinese version with the right dimensions for my 55 chevy. I have a/c ,p/s, etc. and a 350 in it. This thing never gets above 180-190 and I live in coastal South Tx, temp today will be 95. Its 5+ yrs. old.

 

Brice Thomas built a radiator for my bus.
Industrial aluminum.
Looks great. I was running a copper radiator in good shape. I went from a 350 to a 500 caddy.
The aluminum radiator cools the 500 15 degrees cooler than the 350.

 

We use one in our race car but as long as I can afford it I’ll go with copper/brass.

 

Champion, made in the US, Had excellent experience with several... Price is good as well

 

Look up Newton's law of cooling or thermodynamics. In summary it states that: "the rate of heat loss of a body is proportional to the difference in temperatures between the body and its surroundings". This in essence means that the longer the coolant stays in the radiator/engine, the lower the rate of heat transfer. Better to keep those fluids moving quickly.

 

Not all aluminum radiators look the same

 

I prefer aluminum radiators even if they're not traditional. But I only buy two row with 1.125" rows, which have proven to cool better than 4 row brass with their smaller rows.
In many cases an older brass radiator, even cleaned out, will still not cool as well. I've usually used a single pass, but on my cars that I built knowing the engine would likely have more cooling needs, I've bought double or triple pass and they really cool well.

 

I bought a champion aluminum radiator for my 55 Ford. The original brass unit was still in the car when I bought it but on days over 80 degrees it didn't like to sit in traffic OR drive on the freeway. Took my radiator to the two remaining shops near where I live and both refused to even look at cleaning my radiator when they found out how old it was and quoted me $600 to $800 for a new brass stocker. $225 for the aluminum unit and yes I understand it can't be repaired easily if at all but I can buy three of these for the cost of one original type and it cools better than my stock one but it had problems. Strictly a price thing for me.