Which type do you prefer? Some people suggest that aluminum radiators actually dissipate heat more effectively than copper, due to the lack of solder between the pipes and the fins. Others suggest that the difference in conductivity has no significant effect.
Copper radiators are more efficient and easier to repair. If weight is an issue go aluminum. I have had good results with both copper and aluminum made by Griffin. What ever you do don't buy anything Chinese made.
Gman nailed it, BRASS/COPPER!! People have luck from time to time with aluminium but its hit and miss, my old man owns three radiator shops and taught me what little I know on the subject. Funny but I trust him!! Doc.
Like many things, the answer is that; it depends. With two cores of comparable design and fin density, the aluminum radiator will outperform most made of copper/brass. There are various core designs and fin densities in both aluminum and copper/brass, and depenbding on design there is some overlap between them. Having done work for a manufacturer of heavy truck and starionary engine radiators, I know that in that case the less conductive aluminum radiators cool more efficiently than a copper/brass equivalent. There are cases where modern aluminum radiators with a single row of airfoil shaped tubes outperform traditional fin & tube copper/brass radiators having several rows of tubes. Aluminum race radiators are essentially old copper/brass designs with fully brazed joints. So in that case the only efficiency advantage the aluminum radiator has over copper/brass is the brazing. One major advantage of aluminum radiators is that fully brazed construction makes them more durable than the typical copper/brass equivalent, because most copper/brass radiators are not fully soldered.
Because this is a TRADITIONAL board, I am surprised any one says aluminum. In most HAMB friendly vehicles ... the aluminum ones look UGLY as @#%^. I always use brass/copper
My 35 has a new old style copper/brass radiator and I just bought a similar Walker radiator for my 46 Olds.
One word electrolysis,my aluminum rad only lasted a few years.Sprung a leak in the middle of the core. The shop told me I should of had a ground on the rad.I run a walker now....
I've had aluminum in my rod for years. HD welded, not the cheap stamped crap with epoxied cores. It works great, and never given me a problem. Just put another in the Austin, so not enought time to tell on 2nd one yet.
Copper/brass as a "material" is actually more efficient at dissipating heat. "BUT" it's not strong enough to make a 1"- 1 1/4" wide tube as the aluminum is able to. That much wider tube gives way more fin to tube contact area, and THAT is what makes the aluminum "radiator" far superior in heat dissipation. Scuff the aluminim radiator with scotch brite pads and paint black for a more traditional look, use a cathode radiator cap to eliminate electrolysis, and use a cooling system additive to keep down other corrosives
Forgot to add, I always use antifreeze Ethyl-glycol rather than water as the car sits around sometimes and doesn't get driven as much as I'd like. It does get damn hot down under where I live and I believe the antifreeze keeps it a little cooler. In my 97 Explorer the OEM radiator suffered from stray current and developed a leak despite that couldn't be fixed so I had to buy a replacement radiator. It had OEM style plastic side tanks and wasn't welded like custom made aftermarket radiators.
I believe in the old brass and copper radiators. They need much less upkeep and aren't finicky about needing additives like the aluminum ones. They've also outlasted every aluminum one I've had. Plus brass can take a rock and not leak as easily as an aluminum one will.
I have a custom built aluminum radiator that has a black aerospace coating designed to dissepate the heat. It's been on the car for three years and 10k miles with no problems at all .
Royalshifter & Rob Lee have good comments. We have the Chinese/Taiwanese manufactured alloy rads down here (New Zealand), they maybe cheap in price (compared to brass/copper) but that's what you get in quality too. Electrolysis is a big killer of alloy rads, espcialy in modified cars.
iv got a brass 4 core outta who knows what. Grabbed it when i was at the junk yard. Fixed it 3 times myself, and currently dont have a cooling fan. Car doesnt get over 180 as long as im moving
I know of at least 2 people that had failures in the newer Walker radiators. The Radiator repair shop said the didn't tin the side tanks when it was made. Ago
If you want it to look like an old hotrod...copper If you want it to look like a modern day street rod trailer queen...aluminum. and don't forget the electric fan. It took a while to find a good cheap original radiator for my 56 but it never was going to be an aluminum radiator. I was tempted more than once but I stood up to the temptation. I'm proud of myself.
Frankly I prefer the ECONOMY of the cheaper AMERICAN MADE aluminum radiators, I haven't ever paid $700 for a car radiator and don't ever want to. I have been able to score American made aluminum radiators for between $250 and $450. I say steer clear of the "high end" brands regardless....
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