Aluminum Radiator question.

scrabblegod · Post by **scrabblegod** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 11:19 pm

Does anyone know the difference in cooling capacity between a copper rad and an aluminum one of the same size.

I ask because my 350 powered MGB still has the stock rad and its cooling is not up to the task even running water wetter.

I can not go any taller than stock but I can go 2 inches wider and as thick as I want (up to 6 inches).

Gene

The Dark Side of Will · Mon Feb 27, 2006 11:23 pm

from google "thermal conductivity aluminum copper":

http://www.engineersedge.com/properties_of_metals.htm

Copper has 170% of the heat conductivity of aluminum... not sure how to translate that into heat exchanger efficiency, though.

You could have one made out of silver... that's got better heat conductivity than copper.

crzyone · Post by **crzyone** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 12:02 am

Silver corrodes very easily and $$$ :thumbleft:

Copper is a better heat conductor but will corrode in the presence of sulphur compounds, as found in acid rain (SO2). Your nice copper color rad would be green in no time.

Aluminum is good enough I would think, also has good anti corrosion properties.

scrabblegod · Post by **scrabblegod** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 7:14 am

Maybe I am mistaken, but when I say copper, I am talking about the stock radiator.
Is it not copper, or is it an alloy of some type?
What exactly are older rads made of?

whipped · Post by **whipped** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 10:22 am

stock radiator is aluminum with plastic end tanks

The Dark Side of Will · Tue Feb 28, 2006 10:36 am

A rchie's 4 core that he supplies with his SBC swaps is copper... but it weighs a million pounds. That's why everyone is looking for an aluminum rad.

Kohburn · Post by **Kohburn** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 10:38 am

I thought i remembered aluminum being a better thermal conductor - but maybe it was just conductivity/weight ratio

whipped · Post by **whipped** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 11:45 am

The Dark Side of Will wrote:That's why everyone is looking for an aluminum rad.

I thought it was because he was charging $350 + shipping? :scratch:

whipped · Post by **whipped** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 12:00 pm

Oh, by the way... I may have found a decent radiator. Drop in 24x16x3, dual row 1" aluminum core... I'm requesting a quote, cross your fingers.

The Dark Side of Will · Tue Feb 28, 2006 12:07 pm

sweeet

whipped · Post by **whipped** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 12:52 pm

Well, I was hoping for a price about $100 less....

$344 + 30 shipping, it has 1.375" in/out connections so it just might work with the stock hoses. (stock hoses are 1 5/16")

This is from rondavisradiators.com

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 12:53 pm

Ouch...I think I'd stick with the Summit one, but I'm not running as much of teh hp as ya'll are.

Ask em if they'll do group buys :thumbleft:

scrabblegod · Post by **scrabblegod** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 1:05 pm

whipped wrote:stock radiator is aluminum with plastic end tanks

I was asking about the stock rad in my 67 MG.
Trying to find a way to cool it better (damn motor swaps).

Gene

The Dark Side of Will · Tue Feb 28, 2006 1:30 pm

whipped wrote:Well, I was hoping for a price about $100 less....

$344 + 30 shipping, it has 1.375" in/out connections so it just might work with the stock hoses. (stock hoses are 1 5/16")

This is from rondavisradiators.com

Ok... so the idea is that someone sends them a Fiero radiator and they duplicate it. Thereafter they have a job number that future Fiero customers can reference when ordering and the Fiero community just has to spread that job number around... right?

whipped · Post by **whipped** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 2:07 pm

The Dark Side of Will wrote:
whipped wrote:Well, I was hoping for a price about $100 less....

$344 + 30 shipping, it has 1.375" in/out connections so it just might work with the stock hoses. (stock hoses are 1 5/16")

This is from rondavisradiators.com
Ok... so the idea is that someone sends them a Fiero radiator and they duplicate it. Thereafter they have a job number that future Fiero customers can reference when ordering and the Fiero community just has to spread that job number around... right?

No, this is for a radiator they already make, part #1A-24163. I'm not sure if the 1.375" connections are the size they normally install however, you might need to specifically ask for those.

The Dark Side of Will · Tue Feb 28, 2006 3:22 pm

I gave it a cursory glance but didn't see anything specifically for the Fiero... this is a specifically made drop in part, right?

Series8217 · Post by **Series8217** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 3:38 pm

whipped wrote:stock radiator is aluminum with plastic end tanks

The Fiero radiator? It's aluminumnunumunuinimunum?

whipped · Post by **whipped** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 4:25 pm

The Dark Side of Will wrote:I gave it a cursory glance but didn't see anything specifically for the Fiero... this is a specifically made drop in part, right?

Well, no, not exactly... It's ~1.5" thicker than the stock radiator, so it will take custom mounts, but it's the same x&y dimension as stock... So in other words, it doesn't require frame or hood trimming, or laying back the radiator at wierd angles... just fixing the mounts to accomodate the extra thickness. I don't know what that would entail, because I've never had to remove the radiator. I can't see it being too big of a deal.

whipped · Post by **whipped** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 4:26 pm

Series8217 wrote:
whipped wrote:stock radiator is aluminum with plastic end tanks
The Fiero radiator? It's aluminumnunumunuinimunum?

What are you? British? :la:

Yeah, it is.

The Dark Side of Will · Tue Feb 28, 2006 4:41 pm

whipped wrote:
The Dark Side of Will wrote:I gave it a cursory glance but didn't see anything specifically for the Fiero... this is a specifically made drop in part, right?
Well, no, not exactly... It's ~1.5" thicker than the stock radiator, so it will take custom mounts, but it's the same x&y dimension as stock... So in other words, it doesn't require frame or hood trimming, or laying back the radiator at wierd angles... just fixing the mounts to accomodate the extra thickness. I don't know what that would entail, because I've never had to remove the radiator. I can't see it being too big of a deal.

Ahh... well the radiator is cradled above and below in sheet metal pieces that are bent up for a radiator of that thickness. It has rubber isolators for a radiator of that thickness. The isolators seat on the joints between the core and the end tanks on the top and bottom edges. If you can keep the length of that joint the same as stock, and the spacing between them the same as stock, then a radiator will be a drop in swap.