[Fot] Aluminum Radiators

[Rich Hahn]

 I had to make an emergency repair on my Datsun Roadster vintage race car radiator in the middle of a race weekend.  JB Quick Weld did the trick and in fact lasted for a few more races.  Can't push the envelope too far so I replaced it aluminum.  Before anyone berates me for driving a Datsun, I also have 3 TR's.  Actually if you were blindfolded it would be hard to tell you were driving a Datsun SRL311 or a TR4.  Same size and they handle almost identically in my opinion. 
    On Tuesday, January 4, 2022, 02:52:33 PM EST, dustin nicholson via Fot <fot at autox.team.net> wrote:  
 
 I read an interesting article once that said while brass/copper out performs aluminum, an aluminum radiator will dissipate heat better than brass radiators because of all the leads solder in the seams of the brass. Lead holds the heat and therefore offsets the advantage of the brass. Seems like reasonable logic but I can’t substantiate it.
… and I have tried the epoxy fix on an aluminum radiator leak, lasted about 6 months which was longer than the radiator shop anticipated.

Dustin Nicholson 281-871-9623

On Jan 4, 2022, at 9:40 AM, Scott Meredith via Fot <fot at autox.team.net> wrote:



Thanks TeriAnn - Great info. I didn't know any of that . . .


-----Original Message-----
From: TeriAnn J. Wakeman via Fot <fot at autox.team.net>
To: fot at autox.team.net
Sent: Tue, Jan 4, 2022 7:33 am
Subject: Re: [Fot] Aluminum Radiators

 On 1/4/22 6:31 AM, Jerry V V via Fot wrote:
  
 

They are susceptible to electrolysis if you don’t keep a watch on the coolant voltage.
 
cooling system electrolysis is the result of poor grounding and your coolant being used as an electrical ground path. Aluminum is a fairly active metal and in the presence of an electric field will act as an anode and give up an electron to move current through the coolant towards a ground source. The result is the aluminum metal being eaten away and a gritty build up on the cathode side of the electrical pathway. Commercial coolants have inhibitors that can slow this process until the inhibitor gets used up. Tap water has ions in suspension that can facilitate electrolysis.
 
What you need to do is provide lower resistance electrical pathways between the engine and the battery ground. A good bare metal to bare metal ground strap between the engine & frame is a good first step. Triumphs with the battery ground going to the body also needs a strap between the body and frame. If you have an alternator you should find a ground post on the case. Run a wire from the alternator case to the frame.
 
Make sure your coolant gets changed per the directions and mix it with distilled water to eliminate the ions in tap water that can help facilitate electrolysis. Commercial coolants are formulated to minimize electrolysis. Another thing you can do is replace your radiator drain valve with a zinc plug. Zinc is more chemically active than aluminum so will more easily give up its ions for electrical current flow. It becomes the sacrificial anode giving of itself instead of the aluminum.
 
Good grounds, fresh coolant, distilled water, and a zinc radiator plug together makes for happier aluminum bits in contact with coolant.
 
 
TeriAnn

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