[Mgs] Repair or replace Radiator?

[WSpohn4 at aol.com]

I have to disagree with this, Barrie.
 
Aluminum is cheaper in terms of material cost, but it does not shed the  
same heat as a copper/brass core will. If you get better results with the  
aluminum radiator, it is because it has a bigger or better designed core, or it 
 is simply new and had better flow than your old one you tossed out.
 
I like them for weight considerations in race cars, but in terms of  
shedding heat the copper is simply better.  The tubes in a copper core are  
smaller as the material isn't as stiff and would swell if large tubes were made,  
and so the larger tube alloy rads clog less easily.
 
The clamped tank alloy rads are garbage and often leak at which point you  
throw them away.  Always buy bonded core/tanks, whichever way you go.
 
If you made identical thickness cores with exactly the same size tubes and  
fins per inch, the copper core will shed more heat. To get the same cooling 
 capacity of an aluminum radiator you need a copper radiator with 15% 
smaller  size - which because it is smaller will also be 7% lighter.  What 
usually  happens is that with the same size radiator, the alloy rad is lighter but 
 doesn't cool quite as well, so you opt for a thicker core to make up for  
that.
 
Bill
 
 
In a message dated 8/24/2010 3:39:38 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
barrie at look.ca writes:

I have  to entirely disagree on this point.  I had a custom aluminium 
rad  made by Howe's Racing and to the exact spec of the brass one I 
had.   The difference was astounding !  I now have the problem that my  
engine runs too cool in 5th going down a highway at constant  
120kmh.  Also maybe these rice-burner-wannabe-Schumachers know  
something as they all seem to have aluminium  rads.