[Mgs] Repair or replace Radiator?

[Barrie Robinson]

Bill,

I was told (and I have not checked out my al rad) that aluminium 
allowed big fat high surface area tubes that would be impossible with 
copper/brass.  Thus it gave vastly more cooling surface which pounded 
copper/brass rads into the ground ...well, slight exaggeration.  But 
every time I chat to an al rad installer they all say it made a 
marked improvement.  This especially true in the MGB V8 crowd.    My 
al rad was exactly the same size as the brass one from D&D - but it 
cooled considerably better - no bones about that.


At 07:01 PM 8/24/2010, WSpohn4 at aol.com wrote:
>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.
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Regards

Barrie
barrie at look.ca
705--721-9060