21 replies to this topic

[gazza82]

Do the different types of material mean you need different anti-freeze types? Aluminium may need Red/Pink OAT coolant/antifreeze as in moderns.

[Bat]

Hi,

Go with whatever they put in the MPIs, they had an aluminium rad from the factory.

Cheers    

[johnR]

 

I have a Chinese alloy radiator in my car (high performance 1293 engine). It coped with the heat in Indonesia for 2 years as well as Australian summers (+40 C on occasions) with no problems at all. There is nothing wrong with a good quality aluminium radiator...

 

I fully agree with you.

 

Unfortunately, probably through ignorance and maybe lack of skill, quite a lot of poor quality alluminium radiators have been sold, claiming to be superior to traditional copper ones.

 

What is wrong with the poor quality ones?  The material can be an incorrect gauge or specification, the workman ship is pretty good these days, but if you get a duff one, it means a replacement, and too many of them were made by enthusiasts who didn't know about, or get right, the water / air flow ratio, which they got away with in cool climates or at speed, but under perform in heavy urban traffic.

 

While we are on the subject:-

 

If you have the time, gurgle "honeycomb radiators".  There a couple of jolly interesting videos of an Australian guy making a replacement 1930's radiator.

 

'Gurgle'? was that a Freudian slip of the finger, deliberate pun or is there a specific search engine for cooling issues?

[DeadSquare]

 

 

I have a Chinese alloy radiator in my car (high performance 1293 engine). It coped with the heat in Indonesia for 2 years as well as Australian summers (+40 C on occasions) with no problems at all. There is nothing wrong with a good quality aluminium radiator...

 

I fully agree with you.

 

Unfortunately, probably through ignorance and maybe lack of skill, quite a lot of poor quality alluminium radiators have been sold, claiming to be superior to traditional copper ones.

 

What is wrong with the poor quality ones?  The material can be an incorrect gauge or specification, the workman ship is pretty good these days, but if you get a duff one, it means a replacement, and too many of them were made by enthusiasts who didn't know about, or get right, the water / air flow ratio, which they got away with in cool climates or at speed, but under perform in heavy urban traffic.

 

While we are on the subject:-

 

If you have the time, gurgle "honeycomb radiators".  There a couple of jolly interesting videos of an Australian guy making a replacement 1930's radiator.

 

'Gurgle'? was that a Freudian slip of the finger, deliberate pun or is there a specific search engine for cooling issues?

 

 

My great nephew tells me that it is "cool" to call it gurgle, and as a lad of the swinging 60's, one has to be "hip" !

[gazza82]

And for really lazy people ..there's a "let me google that for you" .. 

 

http://lmgtfy.com/?q...ycomb radiators

 

[DeadSquare]

And for really lazy people ..there's a "let me google that for you" .. 

 

http://lmgtfy.com/?q...ycomb radiators

 

Nyugggh.  ..  I had to:-   "click here" !

[Zami]

Had my 2 core since the 80s. Occasionally had problems with overheating at long stop lights. But running down the highway works great.