Aluminum vs Copper Radiators

tom991 · Dec 9, 2009

I recently rebuild my engine and it runs fine and strong but when I'm stopped at a light the tempurature guage runs up into the red. As soon as I begin moving it cools down again. I went to the junk yard and got a 5 blade fan off of a ford truck that fits in there. That seemed to help a little. I have a fan shroud that I haven't installed yet. I have a 3 row copper radiatior, and 180 degree thermostat. I live in Florida.

I'm considering changing radiators if the fan shroud doesn't help cool the engine when stopped by re-focusing the air flow through the radiator.

I would like to keep it stock looking if possible. There are direct fit aluminum radiators available. I've seen talk where a 2 row aluminum (1" tubes) will cool much better than my 3 row copper (11/32" tubes). Is there any truth to that? What are your experiences?

This is what I need to cool.

I have a 64 1/2 D code Mustang with a 289 bored .040 over, Sealed Power teflon coated pistons w/ Chrome Moly rings, Clevite bearings, original heads reworked with threaded rocker studs, 1.94" intake valves, a Crane hydraulic cam with .456 lift intake and exhaust, and Edlebrock 289 Performer intake, stock exhaust manifold connected to a 2 1/4" exhaust system, and C4 auto transmission. It originaly had a 4 speed but as the 3rd owner of this car it was converted to a C4 before I bought it.

Thanks,

Tom

chris66dad · Dec 9, 2009

The 17 inch stock radiator was barely adequate to cool the 289 engines. The aluminum will give better cooling and a fan shroud will help pull air through at low speed.

Our car is a restomod so I do not care about keeping it original. I modified the opening to accept a 20 inch aluminum radiator for better cooling, installed a high volume electric fan and also a recovery/overflow tank to the radiator. I can idle in 100 degree weather and the temp gauge does not go above 2/3 scale. I installed a 100amp alternator to supply enough current for the fan.

It definitely does not look original but it works very well.
Pictures and info: Cooling

Good Luck and BE Safe
Ron

rbohm · Dec 9, 2009

i think the fan shroud will cure the problem. what you are experiencing is air recirculating around the fan and not pulling any through the radiator. a fan shroud will stop that issue. a three core copper/brass rad compared to a 2 core aluminum rad, as long as both radiators are similar thickness, will cool about the same, the aluminum rad being slightly better.

by the way just changing rads will not do much of anything for your idle heating issue without the shroud.

JonK · Dec 9, 2009

Agreed, the air's not getting 'sucked through' w/o the shroud while sitting. You may want to get a 5-7 blade fan with a thermo fan clutch, it'll engage when the engines hot and freewheel when not needed at hwy. speeds. Saves MPG and adds minor HP through less parasitic drag. Works better and less noisey than the solid fans or flex fans IMO.
Jon

rebel65 · Dec 9, 2009

Jon K has the ticket, get yourself a fan with a thermostatic(is that right? lol) clutch and add that shroud! : ).

golf4283 · Dec 9, 2009

Just another opinion. If you're not going councours pick yourself up an electric fan and shroud. I have one on my '66 and have no problems. Granted I have an aluminum radiator.

In addition pick up an electric thermostat control for the fan. It's really nice and only kicks on when really hot. I highly suggest it to anyone looking to upgrade.

rebel65 · Dec 9, 2009

tom991 said:
I would like to keep it stock looking if possible.
Thanks,

Tom

i just put a aluminum drop in radiator and added a shroud to my new engine ( in sig ) and it cools way better than the stock 289 did. if that helps anything, i had a copper, brass 2 - 3 core rads ( i mean i had them all ) even had a crap aluminum one till this new one. it's worth it to buy quality.. always.

rbohm · Dec 9, 2009

golf4283 said:
Just another opinion. If you're not going councours pick yourself up an electric fan and shroud. I have one on my '66 and have no problems. Granted I have an aluminum radiator.

In addition pick up an electric thermostat control for the fan. It's really nice and only kicks on when really hot. I highly suggest it to anyone looking to upgrade.

ding ding ding, we have a winner folks!

68RCodeConv · Dec 11, 2009

I live in Houston. I have a 347 in my 67 GT350. I'm running the stock looking 3-row 20" radiator. Had to use a shorter fan spacer as the radiator is thicker. Factory shroud. 6-blade (fixed blades) aluminum fan made by Flex-a-lite (rated to 8000 rpm, $30 from Summit). That fan moves a LOT of air even at idle.

Temperature gauge never budges, even in stop and go traffic in August. If this setup does not keep things under control then you have some kind of problem.

2+2GT · Dec 11, 2009

Construction details are more important than brass/copper. A good brass will out-cool a bad aluminum. Aluminum is more about the weight than cooling, which is important in a racing vehicle.

rebel65 · Dec 11, 2009

yes, buy a good aluminum will defiantly out-cool a brass or copper rad.

10secgoal · Dec 12, 2009

2+2GT said:
Construction details are more important than brass/copper. A good brass will out-cool a bad aluminum. Aluminum is more about the weight than cooling, which is important in a racing vehicle.

Not necessarily. Al doesn't cool as well as brass, but it is much stronger. So the everything can be more compact and thinner. That's why AL shines.

rebel65 · Dec 12, 2009

he should use a gold rad then : ).

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