azblackhemi
Old Man with a Hat
Anyone have experience with cheap aluminum radiators? My 69 Monaco runs too hot so I found a 3 row aluminum radiator for around $150. Can it be any good at that price?
Cheap Aluminum Radiatores
- Thread starter azblackhemi
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Probably not. I’m a firm believer in “you get what you pay for”…
57fury440
Well-Known Member
I've used several different ones over the years. I never had a problem with them.
I had one full (difficult!) semester of Heat Transfer in engineering school and I can tell you this: Paint it matte black.
From the web: The rate of heat transfer by emitted radiation is determined by the Stefan-Boltzmann law of radiation: Qt=σeAT4Qt=σeAT4, where σ = 5.67 × 10−8 J/s · m2 · K4 is the Stefan-Boltzmann constant, A is the surface area of the object, and T is its absolute temperature in kelvin. The symbol e stands for the emissivity of the object, which is a measure of how well it radiates. An ideal jet-black (or black body) radiator has e = 1, whereas a perfect reflector has e = 0. Real objects fall between these two values. Take, for example, tungsten light bulb filaments which have an e of about 0.5, and carbon black (a material used in printer toner), which has the greatest known emissivity of about 0.99.
Mick Jagger and I advise you to "paint it black".
From the web: The rate of heat transfer by emitted radiation is determined by the Stefan-Boltzmann law of radiation: Qt=σeAT4Qt=σeAT4, where σ = 5.67 × 10−8 J/s · m2 · K4 is the Stefan-Boltzmann constant, A is the surface area of the object, and T is its absolute temperature in kelvin. The symbol e stands for the emissivity of the object, which is a measure of how well it radiates. An ideal jet-black (or black body) radiator has e = 1, whereas a perfect reflector has e = 0. Real objects fall between these two values. Take, for example, tungsten light bulb filaments which have an e of about 0.5, and carbon black (a material used in printer toner), which has the greatest known emissivity of about 0.99.
Mick Jagger and I advise you to "paint it black".
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I certainly agree with that but I had great results with my fairly inexpensive repro Spectra CU332, which is not aluminum and was thoroughly coated in good black paint. Just checked....$326 at Rocky.
I paid $184 for the 4 row with an internal trans cooler in my V10 Fury and it is working great. I did have to "adjust" a couple of the mounting bolt holes but other than that no problems at all. FYI I bought mine from DH Racing Parts on feebay.
If you buy one of the cheaper ones and need to for a auto trans make sure it has a internal trans cooler. When I was shopping I noticed some of them didn't have one.
If you buy one of the cheaper ones and need to for a auto trans make sure it has a internal trans cooler. When I was shopping I noticed some of them didn't have one.
I got a 26" from ECP and have been happy with it. But double the $150 price. I had to modify the mounting holes slightly as my car has a 22" support, so the radiator was not a direct bolt in. And yes, I painted it black. Just because I didn't like the shiny aluminum. I Used Rust oleum BBQ ultra high heat. Its got a little gloss, not true flat like the regular high heat paint is.
ECP 26" Aluminum Big Block Mopar Radiator - Big Cooling Tubes
ECP 26" Aluminum Big Block Mopar Radiator - Big Cooling Tubes
71Polara383
Kid with ballcap
I got a cheapo 26" aluminum radiator off ebay in my 70 wagon. Works great. Way better than junky spectras.
Yogi
New Member
I put one in a 69 Fury 318/auto. For years, no problems. And I have one in a 71 New Yorker 440/auto. I've only had it thru 1 summer out here in Palm Springs area, But I think that is a good test of it's efficiency at 118 degrees f with the A/C on. I would not rule out a radiator just because of price.
69PHOENIX
Active Member
Hi Fellas, (LABRTF)
The Problem with this Modern World is Simply that Nothing can be Trusted.
My Old Da used to Say, "You Buy a Ten Dollar Spanner You Get a Ten Dollar Spanner, If You Want Something Decent You Pay the $100 & Have Something Decent"
That used to be True But Nowadays You can Pay $100 & Still Get CRAP !
Therefore You Have Two Choices, Either Do the Sensible Thing as This Gentleman has Done & Ask Others Who May Have Had a Little More Experience or
You can Suck It & See !
I Know My Choice.
That's the Benefit of Sites like This & Car Clubs Etc There's Nearly Always Someone Else Who has Already Made the Mistake.
One Thing I Will Mention, It Doesn't Always Have to Be !
About 50 Years Ago I Bought a Set of Long Nose Impact Sockets for $40 at a Swap Meet.
At That Time the Usual Car Parts Stores were Retailing for $160, the Club Dismantled about 40 Spare Parts Cars as Well as All the Numerous Repair Jobs Over the Years.
I Still have that Socket Set Apart from One That Got Lost, Still Haven't Managed to Break Any.
I Used to Weigh 165 Kilos and I Would Stand on the End of an Eight Foot Pipe Trying to Crack a Rusty Nut.
That's What You Call "Good Value !
Regards Tony.M
The Problem with this Modern World is Simply that Nothing can be Trusted.
My Old Da used to Say, "You Buy a Ten Dollar Spanner You Get a Ten Dollar Spanner, If You Want Something Decent You Pay the $100 & Have Something Decent"
That used to be True But Nowadays You can Pay $100 & Still Get CRAP !
Therefore You Have Two Choices, Either Do the Sensible Thing as This Gentleman has Done & Ask Others Who May Have Had a Little More Experience or
You can Suck It & See !
I Know My Choice.
That's the Benefit of Sites like This & Car Clubs Etc There's Nearly Always Someone Else Who has Already Made the Mistake.
One Thing I Will Mention, It Doesn't Always Have to Be !
About 50 Years Ago I Bought a Set of Long Nose Impact Sockets for $40 at a Swap Meet.
At That Time the Usual Car Parts Stores were Retailing for $160, the Club Dismantled about 40 Spare Parts Cars as Well as All the Numerous Repair Jobs Over the Years.
I Still have that Socket Set Apart from One That Got Lost, Still Haven't Managed to Break Any.
I Used to Weigh 165 Kilos and I Would Stand on the End of an Eight Foot Pipe Trying to Crack a Rusty Nut.
That's What You Call "Good Value !
Regards Tony.M
azblackhemi
Old Man with a Hat
Well I had to do something if I want to drive the car so I bought one for $140. It's supposed to be here today so I will let you know how it works.
Giving you about a foot on the end of the 8 foot pipe, that works out to about 2550ft/lbs of torque. 7' x 364lbs = 2548.
Sorry.... The nerd in me had to figure that out.
azblackhemi
Old Man with a Hat
Ok, got it in and test drove it. Temp gauge stayed at the low mark of normal. $143 with tax, I think it was worth it. Easy installation except I had to redrill one mounting hole that was 1/2 inch off.
PursuitSpecial
New Member
I've installed 2 cheap aluminum radiators that did not fit at all, but with a little grafting and fabricating they fit and work. I put a radiator for a mustang in my slant 6 Aspen and a radiator for a b-body in my c-body Gran Fury and all it took was some metal plates to connect the flange to the radiator support. As long as the hose location lines up and the radiator flange spacing is narrower than the mounting holes in the radiator support and the height is not too tall it will work, granted you probably won't be able to use the factory shroud.
azblackhemi
Old Man with a Hat
On this one the factory shroud bolted right up.
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