jonm1a1

I am having overheaing issues we fiured it was the radiator i want to replace it with a good radiator would a 2 row aluminum radiator cool better and more efficent then a steel 3 row ihadin there. do they transfer heat better or something?

2+2GT

A well- made brass radiator will cool better than a poorly made aluminum, the latter's chief advantage is weight.

Since you'll probably end up doing this anyway, do it first:

5- or 6-blade non-flex fan, preferably with a thermostatic (not the cheaper non-thermo) clutch.
Fan shroud.
Shut-off valve in heater hose.

This stuff will cost less than an aluminum radiator, and chances are the aluminum one would need it anyway.

Gun Jam

I would recomend the Norther brand 2 row AL direct fit radiator.

Al does not transfer heat as well as a copper setup but is able to cool better than the original Cu radiators because of improved cooling fin setup. The Northern rads have something like over 1000 more rows of cooling fins allowing for improved heat transfer.

Mine works great even in central Ca 100+ weather.

Get that electric fan too

-Gun

THUMPIN455

The design is better than the old copper, even though copper does dissipate heat to air better than aluminum. Larger tubes and more surface area means better cooling on the aluminum radiator, provided it uses a better design. You are going to pay for the better design and the very cheap aluminum radiators are marginal. I have a BeCool in my GTO, it had 3 and 4 core radiators in it prior and they were in good shape. Sitting in traffic in South Carolina it would get over 250 and rarely got back under 230, once I put the BeCool in it with a large fan on a thermostatic switch, it never got over 210 and the fan would only kick on if I sat at one of the longer lights or had to wait at the front gate to the base. Where I live now, I could probably just use a 5 gallon bucket since it just got over 60 this week.

That being said, look into other things that might be causing the problem, shelling out $600 for a chunk of aluminum only to find it doesnt fix the problem would be rough. Timing, lean condition, stuck thermostat, or a bunch of other things could cause a problem. Make sure they arent a problem before you buy a big shiny expensive part. I had done everything to the GTO to keep it cool, it just wasnt happening.

tx65coupe

I have a Fluidyne aluminum radiator and think its doing a great job of keeping the car cool even with the AC on.

I know that Griffin makes good stuff too.

Starfury

We still haven't established that you're actually overheating, and if you are, what's causing the overheating. Work on that first.

2+2GT

Tape a digital kitchen thermometer to the upper radiator hose, and find out the real temperature.

Canary94GT

Just curious, this is pretty off topic and I apologize, were the old radiators copper and did I get ripped off when the guy who installed a new one for me took both of my old leaky 65 Mustang radiators? Like were they worth something?

AlexZi

The guy probably refurbished them or scrapped them. Better than throwing them away.

jonm1a1

so all in all a 3 row radiator is as good as a 2 row aluminum or at least not worth the price if i have no need to lighten up my car