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Best Aluminum Radiator?

Van Bagley

Donation Time
My SV get driven weekly. Sumer is here and I need to keep it cool. Currently I have an aux electric fan ( 8") .
It helps but not enough. I'm looking for advice regarding an aluminum radiator or other options
 

DanR

Diamond Level Sponsor
Are you running the stock radiator?

If so, it has two tube and about 9 fins per inch.

My suggestion is have it re-cored all copper, three (3) tubes and seventeen (17) fins per inch.

Get better flow of coolant AND much better dissipation of heat (fins do that).

Of course there are lots of opinions:)
 

Tom H

Platinum Level Sponsor
I agree with Dan. And the electric fan is a plus but only when idling or moving slowly like in a parade.
 

alpine_64

Donation Time
The alpine cooling system if in good condition will only have trouble in very hot temperatures in heavy prolonged stop start traffic.

If the heads cooling passages, blocks coolong passages are all clear, a good quality coolantbis used and the radiator is in good condition you would have no issues while on the move... And likely in a dense city jam a pusher fan and a return system would be enough.

A few things to look at for start...
When does the car overheat? Is it spitting water? Have you checked the gauge vs the actual temp on the sender with an infrared thermometer.

Is the radiator cap seating correctly, what range thermostat are you running and is it operating right?

Are the mixtures on the carb good and not running lean.

To often its either a gauge thats not right if its not spitting coolant...

Or there are actaul more fundamental issues withing the coolimg system ( blockage) and the thermo fan is added or radiator are changed out as the cure.. When it may be a bandaid.

Just my .02
 

Van Bagley

Donation Time
Thank you for your replies. I recored the radiator about 15 years ago so maybe it's time to revisit it. I like Dan R's suggestion. Also about 5 years back I rewired the the entire car including the gauges. The only mods to the car is a single Weber, headers with stock SS exhaust, electronic ignition and an overdrive. I'll do a temp test as well. I have only owned the car for 26 years and I wasn't driving it enough. I gave it to my daughter and her husband to drive a few years ago. They take very good care of it and drive it weekly.
 

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sunalp

Diamond Level Sponsor
I have a friend that used an aluminum radiator in his modified Austin Healey. He has a 327 chevy in it
and it just wouldn't stay cool. He had a custom brass/copper radiator made and the car never had a cooling
issue again. Aluminum just doesn't cool as well as copper, at least for our "older" cars.

Cheers!
Steve
 

Toyanvil

Gold Level Sponsor
Call Chris Culp at C, G & J Inc Charge Air Coolers.
2776 Wills Creek Rd
Gadsden, AL 35904
1-800-223-4299.
He built mine and my fans don't come on if am moving and will only come on for a minute or two if am stopped. I live in Bakersfield Ca where it's over 105 degrees all summer.
 

jumpinjan

Bronze Level Sponsor
Are you running the stock radiator? If so, it has two tube and about 9 fins per inch.
I think you have it backwards, Dan. The stock series V has the three row...the new cores are 2 row, but the tube area (circumference) is larger.
Jan
 

65beam

Donation Time
I think you have it backwards, Dan. The stock series V has the three row...the new cores are 2 row, but the tube area (circumference) is larger.
Jan
The radiator in our series 5 is a two row as is the one in the series 4. The fastbacks have a three row.
 

jumpinjan

Bronze Level Sponsor
Okay, so here's some old pictures as evidence to back up my claims:
index.php

index.php
 

alpine_64

Donation Time
Jan,

There are a few ally tiger radiator options... Griffin are easy to get .. But have a sketchy reputation

There are at least 3 companies offering alloy radiators in alpine S3-v pattern .. So id try tgat before the tiger option.
 

hartmandm

Moderator
Diamond Level Sponsor
I had 3 original radiators. 2 from series V. 1 from series IV. All are the same - 2 tubes, center-to-center tube spacing: 1/2" = 0.5" and 9 fins per inch. Dan re-cored one of the series V radiators for me last year to be 3 tubes and increase the fins per inch. I'm still waiting for warmer weather to see if my temperature at idle doesn't creep up anymore.

Here is the radiator before re-core:
upload_2020-5-23_10-43-39.png

upload_2020-5-23_10-44-4.png

Mike
 

DanR

Diamond Level Sponsor
Jan, Can't voucher for "all" Alpine radiators but probably more than 15 have been recored for me by my radiator shop. All of them have been SIII-SIV or SV radiators with 2 tubes and 9 fin per inch.

Here are a couple PIC's of the re-cored radiators that have three tubes & 17 FPI.

The openings for the tubes measure 1/8" x 1/2" each +. The thickness of the all copper core is pushing 2 & 1/4 inches. It fills the Alpine tanks to the outer edges. Alpine Radiator Copper 3 tube 17 fins PI       20190220_130825.jpg Alpine Radiator Copper 3 tube 17 fins PI       20190220_131536.jpg
 
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