which radiator?

[Reb.B]

which radiator would be best in our trucks. My truck came with an aluminum radiator, but i'm thinking that maybe the older copper radiators in the 94-97 (97?) trucks maybe be better. Copper radiates heat better than aluminum and the tube size looks the same. So, has any tests been done on this subject? Thanx, Reb

 

[jimk]

Originally posted by Reb. B

which radiator would be best in our trucks. My truck came with an aluminum radiator, but i'm thinking that maybe the older copper radiators in the 94-97 (97?) trucks maybe be better. Copper radiates heat better than aluminum and the tube size looks the same. So, has any tests been done on this subject? Thanks, Reb

Last year at diesel rally I heard a vendor and A very smart guy also say that the copper radiator was better. The reason the aluminum was to help stop the cycling of the thermostat.

Also I think 24 valve inner cooler was better. lol Jim

 

[jerrethomas]

not sure about this but i think that aluminum would transfer heat better then a copper one would. all the race cars i've seen use aluminum so i would think they are better. most air to air charge coolers are also made of aluminum.

 

[Reb.B]

sorry, but tha'ts not correct. Copper transfers heat better than aluminum. The race cars use aluminum because its lighter. The aftermarket radiators out there cool better than copper because the tubes are bigger. If the copper tubes were larger it would be too heavy and it would break to pieces. As for the radiators in our trucks, i believe the tube size is the same, therefore, the copper radiators should cool better. I just wasn't sure if anybody out there did any tests yet, . . thanx, Reb

 

[Evil Otto]

aluminum dissapates heat better then copper i does not have the mass that copper does to hold on to the heat. an aluminum will cool down a lot sooner then a copper rad. and if cooper was so good in removing heat ac systems would use it and i cant remember when i saw a copper evap or condensor in a ac system. just my thought ED

 

[Evil Otto]

aluminum dissapates heat better then copper it does not have the mass that copper does to hold on to the heat. an aluminum will cool down a lot sooner then a copper rad. and if cooper was so good in removing heat ac systems would use it and i cant remember when i saw a copper evap or condensor in a ac system. just my thought ED

 

[Reb.B]

sorry, but u are wrong. copper displaces heat faster. A/c systems did have copper evaporators. The ones built a long time ago, had copper cores and aluminum fins. The aluminum fins made it lighter. The reason they went to aluminum is because of high cost of copper. Copper just tranfers heat better. if U don't believe me, ask an Aluminum Ratiator manufacturer. They will tell u copper displaces heat better, but the way they build aluminum radiators, makes theirs more efficient. But ,(i'm not positive on this, so don't hang me), the alum. radiators in the newer trucks are built like the cooper ones, meaning that the tubes are small. So, this is my thinking, if we had aluminum radiators (custom) built for our trucks, then it would cool better, but a huge cost, but the factory aluminum comparred to the factory copper, i think the copper is better, being of the poor design of our aluminum radiators.