Thread: Aluminum radiator question

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air locks are hell on tubes and yes you have to watch your pressure on the caps . the epoxy bedded tubes to header frames. tanks are and can still can be welded on carefully. i had a epoxy Howe radiator with welded headers. in my 475bbc 1/2 filled block cid gto 20 years ago was a ford core yes they do work ok

If you are having heating problems and would like to go to an aluminum radiator, " smart money " would be to invest in a custom built dual or tripple pass radiator. With these types of radiators, the water remains in the radiator for a longer period of time for better cooling. A company like Mattson's Custom Radiator could steer you in the right direction. Their phone number is (714) 893 4900

I would not use a double or triple pass radiator for the street. There is a big misnomer when it comes to "keeping the coolant in the radiator for a longer time so it cools". The problem is this.............if the coolant is sitting in the radiator for a longer time...what's happening for the coolant waiting to come into the radiator? What is happening is the coolant in the block is getting much hotter.
You want coolant to keep moving in the system. The better it moves, the better it cools.

the man who use to build all my rads always said it comes down to air movement. the tow truck guys would always want 4 rows or more. he would build them a 3 row rad with a z-ore that you could read through. problem solved. since he went away i tried some of the aftermarket brass. nothing but heating problems. went to the 2 row aluminum and never looked back. the be-cool in edwards 37 is barely the same size as the a/c condenser. only 14 in wide but cools just fine in the texas heat.