Are new aluminum radiators better?

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66DartSedan

66DartSedan

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So my 66 dart overheated for the first time coming back from set. I threw on the heater to dissipate and made it home. I changed the thermostat to a 180 degree. After doing that I guess it changed the pressure because a nice sized hole popped and pissed coolant onto my leg which I then used JB weld to patch up. But since this is a workhorse car I need to to be more reliable than original so I was thinking I have the money I should just get a new radiator and new hoses and that would keep my slant cool for the coming summer months. And good ones out there you guys would recommend? Something preferably that wouldnt need any additional cutting that I could just replace it? thanks!

Photo for good measure

20180728_201024.jpg
 
Aluminum radiators do not cool better than original types, the only thing aluminum does better is to take weight off the car. Sure they will work, and since they are new they may last longer, but there is nothing better than a recored and restored original, that is my opinion and i am sure others will disagree, but I listen to the experts like Bob at Glen-Ray Radiator who does it for a living. Of course an aluminum radiator is going to be much cheaper though.
 
66DartSedan said:
After doing that I guess it changed the pressure because a nice sized hole popped and pissed coolant
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Changing the temp will not affect the pressure. it is set by the rad cap pressure. If you have a 16lb cap and a 160 deg thermostat the max pressure will be 16, same for a 180 deg thermostat. It could be said that at a lower temp there would be less pressure (PV=nRT) BUT I suspect that you will exceed the rad cap pressure with any temp thermostat.

My guess is that your overheating issue and radiator blowout are related to clogged old radiator.
 
the sq. area, design,tube size,number of cores and fin count determine how well it cools.Aluminum or brass have a small effect.
 
Dana67Dart said:
Changing the temp will not affect the pressure. it is set by the rad cap pressure. If you have a 16lb cap and a 160 deg thermostat the max pressure will be 16, same for a 180 deg thermostat. It could be said that at a lower temp there would be less pressure (PV=nRT) BUT I suspect that you will exceed the rad cap pressure with any temp thermostat.

My guess is that your overheating issue and radiator blowout are related to clogged old radiator.
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Thanks I didn't know that. I have 13psi rad cap I got from rockauto.
 
When I was running a 7lb cap I boiled over a lot I put the stock (for my 67 273) 16lb cap no more boiling over.
 
i have recored 2 340 radiators and they run 200 - 205 which is fine....there is just no wiggle room.
i replaced both with newer 1 1/4" dual tube Griffins and temps only reach 190 when idling.
 
Dana67Dart said:
When I was running a 7lb cap I boiled over a lot I put the stock (for my 67 273) 16lb cap no more boiling over.
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Im not running A/C I assumed thats why it has a 13lb psi cap when i bought it. the FSM says 14psi is standard. Would a 16 psi make any difference?
 
ir3333 said:
i have recored 2 340 radiators and they run 200 - 205 which is fine....there is just no wiggle room.
i replaced both with newer 1 1/4" dual tube Griffins and temps only reach 190 when idling.
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Did you have to alter anything or were they plug and play radiators, like exact replacements?
 
66DartSedan said:
Did you have to alter anything or were they plug and play radiators, like exact replacements?
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Plug and play...used to be called muscle car rad...looked original when painted satin black. The first one had big 1/2 " tig welds.The second one (3 yrs later) had tiny tig welds and was very nice.
I must not have been the only one that complained.
Expensive!
 
HemiSSDart said:
Aluminum radiators do not cool better than original types, the only thing aluminum does better is to take weight off the car. Sure they will work, and since they are new they may last longer, but there is nothing better than a recored and restored original, that is my opinion and i am sure others will disagree, but I listen to the experts like Bob at Glen-Ray Radiator who does it for a living. Of course an aluminum radiator is going to be much cheaper though.
Click to expand...

Aluminum is actually far better at thermal transfer than brass.

Brass vs. Aluminum: Radiator Thermal Properties

OP, run aluminum if you're not on the OE/Resto kick.
And a good sacrificial anode won't hurt, either.
 
Yes, you can typically put a '67 radiator in a '66, but being that yours is a slant car I believe it has a narrower radiator. I can't remember if the rad support is different or just that radiator.

What tv show or shows is the car used in?
 
Jim Lusk said:
Yes, you can typically put a '67 radiator in a '66, but being that yours is a slant car I believe it has a narrower radiator. I can't remember if the rad support is different or just that radiator.

What tv show or shows is the car used in?
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I use it for lots of stuff...this year it has been in The Irishman (Scorcese) The Deuce on HBO, the movie The Kitchen that hasn't come out. Its how I get work. I do "background acting" so they hire me with my car. Im waiting for The Sopranos movie which will be set during the 67 riots to start filming so i can get some days on that next.
 
So the FSM to me reads if i have no options 14 psi cap...but if i have C.A.P. use a 16...what does C.A.P. stand for? Also coolant capcity is 11, but 11 what pints?
Screen Shot 2018-08-04 at 11.39.18 PM.png
 
C.A.P. is Clean Air Package. Typically found on California cars and little else. The radiator cap probably has little impact between the two, but CAP cars probably ran a little hotter. Post a pic of the front of your radiator and support.

Cool use of the car.
 
aluminum does have better thermal dispensation. However surface area and number of cores make a bigger difference.
 
You probably just hit a kicked-up rock or something on the way which damaged your radiator.

Cooling system pressure is mostly about surpressing the boiling-point of the coolant.
 
For what it is worth- a few years ago when I broke a motor mount on my 66 with a slant and the fan rose up and tagged the top tank and cut a hole in it....
Anyhow I tried the 67-76 style radiator from a slant six car and it would not fit. It bolted right in but the offset was too close to the fan blade.all factory car. The top tank on an early abody is huge and overhangs the fan. Keep that in mind when working with the radiator. I ended up after 3 different radiators just re-coreing mine and repairs ($600) and it was perfect. Also added straps to prevent the motor rising up again and tagging the radiator. The rubber sandwich mounts broke from age not horsepower. Sad but true. Love the working car story. We want to hear more about that!
Good luck- Joe
 
Dana67Dart said:
When I was running a 7lb cap I boiled over a lot I put the stock (for my 67 273) 16lb cap no more boiling over.
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Every pound of cooling system pressure raises the boiling point 3 degrees. A 15# cap adds 45° to the 212° or so boiling point of water. A 50/50 blend of coolant adds a few more degrees of protection.
 
jos51700 said:
Aluminum is actually far better at thermal transfer than brass.

Brass vs. Aluminum: Radiator Thermal Properties

OP, run aluminum if you're not on the OE/Resto kick.
And a good sacrificial anode won't hurt, either.
Click to expand...

Let me see, a company that sells aluminum radiators says they are better. I have seen other studies that say the exact opposite. I work in the cell phone industry, analog was MUCH better than digital, but digital is MUCH cheaper, guess which one we use today...
 
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