89xj said:do you always need reassurance after you buy something? why not do the research first?
Blaine B. said:Aluminum is better for conducting heat.
However just take whatever has metal tanks, heh!
Original_MudButt said:I have heard that alum radiators run slightly hotter than Cu..... But there is a weight savings, so somewhat of a trade off......
Racers I think, tend to favor weight savings over a slightly hotter engine. Most racers run aux. oil coolers for the engine and trans that will help take up the difference......
But I dont know of any raceer who is looking to get 200k out of a motor...
Just my opinion, but I think you made the right choice.
bigdaddyjlove said:copper is a better conducter of heat than aluminum. Aluminum is lighter, stronger, and cheaper.
however, most high performance radiator manufacturers use aluminum, so you can buy a better built rad made of the stuff than you could out of copper.
fuzzydog said:Real world experience. After my upper rad hose blew I decided to get on top of my XJ cooling problem once and for all. And let me be clear - I admit that my cooling problem was not a design issue, it was a maintenance issue. Mine is a 90 ltd with the closed cooling system.
I wanted and ordered an all metal rad (copper/brass) just for the durability. The idea of plastic end tanks on a rad sounds totally retarded to me, especially considering the heat cycling of a rad. Anyway, they f'd up and got me an alum and plastic - I took it anyway and installed. At the same time I replaced all hoses, water pump and t stat, and I removed the mech clutch and installed a Taurus electric.
Fact is that I rarely turn on my electric fan unless off road. even in town temp creeps up slightly at stop lights, then comes back down as soon as I start to move. Gauge usually shows right around 100C. On the highway, pulling about 90-100kmh temp is not an issue at all, even hauling up hills as long as I can maintain the speed.
Now maybe I would have had the same results with an all metal rad but I am sold on the heat dissipating properties of the alum
Muad'Dib said:I also have an Aluminum radiator (purchased from NAPA) with basically the same set-up in my 90 Laredo. Same results. It works well for me, and i never need my Taurus fan unless i'm sitting for long periods of time, towing, or off-roading.
I can however see a Copper core dissipating heat a lot better.. so i'm sure they will both be just fine.
yellowta said:I've got the same results with a taurus fan on my stock radiator.... but then again I've got one of those possesed 4 bangers with lots of room between the radiator and the engine.
92xjdean said:I bought one from radiatorbarn.com, the guy convinced me that brass/copper was better than aluminum......he said it would give better cooling than aluminum. I was just trying to see what others have acually found to be true. Thanks.