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    #1

    Aluminum Radiators

    I gotta replace the newish radiator on Putter Project. The stock radiator with its plastic tanks blew the drain plug today. I'm probably going to get a universal Be Cool radiator as it matches the stock dimensions. My question is, what do you use for coolant in an aluminum radiator? Can you use the traditional green stuff, or do I have to use something else?

    At some point, I'm going to do the same for the CV. Probably after I swap engines. I just have to see if Be Cool or any other company makes a universal radiator for automatic transmissions.


    Packman
    Tags: None
    #2
    preston 50/50 (or whatever your favorite green stuff is. All radiators made now are aluminum core with plastic tanks... so an all-aluminum rad is no different.

    Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
    rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)
    Originally posted by gadget73
    ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.
    Originally posted by dmccaig
    Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

    Comment

      #3
      Cool with the coolant and all. I will probably go with an all aluminum. Hopefully it won't blow any lines or plugs:smirk:.


      Packman

      Comment

        #4
        Can you just get another drain plug?
        86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
        5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

        91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

        1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

        Originally posted by phayzer5
        I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

        Comment

          #5
          I got a plug, but it won't fit because it's not the stock radiator. I pulled the radiator along with the top end of another 292 I6 engine. I guess somebody retrofitted it into the '85 C-20 we pulled apart. It has some sort of plugged temperature sender port above the drain plug. I could get another stock radiator, but if I'm getting another plastic core radiator, I would rather spend a little more for the aluminum.


          Packman

          Comment

            #6
            Originally posted by packman View Post
            I would rather spend a little more for the aluminum.


            Packman
            That's just one more thing to burn yourself on. I would know, that all aluminum radiator gets everything hot. I got mine for 165 bucks. It's a two row.

            Comment

              #7
              my aluminum core/plastic tank OE type gets everything hot too. Thinking about getting a lower temp thermostat.

              Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
              rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)
              Originally posted by gadget73
              ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.
              Originally posted by dmccaig
              Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

              Comment

                #8
                strange that a device intended to shed heat would make things hot.
                86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                Originally posted by phayzer5
                I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                Comment

                  #9
                  It ended up being a stripped plug insert. $30 and we're good to go. When (or if) I do an engine rebuild, I will probably get an aluminum universal radiator from somebody (Be Cool, Fluidyne, JEGS, Summit, etc...).


                  Packman

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Originally posted by packman View Post
                    It ended up being a stripped plug insert. $30 and we're good to go. When (or if) I do an engine rebuild, I will probably get an aluminum universal radiator from somebody (Be Cool, Fluidyne, JEGS, Summit, etc...).


                    Packman
                    i got a 31" by 19" aluminum Griffin radiator in mine. you have to watch out and make sure you get the proper outlet locations. and mine the bottom outlet was bigger than the original and it was angled. i had to go in the back at auto zone and find a hose that would work and cut about half of it off
                    http://secondhandracing.com/Home.aspx
                    http://secondhandradio.com/

                    R.I.P. Jason P Harrill 6-12-06

                    http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?t=5634

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Funny, I run a stock aluminum/plastic tank rad and have no problems at all.

                      Hell, my old car I had a manually controlled electric fan, and I could sit in traffic and still not have to run the fan unless I sat for more than 15 minutes.
                      Builder/Owner of Badass Panther Wagons

                      Busy maintaining a fleet of Fords

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Slymer, and to everyone else who think they're getting a good deal. DO NOT BUY THE 50/50 MIX!!!!!!! Dollar for dollar, it's a complete waste of money. if you pay 9 bucks for the straight stuff, and say 7.50 for the mix, you're actually paying 15 dollars a gallon for pre-mixed anti-freeze. It's cheaper in the long run to buy the straight, and mix it at home.
                        MIKE

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Originally posted by PICKUP6772 View Post
                          Slymer, and to everyone else who think they're getting a good deal. DO NOT BUY THE 50/50 MIX!!!!!!! Dollar for dollar, it's a complete waste of money. if you pay 9 bucks for the straight stuff, and say 7.50 for the mix, you're actually paying 15 dollars a gallon for pre-mixed anti-freeze. It's cheaper in the long run to buy the straight, and mix it at home.
                          MIKE

                          well the tap water around here is so f'n hard that it'll corrode the hell out of the innards of the cooling system in no time. so take it for what it's worth to ya.

                          which reminds me... I prolly need to drain my water heater and let the sediment flush out.

                          plus... with the 50/50... I don't have to guess how much is still in the engine or have a bucket to mix it in before funneling it into the radiator.
                          Last edited by sly; 09-15-2010, 09:30 PM.

                          Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
                          rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)
                          Originally posted by gadget73
                          ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.
                          Originally posted by dmccaig
                          Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

                          Comment

                            #14
                            I've been lucky with the traffic in the last few years. Back in '01 I got stuck in traffic for 1-1/2 hours one night on the GSP. This was after I had the 4-core brass radiator installed. It got up to 215 degrees, but it boiled my trans fluid. Was stuck in 1st all the way home.

                            Duece: Did your universal radiator come with the transmission line ports? As for the size of the hoses, I'm not to concerned about that.

                            Yeah, it is much cheaper to get straight anti-freeze and use the water at home; plus you get two bottles of coolant in the end instead of just the one 50/50 mix that you bought for some inflated price (paying extra for water:nonono



                            Packman

                            Comment

                              #15
                              Originally posted by slymer View Post
                              well the tap water around here is so f'n hard that it'll corrode the hell out of the innards of the cooling system in no time. so take it for what it's worth to ya.

                              which reminds me... I prolly need to drain my water heater and let the sediment flush out.

                              plus... with the 50/50... I don't have to guess how much is still in the engine or have a bucket to mix it in before funneling it into the radiator.
                              Buy Distilled water at the grocery store.

                              Pour 1/2 bottle of antifreeze inot radiator. Pour 1/2 bottle of water in Radiator. Pour the rest of the water into the bottle of anti freeze. You have now made pre mix anti-freeze. for about $4.00 - $5.00/gallon.

                              This way you don't need a bucket or have to worry about your water quality. Distilled water runs from $.50 to $.80/gallon around here. It's what I put in our baby so it is good enough for my car. LOL

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