copper radiator

[nimhbk]

Has any one used one before

my radtec rad went bang and they wanted £360 for a recore no thank you

Berkshire radiators are now going to make me up a identical custom copper rad but with a 42mm core and with 18fins per inch so it flows alot better

he was a bit worried thou a copper rad might not take the presure of a gtir system

so has any one used one! if so did they hve any problems

 

[red reading]

mines copper nick,with braised end tanks made of copper too.

 

[PobodY]

What's the original radiator made of; isn't that copper? Or is it brass... not aluminium.

 

[red reading]

copper with plastic crimped on end tanks, anyone who fits high pressure rad caps with them or has a head gasket failure runs the risk of the rad falling apart as the crimps give.

 

[nimhbk]

Great Dan
Steve is going to make it identical to me radtec Aluminum one
but with slighty larger copper tanks and as said a thicker high flowing core for £150-180
he had made aload for the cosworth scene but the copper could not hold the rad pressure on high powered ones

took the car down to new forrest Dan, kept it as you said on 3000rpm was fine, then New forrest to chichester got brave took it up to 4000rpm for 35 miles then boom was like a STEAM TRAIN :doh: then bizzar enough the bloody starter motor started playing up, could of cryed.

 

[red reading]

sods law nick

 

[PobodY]

I've never seen why you'd want to run a high pressure cap; more stress on the system so that it can run hotter? Why would I want to do that when I can run cooler and let the coolant boil if it gets too hot?

I can understand things like the thermostats.

 

[nimhbk]

sods law nick

i just hope there is not a limit on how many times the rac recovers you lol (Been told its about three times in a year)

Poor guy came from brighton to chichester then to take me home to Reading all because of a shity Rad

 

[red reading]

I've never seen why you'd want to run a high pressure cap; more stress on the system so that it can run hotter? Why would I want to do that when I can run cooler and let the coolant boil if it gets too hot?

I can understand things like the thermostats.

Because if the coolent boils you will have air pockets inside your engines water ways................which will cause cracking and failure.

 

[stumo]

Because if the coolent boils you will have air pockets inside your engines water ways................which will cause cracking and failure.

wot he sed ^^^

 

[PobodY]

Why would you get air pockets forming; does the coolant suddenly stop circulating? Surely if it's boiling that hard the damage is already done (especially if it's localised), and by increasing the pressure you're more likely to simply split a hose and drop all the coolant at once; put more pressure on things like the head gasket.

It just sounds like they're treating a symptom rather than the underlying problem; especially if you need supporting mods to allow you to do it.