alloy radiator

[fil]

has anyone fitted an alloy radiator to their tj yet?? where did you get it from? and what sort of price? how was the fitment? did the shroud go back on no drama?

I see them on ebay, but it says no curently available, i called PWR and they can build one, but i have heard mixed reports about their quality and fitment.

[TERRA Operative]

sMashed had a custom one in his XJ and had nothing but problems with it. Things like cracking and corrosion etc.
After an Adrad brass one went in, there were no more dramas at all.

[flexytj]

there was alloy ones on ebay awhile ago but were probably just chinese junk

[itchy]

Mate had one of the PWR ones (i Think?) lasted 3 months and got electrolysis rot and shat itself.

[itchy]

thats what i paid for mine SnB, lasted 3 months :p

What happened to it sMashed ring?

[stroked]

no good IMO fil, i looked into it heaps but was turned away after hearing the stories of how they failed. when it comes to something as important as cooling i would pay for something i wasnt sure would hold up.

[itchy]

yes it can also be caused by two different metals that are on a different index on the ferrous metals index that cause the electrical current, often the effects are enhanced by a stray current.

sMashed...........the new Stephen Hawkings of wheeling!

[josh9465]

the stock plastic tank radiators in TJ's have alloy tubes. so i would have thought if you had problems with stray current it would do your stock radiator in aswell.

smashed what coolant did you use. nulon red or equivilant is the one i believe needs to be used for alloy radiators.

[josh9465]

ahh. well brass/copper radiator from ADRAD it is.

I was using a caterpillar heavy tractor coolant with a castrol boron additive, apparently the best coolant for use in alloy rads, the boron is a corrosion inhibitor specifically designed for aluminum. The death of my custom made $1000 alloy radiator was due to some douch (will not name) earthing the triple thermo fans to the radiators top support plate, that also happened to be in direct contact with the radiator itself. 3 months was all it took to turn it into a mass of white flaking scale that also resembled a piece of swiss cheese. When we tested it for stray current it was pushing a steady 5v or so. IMO alloy radiators are not ideal for a 4x4 vehicle, being that they are rather weak, subject to rapid corrosion, hard to fix, very expensive, etc etc. Since going with a ADRAD brass/copper radiator i will never look back.

[itchy]

How much was the new Rad. sMashed???
Is it any bigger than a stocky?

[itchy]

Good price.

[carvesdodo]

The ADRAD was about $350. Its the same capacity as stock, but it actually dispersed alot more heat than the Alloy POS.

The "unofficial" adrad factory tech dept comment is that it is 10-15% more efficient than a "stock" XJ radiator.

[bonza]

the stock plastic tank radiators in TJ's have alloy tubes. so i would have thought if you had problems with stray current it would do your stock radiator in aswell.

smashed what coolant did you use. nulon red or equivilant is the one i believe needs to be used for alloy radiators.

you wont get stray currents causing an electrolysis problem on the stocker because the aluminium core is insulated by the header tanks that are attached to the supporting brackets

and the copper brass combo is more efficient because copper is more thermodynamically efficient than the alum core and brass tanks are way more efficient than plastic.

as far as heat transfer with metals go, copper or silver being most efficient followed by aluminium followed by brass. plastic is pretty much an insulator. may as well have the tanks made out of asbestos, and no one is going to make a silver radiator unless your are a jeweller

catterpillar have a couple of coolants. ELC suitable to use in a Jeep http://www.cat.com/parts/coolant
if you can get your hands on it. only seen it in 205 litre drums