Aluminum radiator

[BoyRacer]

I'm looking to buy an aluminum radiator from an American company this time around. Has anyone bought an aluminum radiator from either Wizard Cooling or Ron Davis for their Healey? The Wizard looks like the original and costs $499. The Ron Davis company lists a Healey rad but has no photo or price on their website. Has anyone on the list had any experience with either of these vendors and their products?

 

[drambuie]

I have a wizard aluminum radiator in my 67 BJ8.... running it for 3 years now and love it. It is much lighter then the original and i think looks much better. It is very well made with very neat welds and built stronger then the original, the fan guard is much stronger then the original as well..$20 more but well worth it. The wizard radiator bolted in perfectly with no fuss.. The Wizard was one of the better upgrades i ever did to my Healey. I added a recovery bottle for a 100% sealed system. It shipped to my front door and was very well packed! I talked to the owner of wizard, they are custom made per order with or without the fan guard. If i remember correctly, the total cost was $535 with shipping.

To sum things up.... i will never go back to my old original radiator....and my next Healey will have one as a automatic upgrade like the spin on oil filter. Michael, IL.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

Michael,

Does the Wizzard cool better; i.e. lower, or more consistent running temperatures?

 

[drambuie]

Hello Bob,

Let me quote from the Wizard web page first: Made with 2 rows of 1 inch tubes, that is eqvialent to a 4 row copper brass radiator, it will actually cool like a 5 row copper brass radiator, this is a SIGNIFICANT improvement over the original copper brass radiator. (unquote)

After using this aluminum radiator for 3 years i can say that it is a very fine product, I am running the proper sleeved thermastat, stock 4 blade fan, have the timing correct, new water pump and fresh antifreeze....in other words i have a healthy cooling system and proper motor tune.

On cool days 10F to 50F degrees my running temperture is 130 to 140 degrees, On warmer days say 60 to 85 degree days my Healey maintains 80F to 90F degrees all day long at speeds. I think a electric fan with a thermastat mounted in front of the radiator would be a big help to any car on a hot day when in slow traffic or when sitting still, along with a better fan! These are my results with the Wizard Aluminum radiator.

If you have a healthy cooling system and proper tune you can compare my above results with your running tempertures and decide if there are any advantage in terms of cooling. The obvious advantage is a big weight saving and a brand new reliable well built radiator that won't rust! And it looks like it belongs there! Michael, IL.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

Thanks. Interesting that on cool days the temp stays below the thermostat setpoint (presume you have 160 or 180degF thermo). My car does that at times--ordinarily that's a sign of a thermostat stuck open, but I've verified and tried several thermostats (and, at one time at least, my temp gauge). The only thing that could explain this is that on a cool day a Big Healey engine can dissipate heat faster than it builds up, which is counter to the experiences of many.

 

[Keith_M]

I'm not sure that cooler is always better when it comes to engine temperature. I was under the impression that a Healey engine was supposed to run at about 185F for best fuel economy and to minimize engine deposits etc. Mine pretty much runs there no matter what the outside temperature is (I have a re-cored radiator and 5 bladed fan), and I think that is a sign of a healthy cooling system. Running less than 185 (assuming a 180 thermostat) indicates a problem.
Keith

 

[drambuie]

I am running a 160 degree sleeved thermastat and do most of my driving on warmer days, However i love driving my Healey in the colder weather when the roads are clean... I can say one thing for sure! My healey has more power in the colder weather, anything 90 and above the power really drops off. I am going to keep my 160 thermastat in place as it seems best for my driving habits mostly in warmer weather.

I always thought it was strange the temperture would drop below the thermastat set point on very cold days, But i think the cold air is being rammed in at such i high rate at highway speeds 55 and above that the motor can't warm up enough. On cold days when driving 45 mph or slower my running temperture is about 165 to 170 which tells me my cooling system is working properly.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

... On cold days when driving 45 mph or slower my running temperture is about 165 to 170 which tells me my cooling system is working properly.

This tells me the aluminum radiator isn't significantly more effective than a good stock radiator with, say, an Excel recore as people report similar results with that setup. Not slamming the Al radiator, it's beautiful and the weight savings are probably significant--esp. to a racer--but it won't solve cooling problems if the rest of the system isn't in good nick.

 

[Keith_M]

I am running a 160 degree sleeved thermastat and do most of my driving on warmer days, However i love driving my Healey in the colder weather when the roads are clean... I can say one thing for sure! My healey has more power in the colder weather, anything 90 and above the power really drops off.

Could this be because the cold is denser? (rather than because of a difference in engine temperature).

 

[drambuie]

Yep...But that would be only one factor involved!:eagerness:

 

[drambuie]

This tells me the aluminum radiator isn't significantly more effective than a good stock radiator with, say, an Excel recore as people report similar results with that setup. Not slamming the Al radiator, it's beautiful and the weight savings are probably significant--esp. to a racer--but it won't solve cooling problems if the rest of the system isn't in good nick.

I agree.... I wanted a new radiator because my original upper tank had pin holes and the seams where leaking! I did not want to throw good money after bad trying to recore and repair. I live close to historic route 66 and tend to drive at least 125 miles for my weekend morning cup of coffee on long country roads with not much around, so i didn't want to worry about a old repaired radiator. I just want to reach the diner and enjoy my drive back home

 

[big6]

Griffin radiators is the best option. Look at the bottom of their site for custom radiator template...

www.[B]griffinrad.com[/B]

They make most of the radiators for NASCAR and are located in the upstate of South Carolina.

 

[drambuie]

Hi Big 6,

Why do you think Griffen is the best option? Just curious!

Not to get off the topic, this summer i took my sister and 8 year old nephew who is a car nut to see our first Nascar race at chicago land route 66 speedway! I live very close to it! I have to admit, that was the most BORING event i ever seen! They raced about 20 feet from each other and keep the same order for the whole race! I think only a hand full of cars passed each other and where super careful doing so keeping there distance from each other. It looked like the whole thing was staged! The best way to discribe it.... it was like standing on a interstate overpass watching cars go by! Except there is alot more serious racing on my local interstate I-80 And im dead serious!

Wow that Nascar sport really had its wings clipped! Nothing close to the Richard Petty AJ Foyte days! Now that was real racing going on! These days they are just a bunch of rolling bill boards with bored drivers. I know...I talked to some of them!

On the other hand i went to the NHRA drag races this summer as well, A whole different story....those drag racers are doing some REAL serious racing! Turning in High 4 second runs burning nitro! Just mind blowing to see in person!

 

[big6]

Draumbie,
I don’t care for NASCAR either. I started watching NHRA on TV in the early 60’swhen it was occasionally on The Wide World of Sports. Also spent many days in the mid to late 60’sat the local drag strip. I have attendedNHRA pro races at Columbus, Atlanta, Bristol, Charlotte, and Memphis over thepast 15 years. I stopped by the NHRA museumin Pomona a few years ago. Nothing like beingnext to two top fuel dragsters launching at the tree.
Griffin radiator also makes aluminum radiators for several NHRAPro Stock teams. They are high quality radiatorsand Griffin can make a special to fit any application. I considered having Griffin make a radiatorfor my BJ7 but opted for a larger three core brass since the tanks were in suchgood condition and the core available would fit the tanks.

 

[drambuie]

Hi Big 6,

I think the best reason i would steer someone to the Wizard radiator, (if they where in the market for a aluminum radiator) is because wizard has made many radiators for the Austin Healeys and has the mounting brackets down pat! They have special jigs set up for welding the brackets in the proper location. Not to mention it is a very well built and great looking in a Healey.

Getting back to racing, Yes i agree, There is nothing like watching the NHRA nitro funny car and dragsters in person, I can still feel all my internal organs shaking around in my body! It was many years the last time i been to a NHRA event...back then they where turning 10s and 9s..... last summer when i attended the NHRA finals i was in total shock to see they where now turning high 4 second runs.

I will drive my Healey to Wisconsin next summer for the vintage racing, I understand they mix it up fairly well there!

 

[Keoke]

I'm not sure that cooler is always better when it comes to engine temperature. I was under the impression that a Healey engine was supposed to run at about 185F for best fuel economy and to minimize engine deposits etc. Mine pretty much runs there no matter what the outside temperature is (I have a re-cored radiator and 5 bladed fan), and I think that is a sign of a healthy cooling system. Running less than 185 (assuming a 180 thermostat) indicates a problem.
Keith

I agree with you and your temps agree with my re-cored original i see those highertemps on the hotest of days I also have the Texas cooler fan. P>S> Copper has a higher thermal efficency than Aluminum too:welcoming:

 

[drambuie]

I agree with you and your temps agree with my re-cored original i see those highertemps on the hotest of days I also have the Texas cooler fan. P>S> Copper has a higher thermal efficency than Aluminum too:welcoming:[/QUOTE

Hey Keoke....NOW I KNOW WHY YOU HAVE A FORK TAIL, HORNS, PITCH FORK AND SNEEKERS (poke stick and run......The drive by demon! (just kidding) layful:

 

[steveg]

I've always been somewhat mystified by the claims that aluminum rads cool better. I understand copper, next to gold, is the best heat-dissapater. Not saying they don't - just curious about the physics.

 

[drambuie]

I've always been somewhat mystified by the claims that aluminum rads cool better. I understand copper, next to gold, is the best heat-dissapater. Not saying they don't - just curious about the physics.

I was a Machinist for 29 years and worked with all kinds of metals, 4130 steel, 304 stainless, hot roll, cold roll, cast iron, brass, copper,bronze, All types of TG&P super hard bearer custom materals that can be cut only with ceramic tooling and worked with many grades of delrin.

My experence when machining aluminum is that it attracts heat much faster then steel, however it also dissapates heat much faster when using machining coolents in the machining process. On the other hand, when cutting metal such as 4130 steel, cast iron, 403 stainless, bronze... Even after using coolent in the machining process, these materals take much longer to cool down. Its heat in and heat out..... which material can absorb and release the heat fastest with coolent? That would be aluminum! Michael, IL.

 

[steveg]

We weren't talking about steel or iron, but were you saying aluminum dissipates heat faster than copper? Also I'm interested that the aluminum rads aren't black anodized as aluminum with a thin black coating dissipates heat faster than the natural color. Maybe it's just marketing as aluminum rads look spiffy.