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Radiator Recore

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mylesw

Jedi Hopeful
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Hello

Took my TR4 radiator down to the radiator shop to get cleaned out. In this process the radiator shop have managed to get a working radiator to leak....anyway, they want $425 for a recore. Apparently the current core is 2 3/4" but the replacement core is 2 5/8". Does this sound right/easonable? Also, gave me the option of some zigzag radiator vs the straight one that is standard. Anyone got any experience with the zigzag radiator? Can you attach an electric fan to these?

Lots of questions, thanks for your help.

Myles
 
Myles-

How authentic do you want to be? For that money you can go aluminum. Haven't checked the bidding, but there was a nice one on ebay this past week (albeit with the early style header tank) for $399 I think.

Frankly, the price quoted to you sounds high to me, but I don't have a good experience base. I have bought used radiators for less than a quarter of the price and they've been fine though.

Randy
 
I am not sure how the TR4 radiator differs from the one for the 6 but, Ron Davis makes a beautiful one for a little more than you are talking about.

https://www.rondavisradiators.com/new_products.htm

Also, when you say zigzag radiator, if you mean a double pass cross flow radiator. The guys at Ron Davis told me that they see a 20 degree greater temperature drop (inlet to outlet) with that style as opposed to the standard style.
 
Re: Radiator Re core

Aloha Myles,

I've had TR3 radiators recored with the standard type core for about $200 - $250 recently, so I think the $400 quote seems high. Usually everything in Hawaii costs more than other places. The shop I use cleans the radiator, re cores it, pressure tests it and repaints the radiator for that price. Repairs to the tanks if required sometimes adds a few dollars.

I've been satisfied with the cooling of the standard radiator. If you were concerned about overheating with the radiator before, you might want to consider the the cross flow (zig zag) core for improved cooling.

If the shop over pressurized the radiator during testing, seem to me they should offer some discount for the re coring.
 
Re: Radiator Re core

MGTF1250Dave said:
so I think the $400 quote seems high.
Click to expand...
Me too.<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]If the shop over pressurized the radiator during testing, seem to me they should offer some discount for the re coring. [/QUOTE]Just chemical cleaning can sometimes cause an old radiator to start leaking; rodding out definitely can. My shop has warned me on several occasions that the core might not survive the cleaning process (and stated they would not charge me if it didn't).

I'm wondering if perhaps "zig-zag" vs "straight" doesn't refer to the fins rather then the tubes. The original radiators had fins that ran horizontally, while modern radiators have fins that zigzag back and forth between the tubes.

Since the problem with my original radiator was that the tubes were no longer in good thermal contact with the fins; I have to think the zigzag design is better (since the fins are soldered/brazed to the tubes).
 
Re: Radiator Re core

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:] I'm wondering if perhaps "zig-zag" vs "straight" doesn't refer to the fins rather then the tubes. The original radiators had fins that ran horizontally, while modern radiators have fins that zigzag back and forth between the tubes.
[/QUOTE]

I think you're right about that Randall.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:] Since the problem with my original radiator was that the tubes were no longer in good thermal contact with the fins[/QUOTE]

This is a problem area often overlooked. If the fins are not connected to the tubes, they can't conduct heat from the tubes to shed heat.
 
Re: Radiator Re core

Thanks for your comments. I'm exploring some other options however the other radiator shop wants to know the height of the core (tank to tank), the depth of the core (which I was told is 2 5/8") and the number of rows of tubes in the core (which should be of the order of 3, 4 or 5). Not having the radiator with me I am not able to do this myself. If someone has this info handy or could measure their radiator for me I would be grateful.

Thanks

Myles
 
Re: Radiator Re core

My favorite design is a louvered copper plate and tube design... aluminum doesn't conduct heat as well as copper so I'm firmly in the copper camp.

Here's some info from US Radiator. I've used their radiators in several hot rods and they work very well.

https://www.usradiator.com/options.htm
 
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