Brass vs Plastic Tank Aluminum Rad

[Oldswagon]

I am going to replace the rad in my '93 Suburban soon. It has the OEM brass rad in place, (approx 34" x 17") with only the transmission cooler. My local rad shop can recore my brass Rad, or for less money (about $100 less), I can get a new plastic tank aluminum aftermarket rad.

Any opionion on whioh to pick? I am not sure what brand the aftermarket rad the shop sells. How do they compare to brass rads for quaility? I have always been hesitant of the plastic tanks on rads (fear of them cracking or leaking at the seams), but I do know the aluminum core is probably more durable in our salty winters.

Any opinions?

 

[Chris142]

How much are they saying the new plastic radiator costs?

How much to recore your old one?

 

[d00df00d]

Don't aluminum radiators prefer different kinds of coolant?

 

[qship1996]

Go for the new one, even if they recore the old, at 17 years of use and exposure the fins will have seen their better days. I got 10 years out of my aluminum/plastic end tank radiator- better to purchase new and replace periodically{7-10 years} than keep repairing old due to weathers effect on metals.

 

[mechanicx]

Most newer coolant is designed around protecting aluminum and will protect and aluminum/plastic radiator well. Copper-brass radiators are more of a challenge and a lot of the newer coolant do a so-so job of protecting them.

 

[d00df00d]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx
Most newer coolant is designed around protecting aluminum and will protect and aluminum/plastic radiator well. Copper-brass radiators are more of a challenge and a lot of the newer coolant do a so-so job of protecting them.

Thanks. If that's the case, then I agree with the suggestion to go with the new radiator.

 

[Oldswagon]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
How much are they saying the new plastic radiator costs?

How much to recore your old one?


Off the top of my head, I think it was about $325 to recore my current rad, or about $225 for the new one (these are Canadian prices). I know the price difference was about $100.

The truck uses green coolant and I plan to continue to use green.

 

[cjcride]

Go with new.

 

[Trav]

European cars have used plastic radiator tanks for decades.They are very tough and durable,you would really have have to do some serious damage to break it.
Go with the new one.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: Oldswagon
Originally Posted By: Chris142
How much are they saying the new plastic radiator costs?

How much to recore your old one?


Off the top of my head, I think it was about $325 to recore my current rad, or about $225 for the new one (these are Canadian prices). I know the price difference was about $100.

I'd definatly go with the new PTR at this point. I don't see how they can recore your old radiator for $325 and use a decient core. That core alone in a high efficiency costs me about $300.

I think for $325 you won't get many tubes or fins per inch in that core vs a high efficiency one.

We get $600ish for a high efficiency 4R core for your truck here. $240 is about right for the 2R PTR for that truck.

 

[Kestas]

Technically speaking, copper/brass radiators shed heat better than aluminum radiators.

Practically speaking, I agree with using an aluminum aftermarket radiator.

 

[Gary Allan]

Originally Posted By: qship1996
Go for the new one, even if they recore the old, at 17 years of use and exposure the fins will have seen their better days. I got 10 years out of my aluminum/plastic end tank radiator- better to purchase new and replace periodically{7-10 years} than keep repairing old due to weathers effect on metals.


All he should be reusing are the tanks. The whole core (fins and all) will be brand new.

I did this with my mothers old 80's Citation. When the core was shot (and rad shops were more abundant) I asked if a thicker core was available. For (at the time) $30 more I got a 50% thicker core.


OT: If I had wanted to get a wider/broader core (the front sheet metal had a knockout and there were mounting points, I could have gone that was too. It must have been for some desert application.

 

[Oldswagon]

I went with the aluminum rad, since it seem to be the consensus here. It's a 2 row aluminum with plastic tanks, and looks about the same thickness as my 4 row brass rad. The brand the shop sells is Spectra. The rad shop owner was really pushing the brass rad as "his recommended choice", but said the aluminum plastic should be fine. It was exactly $100 cheaper than the recore.

 

[Chris142]

Make sure that the big nuts that hold the coolers into the tank are tight. They seem to loosen up during shipping and are a pain to tighten in the truck.

 

[Oldswagon]

Thanks for the info Chris. The rad shop guy actually tightened them up before I left the shop, he said the same thing. This rad actually came with the oil cooler as well, even though my truck doesn't have one now. BTW, you were almost bang on for the price, it was actaully $245.