Running to a vehicle workshop frequently can be infuriating. What can be worse? Being stranded on the side of the road with an overheated vehicle! Nothing puts a damper on a joyful cruise like steam coming from the hood or the smell of hot coolant splattered all over the engine compartment. Besides, what causes these troubles? Undeniably, overheating and engine breakdowns or unnecessary and frequent servicing of an engine is caused by faulty or obsolete radiators.
Most people do not pay much attention to these components as they do not add to the external beauty of the vehicle. Consequently, their cars end up hurling to the workshop on a regular basis.
Can this be avoided? Most definitely, YES! To prevent this situation, all you need to do is take precautions, and having a decent vehicle radiator is a good place to start.
We've compiled a list of the most common radiator options. With this knowledge, you will be able to select an best aftermarket radiator that is perfect for your vehicle.
First Things First- What and How AnsweredAs you know, the radiator in a vehicle is a heat exchanger that cools an internal combustion engine.
Modern engines generate an enormous amount of heat. As the coolant flows through and around the engine, it absorbs heat and transports it to the radiator, protecting it from overheating. The coolant enters tubes in the radiator as the car moves, air passes through the rows of tubes, cooling the coolant. As a result, heat is dissipated through the air, and then the coolant is cycled back into the engine block to continue cooling it. Allowing that the radiator is able to dispel heat quickly enough, there is no danger of the engine overheating. It is likely that the engine will overheat if the radiator is inefficient or inadequate for the amount of horsepower being produced.Choosing The Right Radiator for Your VehicleTo simplify your decision about choosing the right radiator, we will showcase various kinds of radiators. This will help you to compare and choose your next radiator.Aluminium vs Copper-Brass RadiatorOlder vehicles had copper-brass radiators that were standard until the 1980s. Copper-brass radiators are known for their superior heat conduction abilities.
So how does aluminium even come into the picture?
Although copper-brass conducts heat well, it is relatively weak when compared to aluminium. Coolant tubes made of copper-brass need to be kept small in diameter in order to prevent ballooning or bursting under pressure. In terms of cooling capabilities, that's a big problem.
Our Verdict: Aluminium tubes can have larger diameters than copper-brass tubes due to aluminum’s strength. Consequently, the radiator has a greater cooling capacity because more coolant is exposed to the heat exchange process. Due to aluminum’s low weight, aluminium radiators are often the ideal choice for most engines.Crossflow vs Downflow RadiatorsThere are two different types of radiators: crossflow and downflow.
In a crossflow radiator, cooling tubes and fins make up the core, which is surrounded by vertical tanks on each side. With the aid of your water pump, coolant travels horizontally across the core from inlet to outlet.
There are two horizontal tanks at the top and bottom of a downflow radiator. By entering through the top of the radiator, the coolant travels vertically through the core and leaves through the bottom outlet. Since coolant flows from the top down, gravity helps the water pump move coolant through the radiator more quickly.
Our Verdict: Due to the speed at which crossflow moves the coolant, it is typically more efficient in terms of design. Crossflow radiators retain coolant for a longer period of time, which allows them to better dissipate heat. Crossflow radiators are often the best choice for high-output engines due to their heat dissipation capabilities and (typically) larger core surface areas.
