The simple answer is absolutely not. There are so many different styles and types of engine radiators, it can get confusing, but there are a few styles that are the most common. Prior to the 1980s, pretty much every radiator was made from a copper-brass alloy, which offers the best heat transfer rate.The problem with copper-brass (CB for short) is that the tubes have to be thicker and they use solder to bond each tube to the end plate. This makes CB radiator cores thicker, taking up more space. In the mid-80s, copper and brass became harder to get, so OEMs switched to aluminum radiators. Aluminum also conducts heat well, just not quite as well as CB. The difference is that aluminum tubes are much thinner, so you can fit more rows of tubes in the same space as a CB core.
Why Should I Choose A Copper-Brass Radiator? CB cores can be repaired, as they are soldered together, where aluminum cores are much harder to repair pinhole leaks. CB cores are not affected by electrolysis, so if you maintain the cooling system and flush it every 2-3 years, your radiator should last a very long time. The main reason to select a CB radiator is the appearance. If you want to keep the original appearance, then a CB radiator does that. U.S. Radiator can even re-core your original radiator with a modern core that has better flow but retains the original tanks, which is important for vehicles built in the 1950s and older, as the VIN and data plates were typically affixed to the radiator tank.
Why Choose An Aluminum Radiator? Aluminum radiator cores have more rows of tubes with thinner walls, making them more efficient when compared to the same size CB core. “We can move more coolant in a smaller space with aluminum” Cochran told us, “If we leave it based on space alone, we go with aluminum.” That doesn’t mean that aluminum cores are perfect, they do need to be protected from electrolysis, which is an electro-chemical reaction that is present in every engine cooling system. The fix is to run a sacrificial anode in the cooling system. Aluminum radiators are difficult to repair, so when they fail it is a replacement job.
