Thread: Ali radiator opinions

Hi my 89 range decided to break off some of the fan blades on the radiator on the weekend. So now I have some big gouge marks in the radiator. Surprisingly it did not leak, however I don't trust it any more and want to get a new radiator.
My question is has anyone used any of the Ali radiators from eBay with sucess.
Do they fit ok etc etc.
One site says that the 3 row is better and one other site says the opposite that the 2 row is bigger therefore better
Price wise they range from 299 upwards.
I have already replaced the broken fan.
The fan was only about 4 years old.
Thanks for any input!!
Brad

I'll just say this.

You can't 'fix' a plastic tank alloy core radiator. They are throwaways. Once they leak they are kaput. Might want to think about this if you're heading bush.

I had a new OEM Behr/Hella radiator put in my 560SL in 2008 to replace an unknown quantity. I hardly drive the car... maybe max 3-5000km per year.
It's radiator has ABS tanks crimped to an alloy core. (Mercedes have been using these since the early 80's).
Always used Genuine MB coolant etc. ran perfectly fine. Never an issue.
Earlier this year, I went to move the SL from one side of the garage to the other. started it, warmed it up, reversed out.... COOLANT PUDDLE.... wtf?

Closer investigation showed that the oring which seals the alloy core to the plastic tank (crimped on) was leaking. I was thinking, oh probably a radiator hose clamp, or something like that, but no sireee...

what to do? I ring a few places... they all say "Toss it in the bin - it can't have tanks welded to it, or the oring replaced".

I price a New radiator - from MB is over $2200. the same OEM radiator from parts guy is $780. I think to myself.... what a wonderful world of ripoff merchants we have in this country.

Lucky for me though, I already had a second, as I had purchased it at the same time I purchased the other one - it was destined for another vehicle project, which thankfully did not eventuate!

I kept the old leaky radiator. I will be having one fabricated to match this one, but with alloy side tanks..

Personally I prefer brass tanks and copper cores, as they are roadside repairable with a soldering iron, or in a bush mechanics case, and old car battery and a fire to melt the lead, however in the interests of maintaining the correct metallurgical content in the cooling system, I'll have an alloy one fabricated.

Interesting that you mention only 2 cores..... the Behr radiator has 3 row, offset core.... I was told by the radiator guy (who also does huge industrial stuff) that the efficiency from multiple cores is not from an increase in fluid carrying volume or fin area, but in the ofsetting of the cores, so that only one core receives the cool air from the outside. Parallel cores are a total waste of time. He suggested that a 4 row offset narrow core would be the most efficient for my application, but the core itself would be ridiculously expensive, so stick with the 3 core. The difference? apparently the 3 row offset core is 80% (yes that is right) more efficient than the parallel row cored radiator.

food for thought. Please let us know how your alloy tank version holds up and what the quality is like.