Thread: Aluminium Radiators - are they good or prone to failure?

In about 2020 I replaced my stock aluminium with plastic tank radiator in my 2002 D2 . I thought that it would be blocked by then. So I pulled the tanks and it was as clean as a whistle except for a bit of gunge in the lowest 3 tubes. No leaks in 18 years.
I replaced it with a GM brand UK built stock type radiator which I bought from Our dear departed friend in Melbourne. It is still going leak free in the car which I sold a years ago.
SoIMHO , there is nothing wrong with aluminium radiators with plastic tanks as long as they are good quality..
Regards PhilipA

Originally Posted by Pedro_The_Swift

The main reason replacement ali tanks fail is installment. People bolt them in solid. They should literally be free standing, so the CAR can flex around them...

Thanks mate, that's the first vaguely reassuring comment about Ali radiators I've seen. Well my new rad is sitting with its mount pegs in a brand new set of rubber grommets, and fully isolated from the frame around it. I still have to bond it electrically to the engine but that will happen in a day or two as I'm now running out of more urgent jobs to get the car back to fully operational condition.