I managed to puncture the OEM aluminum radiator on my 94 Legacy while replacing the crank oil seal (don't ask, I feel stupid enough already). All local radiator specialists only have brass replacements. I've read on a number of occassions that you should not mix brass radiators with aluminum engines as the electrolysis this causes results in potentially severe pitting in the aluminum & plating of the brass, which can clog the radiator & is well nigh impossible to remove. Also, aluminum radiators are stronger & disipate heat better.
Anyone have any comments on their experience with replacement brass radiators????
Copper/brass (many are brass end caps on copper cores) is better IMO. Why? Aluminum/plastic radiators are a concession to cost and perhaps weight (in the never ending quest to meet fuel economy standards, mfrs have cut weight in a lot of unlikely places.) At the user end, they seem to develop leaks, most of 'em unfixable, more than copper/brass units. While it's true alumimun MAY transfer heat better than brass, it's not likely enough to do a lot in real life. While the aluminum may be dissipating heat faster thru the core, the plastic end caps are not! So it seems a balancing act to me.
Corrosion? Haven't seen it as a problem IF you keep your coolant changed on schedule (annual or bi-annual) and mix it using distilled water. The electrolysis thing sounds like someone slept thru half their high school chemistry class--someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but it's my understanding that since the brass radiator is isolated from the aluminum engine components by the rubber hoses, any electrolytic action is minimal if not non-existent (again for real life situations, not lab experiments.) Don't change your coolant frequently, you've got a problem with aluminum regardless of the type of radiator.
Even if I'm wrong in all the above, I've used brass radiators with all or partial aluminum engines for years with no problem. Check with
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for prices and availability before buying from a local shop--it might be worth a call. I got a two row unit from them for less than my local guys wanted for a single row!
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