The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Radiator finishing advise - opinions welcome

Tonight I decided clean up my radiator. I think it was a picture I saw that Woody had posted that has shown the rad top polished, so I gave it a go.

I love the look.

<pic>

I'm thinking of painting the fins on the radiator an aluminum color, and the outside frame black.

Were the fins aluminum coloured new?

Mark

there was no aluminum in the original radiators, just copper brass and steel - and they were 100% flat black

Bill

I believe the factory color is more of a Semi Gloss or Satin Black (chassis black), not Flat Black.

Mike B

Using the wrong paint on a radiator can cause severe overheating problems. It's a heat exchanger, and painting it interferes with that process. If you decide to paint the core, use flat or semi-gloss black, and spray the fins at about a 45 degree angle so only the first fraction of an inch of the fins get painted. Don't let the paint penetrate very far into the core.
Jerry

Thanks Jerry - will do. Had planned to use flat.

But you've got me curious - does gloss paint act as an insulator?

I don't see why you say this. It's heat transfer you're looking for. Sure, if you use a heavy ceramic paint it will plug everything up and be so thick that you won't get heat transfer. However, a glossy vs flat surface will not change your heat transfer. I can say this because I have gloss black radiators in all my cars and they don't overheat.

I remember radiator shops actually dipping them in black paint. Obviously not a good practice but so many things aren't. Now they don't paint radiators much at all or use aluminum and plastic but dip the entire car. Part of Hope and Change I suppose.

Old steam radiators in houses are silver and they give off plenty of heat.

Joe

What does "Hope and Change" have to do with discussion?

Here are some comments on copper vs aluminum radiators:

http://www.caparadiator.com/aluminumvscopper.html

http://www.differencebetween.net/object/auto-object/difference-between-aluminum-and-copper-radiator/

At the radiator shop I helped run in California for several years, we bought a special heat-conducting paint, and used the "spray the front edge" method to assure maximum heat transfer. Radiators work best with no paint at all on them, but most car owners don't like the ugly appearance of an unpainted copper radiator.

Different strokes for different folks- - - -if anybody else likes their way better, go for it. I've worked around enough successful professionals in the auto repair trade that I'm prone to do it their way. The guys who have to guarantee their work usually know what they're talking about.
Jerry