aluminum radiator

[isaltz]

if i have a aluminum radiator, and wanted to paint the tanks, not the fins just the upper, lower and tanks on the sides, would that make the engine run hotter, will it prevent the water from being as cool if it is painted? i look forward to your response

[Bruce Pickett]

Most radiators are painted black, but they were copper/steel. Don't see what it would hurt to paint just the tanks if you know how a cooling system works on a car. Fins and air are what does most of the cooling. DO IT!!!

[Orville Duncan]

A Radiator is just a heat exchanger and all the work of the heat exchange is done in the tube and fin area. The top and bottom tanks are for collecting and directing flow. Painting the top and bottom tanks should not be a problem. Only thing I wonder is - do you have to pickle aluminum before it is painted ?

[Bill Cleveland]

Don't know about pickling, but . . . rough it up with a 320 grit paper, then use an epoxy primer, then paint. Should last as long as the radiator!

[isaltz]

thanks guys, trying to make that tough decision if the radiator would look better if it were painted the same color as the car or left like it is, at the moment it is polished aluminum, so im sure it would have to have something done to it before it could b painted. the radiator i got does not need a shell, i hope to have my mind made up pretty soon, lol

[Bill Holley]

my vote = NO PAINT.. u paid for an alum rad and polished it.. my last bucket had a copper rad painted black. so,so run of the mill.. new rad was alum and i polished it.. much better.