# Aluminum vs. copper rads **URL:** \ **Category:** Canada Nissan Automotive\ **Created:** [January 17, 2007, 1:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/aluminum-vs-copper-rads/145636 "2007-01-17T01:50:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Evan\_Mcclleland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@Evan\_Mcclleland](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Evan_Mcclleland)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 1:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/aluminum-vs-copper-rads/145636/1 "2007-01-17T01:50:13Z")
whats so bad about aluminum? ---
**Author:** ![onefast87](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@onefast87](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/onefast87)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 3:55am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/aluminum-vs-copper-rads/145636/2 "2007-01-17T03:55:43Z")
aluminum sucks, it looks really good and cools extremely well, who would want that? ---
**Author:** ![Jason\_Lange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/65b543/32.png) [@Jason\_Lange](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jason_Lange)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 3:59am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/aluminum-vs-copper-rads/145636/3 "2007-01-17T03:59:11Z")
Hahaha ya why copper?? ---
**Author:** ![nis\_mo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/82dd89/32.png) [@nis\_mo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/nis_mo)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 9:54am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/aluminum-vs-copper-rads/145636/4 "2007-01-17T09:54:42Z")
its cheaper, and it apparently cools better, i have seen a couple cars with aluminum rads and they still have overheating problems… ---
**Author:** ![jdms13rhd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@jdms13rhd](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/jdms13rhd)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 9:56am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/aluminum-vs-copper-rads/145636/5 "2007-01-17T09:56:41Z")
they just have bad fans^^^ Paint the fins black and it helps. ---
**Author:** ![canadianskyline](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/41988e/32.png) [@canadianskyline](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/canadianskyline)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 1:13pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/aluminum-vs-copper-rads/145636/6 "2007-01-17T13:13:44Z")
Copper transfers heat better than aluminum. Copper rads are more efficient. Best bet is to run a Koyo and make the stock shroud/clutch fan work. Who gives a shit about parasitic loss…it doesn’t amount to enough for my ass dyno to notice a difference… :lol: ---
**Author:** ![nis\_mo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/82dd89/32.png) [@nis\_mo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/nis_mo)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 1:38pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/aluminum-vs-copper-rads/145636/7 "2007-01-17T13:38:59Z")
> [@canadianskyline](#): > > Copper transfers heat better than aluminum. Copper rads are more efficient. > > Best bet is to run a Koyo and make the stock shroud/clutch fan work. Who gives a shit about parasitic loss…it doesn’t amount to enough for my ass dyno to notice a difference… :lol: yes someone here who doesnt think pretier is better hahaha ---
**Author:** ![RS13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@RS13](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/RS13)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 5:33pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/aluminum-vs-copper-rads/145636/8 "2007-01-17T17:33:42Z")
> [@nis\_mo](#): > > [quote=canadianskyline]Copper transfers heat better than aluminum. Copper rads are more efficient. > > Best bet is to run a Koyo and make the stock shroud/clutch fan work. Who gives a shit about parasitic loss…it doesn’t amount to enough for my ass dyno to notice a difference… :lol: yes someone here who doesnt think pretier is better hahaha[/quote] True But the copper is about twice as heavy. Weight off the very front end of the car, thats very important kent ---
**Author:** ![Nis240](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a9a28c/32.png) [@Nis240](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Nis240)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 5:34pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/aluminum-vs-copper-rads/145636/9 "2007-01-17T17:34:05Z")
> [@onefast87](#): > > aluminum sucks, it looks really good and cools extremely well, who would want that? Cools really well eh? :roll: … Its holds more coolant…thats about it. ---
**Author:** ![canadianskyline](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/41988e/32.png) [@canadianskyline](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/canadianskyline)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 5:35pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/aluminum-vs-copper-rads/145636/10 "2007-01-17T17:35:15Z")
Haha, i bought a koyo aluminum though, cause it was cheap…but id rather have a copper. ---
**Author:** ![Nis240](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a9a28c/32.png) [@Nis240](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Nis240)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 5:37pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/aluminum-vs-copper-rads/145636/11 "2007-01-17T17:37:23Z")
> [@RS13](#): > > [quote=nis\_mo][quote=canadianskyline]Copper transfers heat better than aluminum. Copper rads are more efficient. > > Best bet is to run a Koyo and make the stock shroud/clutch fan work. Who gives a shit about parasitic loss…it doesn’t amount to enough for my ass dyno to notice a difference… :lol: yes someone here who doesnt think pretier is better hahaha[/quote] True But the copper is about twice as heavy. Weight off the very front end of the car, thats very important kent[/quote] Sure it is… :roll: :roll: ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Mcclleland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@Evan\_Mcclleland](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Evan_Mcclleland)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 12:22am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/aluminum-vs-copper-rads/145636/12 "2007-01-18T00:22:15Z")
so aluminum doesnt get any points for looking good? aluminum still has good heat desperion qualitys! ---
**Author:** ![imported\_RPS131](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dbc845/32.png) [@imported\_RPS131](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/imported_RPS131)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 12:28am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/aluminum-vs-copper-rads/145636/13 "2007-01-18T00:28:19Z")
I’ve heard that Copper cools better, but apparently because Aluminum is easier to work with they can make the fins thinner so it cools just as well as the Copper. What about that one test where those guys tested overheating characteristics on SRs with various radiators (stock, aluminum, copper and such) and fan combinations and it showed that the copper did indeed cool better? Kindof off topic, if you really want to get some good heat conducting, get a silver rad. Wouldn’t cost too much. ---
**Author:** ![canadianskyline](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/41988e/32.png) [@canadianskyline](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/canadianskyline)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 12:57am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/aluminum-vs-copper-rads/145636/14 "2007-01-18T00:57:48Z")
Copper is almost twice as thermally conductive as aluminum both being in pure forms. The thing is, aluminum is usually mixed as an alloy with other metals that arent as thermally efficient as even aluminum is. That means that roughly, if you took 2 rads, everything else being equal, the copper one will transfer twice the heat an aluminum one does. Copper is over twice as heavy as pure aluminum though. If you wanted an aluminum rad to be as effective as a copper one it would have to have twice the surface area, and consequently would end up having more coolant in it (heavier). Aluminum is also cheaper. That being said, given the chance I’d like to have a copper, but my aluminum was too cheap to pass up. ---
**Author:** ![GRIPPY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ad7895/32.png) [@GRIPPY](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/GRIPPY)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 9:17am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/aluminum-vs-copper-rads/145636/15 "2007-01-18T09:17:33Z")
It seems to just come down to necessity. Good fans and proper direction of airflow to the rad, and aluminum seems to do the trick. ---
**Author:** ![Nis240](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a9a28c/32.png) [@Nis240](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Nis240)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 3:34pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/aluminum-vs-copper-rads/145636/16 "2007-01-23T15:34:10Z")
> **[SR20DET overheats on track..solution? - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX...](http://zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=111240&highlight=aluminum+copper)** > > Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum > **[koyo copper radiator..anyone got pics or info? - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan...](http://zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=66905&highlight=aluminum+copper)** > > Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum At least we arent the only ones whom argue about this. :lol: