I am contemplating replacing my copper/brass radiator in the near future as sort of preventative maintenance. I have an A340H and don't like the thought of the internal trans oil cooler leaking in its older age and causing the dreaded strawberry milkshake.

I have had better luck with aluminum heater cores, so that got me thinking about an aluminum core/plastic tank radiator (probably a TYC 50). I understand the lifespan may be less than a copper/brass due to thermal expansion and contraction of the plastic tanks. They are definitely more affordable though at less than half the cost of a CSF 3 row copper core.

What about the internal trans cooler though? Are the aluminum rads any more or less prone to failure in this area? How about cooling efficiency?

We have a couple Hyundai's in the family with aluminum/plastic radiators and they have held up fantastic, one 14 and the other 18 years old.

I have seen mixed opinions here on YT over the years, but I wanted to see how things are holding up for people.

 

Just replaced a Spectra Premium plastic/aluminum this past Friday. Bought 3/1/2019 and started seeping around the crimped seams around the end of January 2021. It almost made it two years. Had lifetime warranty on it, so it cost me a jug of antifreeze and my labor.

The plastic/aluminum cool good, but their longevity is suspect in my opinion...especially aftermarket radiators.

 

What he said. I put a Spectra Premium form rockauto in my '89 2WD 17 months ago. So far, so good. Plastic/aluminum OE in my Corolla is 13 years old, 164,000 miles and still OK. Its not the concept. Its the materials and manufacturing.

 

They went to plastic mostly because it was cheaper and less steps in the manufacturing process.
What I didn't like about the radiators with plastic tanks was when they developed a leak it could be sudden and catastrophic. When a brass tank developed a leak it was usually a pinhole that would weep and give you plenty of warning. When a plastic tank cracked it often got big fast. The crimp strips are an Achilles heel, too, but at least those give a bit of warning like the pinholes in brass.
A good brass radiator can often be repaired. The plastic tank radiators, even if repairable, aren't cost effective to fix.

Now, I will say the factory oem plastic tank radiators are pretty decent quality. So if you're comparing oem brass radiators vs.oem plastic tank that could be a tough call. But aftermarket plastic/aluminum is a whole different beast.

But the aftermarket plastic tank radiators are less expensive.

 

I agree with Jimkola.

I have noticed that the material choice is not as important as the quality and care put into manufacturing the radiators. Factory / OEM radiators from most car manufacturers in general last a long time, regardless if they are made of Copper/Brass or Aluminum/plastic.

Just observing on this forum over the years, it seems like the aftermarket replacement aluminum/plastic radiators are not the best quality and tend to fail much sooner than the original did, at least for our trucks.

I have a CSF 2-row copper/brass radiator in my truck that is 1.5 years old and I don't worry about the transmission cooler leaking, but it is still pretty new.

 

I have the all metal CSF2306, 3-row radiator. Build quality seemed good, and it fit perfectly. The previous radiator was a 2-row, but I never had any overheating issues despite driving in the mountains fully loaded with summer desert heat.

Another likely reason for newer radiators to utilize more plastic is to save weight as well as cost. Me? I prefer the failure/repair modes of metal over plastic.

 

I put one of these in our daughter's 87 4 runner because it kept overheating... that was about 4 years ago.... stays on 190 degrees and has held up well.

 

Thank you all for the input. After putting probably way too much thought into this, I am going to give the aluminum/plastic design a shot to replace my old 3 row copper/brass. The lower cost is definitely a plus, and as far as I can tell, the OSC 50 seems to be as well built as any aftermarket radiator. I figure these have become so common in new vehicles, they can't be all that bad. Hopefully the build quality of the OSC will be as good as they make it sound.

OSC claims:

• OSC radiators are technically advanced and made from premium grade aluminum. The tubes are cadmium plated inside and out to prevent premature failure.
• OSC tests the transmission and engine oil coolers prior to installation into the tank. The radiator core is tested prior to assembly and then once the assembly is complete the unit is tested again.
• All units meet OES cooler design with copper concentric coolers and plate coolers where originally equipped.
• Enhancements added to solve original design failures and to improve the life of high mileage vehicles: adding more fins per inch, thicker cores and even larger transmission coolers to overcome the added heat associated with these vehicles.

 

I have a 93 V6 auto RV. The general consensus among the guru's is a OE type 3 core must be used. Lots of people have over heating issues.

I have a single core aluminum and run pedal to the metal on the hottest of days up mountains with the AC on and it runs nice and cool. No idea what brand it is and it has been in there for 4 years so far.

After a couple experiences I will not buy new parts from Ebay again unless from a known seller, I no longer trust them. My opinion and worth what you are paying for it.

 

I get mine at advance Auto.. order online use coupon25 code, get 25 percent off.. their new radiators come with the building transmission cooler too... Lifetime warranty.I had one go bad and they swapped it out no problem... It was my fault overheating issues blown head gasket. you got to order it online and go into your local store to pick it up to get the discount...cheers...Frank in VA.

 

Several years ago I purchased a NAPA aftermarket aluminum/ plastic radiator for my 90 T4r 4/x4 with auto and have not experienced any problems over these many years, however, If i were to use the vehicle for hauling or heavy lifting then I would go with an upgrade.