3 0r 4 core

[Cratos]

I have the radiator at a local radiator shop I have use for years. unit was cooling ok just needs some TLC ( seeing corrosion and the green crud on the bottom tank) I was thinking the cost between a 3 or 4 row core is only 100.00 more I'm in Florida and the care is a factory air car. so thinking more capacity can't hurt ??

 

[cuda joe]

hot hot weather with ac go bigger

 

[Xcudame]

What you want is a 3 row (or 2 row) that's as thick as most 4 rows. You want to dissipate heat fast! That's why aluminum radiators are better than brass radiators, they dissipate heat better. If sticking with an original brass radiator and just added a new core, stick with the 3 row assuming it's thinner than the 4 row.

 

[Chryco Psycho]

The 4th row in a brass rad barely makes any difference as the air is too hot by the time it gets to the 4th row .
Alum uses wider tubes so 3 is all you need .

 

[Deezel]

I went through this about 6 months or so ago. I did quite a bit of studying and it's my understanding that tube size is more important than the number of rows. Essentially, a 2 row with a larger tube size can cool more effectively than a 3 row with a smaller tube size.
Example borrowed from one of the websites I visited;

• A 2-row radiator with 1 in. tubes will have more tube-to-fin contact than a 3-row radiator with 5/8 in. tubes.
  • 2 in. vs. 1 7/8 in.
• The radiators will be about the same thickness.
• The 2-row radiator will be less restrictive to airflow.

In this example, the 2-row radiator has more cooling capacity than the 3-row.