Using a car radiator?

[issicus]

Not sure if this is extreme...

I'm thinking about getting a small car radiator from a scrap yard and hooking it up to my water block. I see a few YouTube videos of people doing it. Is this a bad idea?

I have attached a picture of what I would be connecting it to (ASETEK 550LC 120MM ) . It's a closed loop cooler that's glued together . The biggest problem I see with doing this is disconnecting the tubing from that without breaking anything and finding fittings to go from that size to what the radiator has.

 

[issicus]

I guess my radiator had a hole in it and was slowly leaking . It got much worse when I picked at the paint that had flaked off around the hole.......

 

[UltraTaco]

This might work? Even lubes pump.

 

[EarthDog]

I guess my radiator had a hole in it and was slowly leaking . It got much worse when I picked at the paint that had flaked off around the hole.......

That sucks.

This has been done before and used to be common a decade and change ago when all these 'PC' radiators were not out. That said, I worry about the pump having enough power to push water through it as those from an AIO are notoriously weak.

 

[Blaylock]

Not to mention a scrapyard radiator will be far from clean and will likely cost more than a STD PC rad.

 

[UltraTaco]

It probably calls for all car parts cooling system..
What about just using a home depot bucket instead? Drop a wetsaw pump in there and be good to goo

 

[Blaylock]

For a 24/7 build this is not a great option. Perfect for benching, not so much at the enthusiast / gaming / professional level.

 

[issicus]

This might work? Even lubes pump.

Are you serious?

Here's what it looks like. I was thinking about putting some solder on it. Or maybe even just epoxy it. I then have to figure out how to refill the thing..

I just ordered a noctua d14 . Problem solved. I still kind of want to try hooking the pump up to a car radiator if I can find one and now I dont have to worry about f'ing up my cooler because it already is

 

[Nebulous]

JB Weld is your friend. Sand area, clean, mix epoxy, cover damaged area, let cure 24hrs. Done. Sets like steel and it's waterproof. Will last a lifetime.

 

[Zerileous]

Actually I believe the heater cores were more suitable for PC use. And more appropriately sized. In addition to the challenges mentioned, you'll need to be aware of galvanic corrosion, as the front radiator is aluminum. You may find a copper/brass heater core, but it will likely be aluminum too. The fin density is really high, but so is the surface area. Standard PC fans are not going to be optimized for the fin density of a car radiator. I think the biggest challenge though, as Earth Dog mentioned, is flow with that pump. Radiator will have probably dozens tubes to flow through. My physics is pretty rusty, maybe someone can tell us if having a larger area with more tubes would create leas restriction.

Whatever you do do not put "stop leak" into your AIO. I believe it requires heat to activate and contains small particles that will clog a PC grade pump.

 

[ehume]

. . . I just ordered a noctua d14 . . .

The D14 is EOL, for good reason. See my review of the D14 here. What I found was that modern fans work better. But with the stock fans it is still a good heatsink.

 

[bignazpwns]

Yeah you can go get a small heater core about the size of a radiator. We use to use those back in the day.


If it's that small hole screw it man. Just go get some gasket market that antifreeze safe from like the Permatex black from the auto parts store and patch it. Cheap. No mixing so easy to use and was made to deal water pumps.

 

[habbajabba]

Mo betta just get a small frig and cut the holes for your tubing so any waterblock can be shoved in the freezer area at the top. I'm sure you could cool any beast. Just make sure you max the cold level.

 

[Blaylock]

That actually doesn't work for any extended use Habbajabba. Fridges/freezers are designed to get things cold, yes, but not to extract heat. The heat generated and dispersed via the radiator will get trapped in the very well insulated fridge.

The exception to this rule is shorter benching runs, but even then you will eventually build up heat soak.

 

[Aleslammer]

Sorry, most things are covered but a comment or two from a heater core user.

Heater cores are the best bet as stated more in line with what is used in the PC market. Personally prefer Ford parts, (early 1960 Tunderbird heater cores). Only problem have a half and 5/8” in/outlet, but with a little effort and a heat gun can get half inch tubing on the 5/8 barb. The pump as mentioned would be my only concern. Although starting to see more aluminum in recent replacement parts and cost has gone up a bit, the first two were under 20 bucks each a bunch of years ago the last three purchased a couple years ago were around $50+ a piece and had to hunt for copper/brass construction.

JB Weld as mentioned flat out works, if properly applied.

Dropped a 120 fan in the pic to get an idea of surface area. There was a Chevy core that was rather popular and was half inch on the in/outlet, T-bird core had a little more surface area, both comments from memory. Have never tried to get one in a case.

 

[issicus]

Sorry, most things are covered but a comment or two from a heater core user.

Heater cores are the best bet as stated more in line with what is used in the PC market. Personally prefer Ford parts, (early 1960 Tunderbird heater cores). Only problem have a half and 5/8” in/outlet, but with a little effort and a heat gun can get half inch tubing on the 5/8 barb. The pump as mentioned would be my only concern. Although starting to see more aluminum in recent replacement parts and cost has gone up a bit....

Why are two heater cores better than one radiator?

 

[habbajabba]

"That actually doesn't work for any extended use Habbajabba. Fridges/freezers are designed to get things cold, yes, but not to extract heat. The heat generated and dispersed via the radiator will get trapped in the very well insulated fridge. "
Have you ever seen a small fridge ice up to where the small freezer compartment door cannot be opened? You're probably right because the freezer part doesn't have enough power? There are mini fridges with actual separate freezer doors that actually freeze stuff but I'd hate to put holes in one. Even so for the small money one would cost I'd still do it.

 

[Blaylock]

I'm not sure where you're going with that, so I'll play along in hopes that I learn something new.

If you're referring to the refrigerator door, no I haven't. If you're talking about the freezer door inside of a refrigerator, yes, many times.

 

[habbajabba]

I can bet I could make it work and still grab a beer. I don't gamble however. Condensation/ice next to the rad, but preferably surrounding it. Then boot. Clunky for sure but still colder than a car radiator. A small chest freezer might be better because the fridge method will leak the way you put it.

 

[issicus]

Didn't you guys see the sticky about why a mini fridge doesn't work? You would be better off with an air conditioner blowing through a radiator.