yes, you can use a car radiator in your water loop.
yes, you can use a car radiator in your water loop.
I conducted some research prior to this query but wasn’t able to locate a definitive solution. Please note this isn’t the first time someone has asked this, but I’m asking to avoid hate comments. I’m curious whether using a car radiator instead of a standard PC radiator would perform equally well. The fitting process shouldn’t be difficult since the car radiator shares the same connections as the other components in my water loop. The main challenges would be positioning and securing it properly. Mounting fans on it also seems tricky—perhaps a 240mm fan with duct tape? It measures 280x280x2cm. I’m unsure if this is excessive or if it really matches a typical PC radiator. Can I safely use a car radiator in a PC water loop?
If the Rad is sufficient, you might avoid fans altogether. I’ve successfully carried out passive water cooling before, and it performed well. I’ve assisted others with similar setups, and it functions effectively when done correctly. Please share an image of the Rad for better guidance.
But there might be differences in materials. Is your pump powerful enough for that length of piping? A motorcycle radiator could work better than one from a car. Also, unless it's just for fun, what are you aiming to accomplish with a car radiator versus a standard PC size one?
A rad is a rad, it's just the cooling agent, so yes it'll work without any issues. You might consider a transmission cooler or a motorcycle-style rad if you prefer, as long as you have fans and fittings. Regarding fans, the one you're using is 280x280mm, which means four 140mm fans will fit perfectly. You can secure them with zip-ties or similar fasteners. For mounting, I'd suggest attaching it to the side panel with 1-inch standoffs. Using a pull configuration will keep the rad hidden while still keeping it as a single unit.
Car radiators are available in copper or aluminum, and choosing matching metals could be beneficial.
An automotive heater core could be a better option. They are available in different sizes and materials. Automotive aluminum radiators often contain a "sacrificial" zinc anode because various metals are commonly found there. The zinc corrodes first to protect the other components in the cooling system.
I would assume the pump wouldn't be strong enough to push the water through all the coolant tubes in the radiator, given the numerous tubes and their spread across a larger area.
I considered it, but the coolant tubes have a much bigger diameter, which means flow rates from a D5 or similar would drop significantly, while the volume goes up. This would lower resistance per tube per inch, possibly allowing D5 to work together more effectively.
I'm unsure about the real advantage of such a big rad. Unless the CPU is slowing down because of high clock speed, a cooler temperature doesn't necessarily mean better performance.